N.W.T. MLAs make 10 new recommendations on suicide prevention

A youth-focused housing strategy, Indigenous guidance counsellors in schools and a youth-led conference on mental health are some suggestions MLAs say would help prevent suicide in the Northwest Territories.

Last month the territorial government rejected a motion calling on cabinet to create a new suicide prevention fund for each region. On their first day back in the Legislative Assembly Monday, the committee on social development put forward a new motion with 10 recommendations for suicide prevention.

The recommendations are based on meetings with youth-led and youth-serving organizations.

Caitlin Cleveland, MLA for Kam Lake, is the chair of the committee.

"Youth have so much to contribute to the North and to the world," she said in introducing the report to the house.

"Yet, many youth in the N.W.T. are facing a mental health crisis due to complex challenges."

One way to reduce those challenges, according to the report, would be to create a youth-focused housing strategy.

"Youth need housing for shelter and their basic human needs," said Jane Weyallon Armstrong, MLA for Monfwi, reading from the report. "Housing is a first step for stabilizing youth and reducing loss of life."

The committee also highlighted the need for hospital aftercare.

Youth who are hospitalized for attempted suicide or suicide ideation are often released with no plan for continuing care and mental health support, according to the report.

Seeking support for grief

The committee also heard that youth want to lead a mental health conference.

The report states that youth want the conference to take place outside of Yellowknife and suggest it include workshops that offer resources on managing grief, self-care, trauma, sobriety, developing positive relationships, Indigenous languages and culture and grant proposal writing.

"Youth-led organizations want to lead and develop a conference but need the GNWT's financial and human resources support," Cleveland said Monday.

She said that committee believes the conference can be organized within six months and called on the department of Health and Social Services (HSS) to provide the financing and human resources for the conference before the 19th Assembly ends at the end of the summer.

Other recommendations suggest the government should increase the suicide prevention fund from $225,000 to $1 million annually, that HSS expedite application, approval, and reporting requirements for the Community Suicide Prevention Fund to reduce administrative barriers and for the department of Education, Culture and Employment to recruit Indigenous guidance counsellors in schools.

The report states that these counsellors could improve academic success and provide emotional support and advocacy as needed.

In October 2022, the territory's chief coroner released early data on deaths by suicide. It said that twenty-nine people in the N.W.T. died by suicide between January 2021 and October 2022. Eighteen of those deaths were in 2022.

Coroner's data also indicates that on average, those between 20 and 29 years are the most likely to die by suicide.

In recent months, communities have gathered for vigils and suicide prevention walks to raise awareness at the alarming rates of suicide deaths.

Since the coroner released last year's data, communities have also organized a youth-led house of hope and invited visitors like former NHL-er Jordin Tootoo to speak with, and inspire, residents.

The committee asks the government to respond to its report in 120 days.

If you or someone you know is struggling, here's where to get help:

This guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you're worried about.