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INAN Committee Report

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APPENDIX A SURVEY —  QUALITY AND AVAILABILITY OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

TABLE 1

What is your profession?

Answer

Count

Percent Answer

General practitioner

19

11.7%

Community-health nurse

4

2.5%

Nurse practitioner

2

1.2%

Psychiatric nurse

4

2.5%

Therapist

12

7.4%

Social worker

26

16.0%

Program administrator

18

11.0%

Community health worker

11

6.7%

Other

67

41.1%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 2

Do you self-identify as an Aboriginal person?

Answer

Count

Percent Answer

Yes

92

56.4%

No

68

41.7%

Don’t know

1

0.6%

Prefer not to answer

2

1.2%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 3

Are you:

Answer

Count

Percent answer

First Nation

56

34.4%

Inuit

16

9.8%

Métis

18

11.0%

Prefer not to answer

2

1.2%

Not answered

71

43.6%

TABLE 4

What province or territory do you work in?

Answer

Count

Percent Answer

Alberta

14

8.6%

British Columbia

18

11.0%

Manitoba

8

4.9%

Nova Scotia

1

0.6%

New Brunswick

0

0%

Newfoundland and Labrador

10

6.1%

Ontario

46

28.2%

Prince Edward Island

0

0%

Quebec

29

17.8%

Saskatchewan

20

12.3%

Northwest Territories

9

5.5%

Nunavut

8

4.9%

Yukon

0

0%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 5

How would you characterize the community you work in?

Answer

Count

Percent Answer

Rural

45

27.6%

Remote

29

17.8%

Remote fly-in community

47

28.8%

Urban

42

25.8%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 6

Is the community you work in:

Answer

Count

Percent Answer

Inuit community

37

22.7%

Métis settlement

1

0.6%

On-reserve 

69

42.3%

Off-reserve

56

34.4%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 7

What type of facility do you predominantly work in:

Answer

Count

Percent answer

Hospital

22

13.5%

Long-term care facility

1

0.6%

Community Health Facility

42

25.8%

Nursing station

13

8.0%

Treatment centre

5

3.1%

Other

80

49.1%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 8

Are your clients predominantly

Answer

Count

Percent answer

First Nation

114

69.9%

Inuit

40

24.5%

Métis

9

5.5%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 9

Do you have access to continuing professional development training for your profession or specialty?

Answer

Count

Percent answer

Yes

116

71.2%

No

30

18.4%

Don’t know

14

8.6%

Prefer not answer

3

1.8%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 10

Is the continuing professional development sufficient to meet the standards in place for your professional certification?

Answer

Count

Percent answer

Yes

73

44.8%

No

28

17.2%

Don’t know

11

6.7%

Prefer not to answer

4

2.5%

Not answered

47

28.8%

TABLE 11

Have you completed specialized training on the provision of culturally appropriate mental health services to Indigenous people, with a focus on the people, community or nation you work with?

Answer

Count

Percent answer

Yes

66

40.5%

No

90

55.2%

Don’t know

2

1.2%

Prefer not to answer

5

3.1%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 12

In the past 12 months, did you miss work for more than a half-day due to workplace stress?

Answer

Count

Percent answer

Yes

63

38.7%

No

95

58.3%

Don’t know

3

1.8%

Prefer not to answer

2

1.2%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 13

Overall, how would you describe the quality of mental health care available in the community you work in?

Answer

Count

Percent answer

Prefer not to answer

0

0%

Don’t know

5

3.1%

Very poor

51

31.3%

Below average

50

30.7%

Average

35

21.5%

Above average

19

11.7%

Excellent

3

1.8%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 14

What are the reasons why the quality of the mental health care available is below average or very poor?

Answer

Count

Percent answer

Not enough staff

84

51.5%

Too many patients, residents or clients

64

39.3%

Poor communication

48

29.4%

Not enough supplies

24

14.7%

Equipment not available or not working

19

11.7%

Not trained adequately

71

43.6%

Don’t know

2

1.2%

Prefer not to answer

1

0.6%

Other

16

9.8%

Not answered

62

38.0%

TABLE 15

How would you rate the availability of each of the following early intervention services to reducing vulnerability to suicide?

Matrix row

Not answered

Available

Only available outside of the community

Not available

Don’t know

Pre-natal care

2 (1.2%)

112 (68.7%)

9 (5.5%)

10 (6.1%)

30 (18.4%)

Early childhood interventions e.g., Aboriginal Head Start

4 (2.5%)

92 (56.4%)

17 (10.4%)

18 (11.0%)

32 (19.6%)

Assessment and programs for those children requiring specialized services e.g., autism screening, brain-related injuries, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

3 (1.8%)

39 (23.9%)

65 (39.9%)

32 (19.6%)

24 (14.7%)

Awareness education for school-aged children and youth

5 (3.1%)

65 (39.9%)

14 (8.6%)

37 (22.7%)

42 (25.8%)

Extra-curricular activities e.g., sports, culture, arts or other for youth

1 (0.6%)

114 (69.9%)

7 (4.3%)

21 (12.9%)

20 (12.3%)

Family strengthening programs, e.g., to connect generations, life skills

2 (1.2 %)

65 (39.9%)

10 (6.1%)

50 (30.7%)

36 (22.1%)

Programs to build resilience and coping skills e.g., cultural education, social, emotional development

1 (0.6%)

64 (39.3%)

16 (9.8%)

52 (31.9%)

30 (18.4%)

Mental health assessments

1 (0.6%)

80 (49.1%)

47 (28.8%)

16 (9.8%)

19 (11.7%)

Indigenous-specific mental health services and supports

4 (2.5%)

