We see the need for community healing when it comes to suicide. We also recognize the need for effective suicide prevention. Understanding mental health is the first step on our road to healing. This is why we are working on the Weaving Métis Identity and Knowledge in Suicide Prevention Approaches project.
This project is in collaboration with the University of Alberta School of Public Health and is funded by Alberta Health Services through two grants:
- Valuing Mental Health Innovation and Integration Research Grant
- Honouring Life Indigenous Health Program
Our goals for this project are:
- Gather Métis experiences, knowledge, and perspectives related to suicide
- In 2019 and 2020, we held discussions with Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) governance committees from each of our six regions on suicide and suicide prevention as it related to their experiences and communities. We also completed a critical scoping review to learn more about how Indigenous knowledge has been integrated into the development, implementation, and evaluation of suicide prevention programs around the world.
- Develop the MNA Life Promotion Plan
- The MNA Life Promotion Plan will include information based on our engagements with MNA governance committee members as well as address challenges that MNA departments face when developing, implementing, and evaluation life promoting programs. While it is evident that suicide prevention and life promotion are interconnected, life promotion is broader than suicide prevention and can include additional resources to help promote healthy living.