Grant: Catalyst Grant: Indigenous Approaches to Wellness Research

Indigenous communities in Canada face significant challenges with intergenerational trauma which manifest in substance use disorders. There is consensus that connecting treatment approaches to culture, land, community, and spiritual practices is a pathway to healing trauma and substance use disorder for Indigenous peoples. In collaboration with the North Shore Tribal Council and the Benbowopka Treatment Centre, the researchers aim to evaluate the effectiveness of blending Indigenous Healing Practices and a mainstream treatment model, Seeking Safety for the treatment of Indigenous patients with a history of trauma and substance use disorder. Study findings will be used to inform trauma and substance use disorder residential treatment programming and implementation for Indigenous communities across Canada. Our work will contribute to the field of community-based trauma and addiction programming by addressing objectives that consider: (a) the patient perspective, (b) the program perspective, and (c) the community perspective. The study findings may validate an innovative approach for effective and appropriate care for patients with trauma and substance use disorder.