National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy
On July 27, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) and Health Canada released the National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy (NISPS). This is a monumental event in the fight against suicide, and we applaud ITK and all those involved in developing this strategy!
The Strategy aims to address suicide by:
Promoting cultural continuity
Focusing on nurturing healthy Inuit children from birth
Making mental wellness services easily accessible
Treating unresolved trauma and grief
Promoting Inuit culture and knowledge for resilience and suicide prevention
The goals of the strategy strongly align with the research, which tells us that cultural connection helps people maintain a sense of community and self-worth, reducing the risk of suicide. A healthy childhood is also essential, as healthy children often grow up to be healthy adults, both mentally and physically. Easy access to mental health services is extremely important: if services are easy to access, people will be less likely to feel stigma, and reach the point of suicidal crisis.
This strategy involves both the ITK and Health Canada, and is a well-coordinated, multi-pronged, national suicide prevention strategy that has the potential to ultimately lower rates of suicide. It will encourage community service providers, policy makers, and governments to partner together to help reduce the rate of suicide among Inuit.
Why is a suicide prevention strategy needed?
Inuit communities have experienced high rates of suicide since the mid-1980s (Stevenson, 1996). However, not all Inuit communities are affected. For example, the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot regions in Nunavut have not experienced high rates of suicide (Hicks, 2013).
Despite the fact that not all Inuit communities experience high rates, suicide continues to be a huge issue among Inuit, with rates 10 times the national average. In 2009-2013, suicide rates ranged from 60 per 100,000 to 275 per 100,000.
Why do Inuit communities experience high rates of suicide?
The effects of colonialization and policies of the federal government—forced relocation, suppression of Inuit language and culture, residential school experiences—caused historical trauma (passing from generation to generation). This trauma often accompanies conditions like inadequate housing, poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and physical or sexual abuse. These conditions have created environments of despair where suicide is often seen as a viable option.
Is this strategy just for Inuit in Nunavut?
No, this strategy spans across the 4 Inuit regions of Canada which includes Nunavut but also Inuvialuit in the Northwest Territories, Nunavik in Northern Quebec and Nunatsiavut in Northern Labrador. These regions are known collectively as Inuit Nunangat.
Who is ITK?
ITK is the national representational organization for Canada’s 60,000 Inuit and this strategy is meant to coordinate and integrate suicide prevention efforts at the national, regional, and community levels.
Conclusion
Health Canada will invest $9 million over a 3-year period (out of $69 million earmarked for Indigenous mental health in generally) to provide support of additional front-line services, early childhood development programs, and Inuit-led suicide prevention.
Inuit leaders are hopeful these efforts may also influence a national suicide prevention strategy for Canada as a whole, as Canada remains the only G-8 country without a national strategy.
This strategy is a huge step forward for the mental wellness of the Inuit of Canada and for suicide prevention efforts nation-wide.
References
Hicks, J., Bjeerregaard, P., & Berman, M. (2013). The transition from the historical Inuit suicide pattern to the present Inuit suicide pattern. In Aboriginal Policy Research: Moving forward, making a difference. Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
Stevenson, M. (1996). Inuit suicide and economic reality. Report prepared for the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada.
World Health Organization. (2014). Preventing suicide: A global imperative. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mental_health/suicide-prevention/world_report_2014/en/
