Grant: Team Grant : Pathways Implementation Research Teams - Component 3

Indigenous peoples' health is deeply impacted by social determinants including those related to the effects of colonization and its resultant intergenerational traumas. During the CIHR Component 2 funded young adult suicide research project with this team in Northern BC, First Nation Elders, together with community members noted unmet mental wellness needs among their older adults. Those aged 45+ are exposed to specific risk factors including isolation, addictions, poverty, elder abuse, and a cultural gap between Elders and younger generations. Older adult (45+) segment of the population is valued because it represents the next generation of Elders with a role in sharing their knowledge and skills with younger generations. It is proposed that work with youth and young adults be expanded and adapted to meet the unmet needs older adults. The goals of the study are to adapt and expand the previous suicide intervention to meet the needs of older adults, compile previously developed interventions for youth, young adults, and older adults into a suite of interventions that address mental wellness and suicide prevention across the life course, share the suite of interventions with other First Nation. The outcomes of this project will be increased understanding of strategies to support equitable reach, access, and sustainability of mental wellness interventions, specifically to address suicide prevention within the context of First Nations communities. Specific outcomes include: maximize the reach of interventions to meet the needs of community members across the life course; identify strategies to enhance access to mental wellness services at the social, organizational, and policy levels; support long term sustainability of interventions through partnership development, training, and capacity development; and strengthen collaboration through maintaining existing community relationships and fostering new relationships.