Key Messages

The First Nations Wellness Initiative (FNWI) is a collaborative model for developing community-driven and evidence-informed wellness strategies addressing mental health and/or substance use (MHS) challenges in First Nations communities, with the additional aim of mitigating the impacts of the pandemic. Building on strong research partnerships with First Nations, sustainable mental wellness strategies will be developed in two First Nations. Participatory Action Research (PAR) will be used to develop strategies that are strengths based, culturally appropriate, built around community needs, and informed by previously collected qualitative and quantitative data. Knowledge regarding successful wellness strategy development will be disseminated widely.

Lay Summary

Staff in both communities are coordinating the project locally. The Community Advisory Circle (CAC) in Community 1 is meeting regularly to oversee and advise on all aspects of the research. The CAC in Community 2 is awaiting Chief and Council approval to commence the work. Community engagement/knowledge sharing products (e.g., videos, workbooks) are under development and virtual approaches (community forums, social media) for dissemination are being finalized. Data collection tools and approaches for examining the effects of the pandemic on mental health are under review by the CAMH Research Ethics Board. Data collection will commence upon REB approval.

Author(s)

• Nominated Principal Applicant: Samantha Wells, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

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Population

Indigenous Peoples and Communities, Chronic Disease and/or Mental Illness, People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) and Substance Use, Aging

Language

To ensure the rapid dissemination of this critical information, information is published in the language in which it was submitted. Please contact us for French or English translations.