Grant: Project Grant

There is a need to tailor mental health interventions to the needs of Canadian Indigenous people. Indigenous individuals are less likely to seek help for mental health and accordingly, have rates of suicide at least twice as high as non-Indigenous counterparts. In a project funded by CIHR, we recently completed an evaluation of an e-mental health application (Wiiji app) to improve workplace mental health for Indigenous workers. The app was designed to assist workers in dealing with challenging work environments. Although some workers received help through this study, a more effective approach would be to change the workplace environment. Therefore, the primary goal of this application is to determine what workplaces can do to improve the mental health of Indigenous workers. We will use a mixed-methods approach to conduct this study. This work will be done in collaboration with the Nokiiwin Tribal council, who are working to develop an Indigenous-specific Health and Safety Association within Ontario. Identifying workplace factors and potential workplace interventions will help the Nokiiwin Tribal Council serve their employer clients better. Improving workplace mental health for Indigenous workers will increase Indigenous participation in employment, reduce work disability, and improve the mental health of the Indigenous population. This will return economic and health benefits to Indigenous employers, communities, families, and individuals.