54 (33.1%)

21 (12.9%)

57 (35.0%)

27 (16.6%)

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) for community members or staff

2 (1.2%)

80 (49.1%)

27 (16.6%)

27 (16.6%)

27 (16.6%)

SafeTALK workshop for community members or staff

2 (1.2%)

44 (27.0%)

20 (12.3%)

50 (30.7%)

47 (28.8%)

First Nations Mental Health First Aid for community members or staff

1 (0.6%)

43 (26.4%)

25 (15.3%)

48 (29.4%)

46 (28.2%)

Addictions treatment, e.g., residential treatment or ability to refer to

2 (1.2%)

76 (46.6%)

58 (35.6%)

16 (9.8%)

11 (6.7%)

Services for those with dual diagnosis e.g., mental health condition and addictions

5 (3.1%)

45 (27.6%)

58 (35.6%)

33 (20.2%)

22 (13.5%)

TABLE 16

How would you rate the availability of following mental wellness services to your patients?

Matrix row

Not answered

Available

Not available

Only available outside of the community

Don’t know

Indigenous therapeutic approaches e.g., traditional counseling, circles

1 (0.6%)

64 (39.3%)

56 (34.4%)

21 (12.9%)

21 (12.9%)

Indigenous cultural approaches e.g., education, ceremony

3 (1.8%)

74 (45.4%)

44 (27.0%)

16 (9.8%)

26 (16.0%)

Western group or individual counseling

2 (1.2%)

114 (69.9%)

10 (6.1%)

18 (11.0%)

19 (11.7%)

Telemedicine

1 (0.6%)

80 (49.1%)

23 (14.1%)

9 (5.5%)

50 (30.7%)

24 hour crisis line

1 (0.6%)

90 (55.2%)

25 (15.3%)

33 (20.2%)

14 (8.6%)

Crisis response

2 (1.2%)

95 (58.3%)

24 (14.7%)

19 (11.7%)

23 (14.1%)

Community mental health support and aftercare

2 (1.2%)

85 (52.1%)

31 (19.0%)

18 (11.0%)

27 (16.6%)

Psychiatric services

1 (0.6%)

50 (30.7%)

29 (17.8%)

72 (44.2%)

11 (6.7%)

Psychological services

4 (2.5%)

60 (36.8%)

22 (13.5%)

65 (39.9%)

12 (7.4%)

Addictions treatment, e.g., residential treatment or ability to refer to

3 (1.8%)

66 (40.5%)

12 (7.4%)

73 (44.8%)

9 (5.5%)

Services for those with dual diagnosis e.g., mental health condition and addictions

3 (1.8%)

48 (29.4%)

28 (17.2%)

63 (38.7%)

21 (12.9%)

TABLE 171

In your opinion, how important is it that the Government of Canada focus attention on each of the following?

Matrix row

Not answered

Not important

Important

Critically important

Don’t know

Increasing community mental health services

0 (0%)

5 (3.1%)

19 (11.7%)

137 (84.0%)

2 (1.2%)

Increasing access to mental health care professionals (including psychiatrists, social workers, etc.)

0 (0%)

4 (2.5%)

27 (16.6%)

131 (80.4%)

1 (0.6%)

Developing more safe affordable housing for persons with mental illness

0 (0%)

5 (3.1%)

28 (17.2%)

128 (78.5%)

2 (1.2%)

Training more mental health care workers

1 (0.6%)

4 (2.5%)

35 (21.5%)

121 (74.2%)

2 (1.2%)

Increasing funding for regional mental health services

0 (0%)

7 (4.3%)

23 (14.1%)

131 (80.4%)

2 (1.2%)

Increasing funding for coordinated mental health research

2 (1.2%)

6 (3.7%)

55 (33.7%)

93 (57.1%)

7 (4.3%)

Providing support for families caring for those with mental illness

1 (0.6%)

4 (2.5%)

26 (16.0%)

128 (78.5%)

4 (2.5%)

Having the federal, provincial and territorial governments work together on a coordinated mental health plan

2 (1.2%)

8 (4.9%)

26 (16.0%)

122 (74.8%)

5 (3.1%)

Investing in dedicated mental health funding for Indigenous communities and people

1 (0.6%)

5 (3.1%)

14 (8.6%)

141 (86.5%)

2 (1.2%)

1 Respondents could select multiple options.

TABLE 18

When a patient requires immediate care for mental health, how long do they usually have to wait before they get an appointment with a therapist, social worker or another care provider?

Answer

Count

Percent answer

On the same day

30

18.4%

The next day

6

3.7%

In 2 to 3 days

19

11.7%

In 4 to 6 days

9

5.5%

In 1 or 2 weeks

15

9.2%

Between 2 weeks and one month

24

14.7%

One month or more

29

17.8%

Don’t know

31

19.0%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 19

During the past 12 months, was there ever a time when you felt that your patient needed mental health care but did not receive it?

Answer

Count

Percent answer

Yes

119

73.0%

No

15

9.2%

Prefer not to answer

3

1.8%

Don’t know

7

4.3%

Not applicable

19

11.7%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 20

In the past 12 months, have you worked with a patient who had seriously contemplated suicide?

Answer

Count

Percent answer

Yes

111

68.1%

No

28

17.2%

Don’t know

13

8.0%

Prefer not to answer

11

6.7%

Not answered

0

0%

TABLE 21

Does your community have a suicide prevention plan or program?

Answer

Count

Percent answer

Yes

37

22.7%

No

53

32.5%

Don’t know

65

39.9%

Prefer not to answer

8

4.9%

Not answered

0

0%