A toolbox to address the Indigenous MHealth stigma
My group and I have been given the opportunity to collaborate with the Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA) working to create an intervention to benefit those who are awaiting mental health counseling.
Where it all began.
The life expectancy of indigenous people is estimated at 74 years, 4 years less than all races in the U.S. The removal of American Indians from their lands, as well as other policies, has resulted in the high rates of poverty that characterize this ethnic minority group. With homes snatched, families separated, and many living under a false identity out of fear a public mental health crisis plagued the indigenous community. This population fell in depression, anger, and substance use as they attempted to battle a history. This epidemic rages today and the awareness is still minimal
Not included in the timeline above is the year the last state residential school was closed; 1996. Additionally, in June 2021 nearly 800 unmarked graves of indigenous children were discovered on the former residential school land sparking outrage with indigenous communities across the globe. I feel it is important to acknowledge the work of UNYA and other non-governmental organizations to ensure that indigenous youth have access to an education especially one that informs them of their history. Not enough schools have included indigenous history in their curriculum and therefore awareness of their ongoing crisis is limited.
Educating the public
During the pandemic, the video above was created to make the public aware of the indigenous mental health crisis. The video is narrated by Dr. Evan Adams of Tla’amin First Nation and features a Nlaka’pamux healing song. People are show in various scenarios, such as a group of people whispering and pointing at an Indigenous woman. “Pandemics can promote harmful stigmatization,” Adams says during the video. “COVID-19 is a physical virus. Stigma is a social sickness.” There are countless stereotypes that are anchored in colonial views and reinforced through generations. These stereotypes need to be challenged and society has to recognize when they’re influencing our thinking and our behaviors. Creators of the video are hopeful that this video will promote that kind of reflection and discussion and it will illuminate the urgent need for change.
With a focus on the healing song, we were eager to incorporate a musical aspect into our proposed intervention for the youth. A part of a daily ritual for youth struggling with mental health issues, those choosing to engage with the intervention will choose a song to depict their mood daily in order to help navigate their emotions throughout the week.
Creating awareness
Indigenous Story Studio, formerly known as the Healthy Aboriginal Network, has been a registered non-profit Society in the province of British Columbia since 2005. Our mandate is the non-profit promotion of health, literacy & wellness. Illustrations/comic books are made in order to reflect the needs of the indigenous community. The efforts from the
Illustrations appear to be a tool utilized often by society when creating awareness concerning the indigenous community. With this in mind, we included an artsy aspect in our intervention. Similar to the musical feature, the youth part of the new proposed program will draw/design something expressing their emotions daily, with the aim being to identify triggers associated with their negative mood.
Mental Health Intervention Mapping
When liaising with UNYA representatives we were informed that there aren't many other organizations conducting similar work, particularly dedicated to supporting Indigenous Youth. I looked to identify resources that Indigenous Youth had access to outside UNYA using UNYA’s location as a pinpoint, please see the map below.
Interviews with Community Members
Our group met a slight snag when wanting to interview UNYA members. Discussing the challenges of the population can be difficult for youths as generational trauma has left scars that they are trying to fade. We hoped to speak with UNYA members to better understand their needs as well as UNYA alumni who can provide insight into their previous experience with the program and the interactions they found beneficial.
The perpetuation of mental health stigma is reinforced by a lack of cultural competency among therapists attempting to support Indigenous Youth. As a group, we acknowledged how important it is that youth are able to speak with those who have been in a similar position to themselves. We floated the idea of having UNYA alumni act as non-specialist during the waiting phase for youth needing to see a clinical counselor as they may be better able to resonate with these individuals.
