October 29 and 30, 2013
Prince Albert
Dr. James Irvine
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How Embracing Life workshop was developed
The need for continued ACTION
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What is Embracing Life?
 Ongoing action for suicide prevention starting with a 2-day
North-wide action based workshop
 A starting point to develop action items to address suicide
in every community in the north
 Community specific actions utilizing our strengths and
resources most effectively
 Platform to provide input & plan action steps for reducing
suicides and self-harm by health promotion, suicide
prevention, intervention and post-vention
 Comprehensive & across organizations, governments and
communities.
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Why is this Important?
 A call to action to reduce suicides and self-harm
 We all have a role to play in suicide prevention – need
for ownership, commitment and collaboration
 Building on our strengths
 Establishing North-wide supports
 Moving forward from previous work
 Suicide and self-harm are continuing issues in the north
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Deaths by suicide
Canada 2000-2007; and North Sask 2000-2009
*
Hospitalization for Self-Harm
North Sask and Sask 2002-2010
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Hospitalizations for self-harm
North Sask and Sask - 2002 to 2010
Death by suicide
is the tip of the
iceberg
What lies underneath?
The many faces of the same issues:
Deaths by suicide
The crisis: a symptom of underlying issues.
Self-harm, assaults, injuries
Emergency department visits and hospitalizations
Mental health issues
Unresolved grief, previous traumatic events,
depression, substance / alcohol abuse, bullying
Social issues
Poverty, intergenerational trauma, cultural
loss
Things that determine our health = health
determinants
CPHO’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada 2008, Addressing Health Inequalities
From: Dahlgren G, Whitehead M (1993)
Canadian Supplement to UNICEF’s THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2009,
Aboriginal children’s health: Leaving no child behind
The Balance
Protective
factors
Risk Factors
Risk factors versus
protective factors
Risk Factors:
• Mental illness – depression, anxiety, substance abuse
• Previous attempts – especially with highly lethal means
• Precipitant e.g. stressful life event, social humiliation or
disgrace,
• Impulsivity
• Family history – family communication / parental
monitoring
• Environment characterized by abuse and/or loss
• Family or friends’ histories of suicides or self-harming
• Sexual identity
• Intergenerational trauma
• Poverty
Risk factors versus
protective factors
Protective Factors:
•
•
•
•
•
Social supports
Sense of family cohesion
School connectiveness
Sports involvement
Community engagement in rebuilding or
maintaining their cultural continuity
Risk Factors
Individual influences
Social risk factors
Cultural & systemic
risk factors
Risk Factors:
1) Individual influences: one’s own psychological
state, personality, mental / emotional health
– Low self-esteem, depression, impulsivity, sexual
orientation, substance abuse
2) Social: school, peers, community, parents, etc
– Suicide by a friend or family member, sexual
victimization, family violence, neglectful and unsupportive
parents, social isolation
3) Communities, Culture and Continuity
– Cultural identity, colonization, intergenerational trauma
Suicide Continuum of Care
•Minimizes the impact of a
suicide on survivors;
important for prevention
•Policies and programs that
enhance healing, mental,
spiritual, social, & physical
well-being
PostVention
Intervention
•Early recognition,
direct contact with the
person involved, access to
assessment and care
Health
Promotion
Prevention
• Provides coping and
problem-solving for
increased resiliency,
reduced risk conditions
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Deaths from heart attacks is
decreasing in Canada the efforts
of many people
•
•
•
•
Members of the public knowing the signs and knowing CPR
Emergency responders, primary care providers
Specialists
Life behaviour influencers – healthy eating, physical
activity, education on smoking reduction, medical
prevention management
• Policy makers – e.g. regulations on smoking, food, etc to
make healthier environments
Promotion
Prevention
Intervention Rehabilitation
Suicide and Self-harm
• Awareness of signs and symptoms
• Knowledge of what to do if you know of someone
• Human services providers, schools, workplaces,
communities
• Where to seek help – crisis lines 811,
• Screening through primary care sites for risks
• Access to counseling and supports
• Access to care
• Post-event counseling and supports
Promotion
Prevention
Intervention Postvention
Whose Responsibility Is It To
Reduce Suicide and Self-Harm?
WE ARE ALL
RESPONSIBLE!!!
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Multiple actions at multiple levels - long-term –
community driven
Promotion Prevention
Community
Regional
Northwide
Provincial
& National
Intervention
Postvention
What has happened?
 NHSP – A Suicide Prevention Resource: Exploring
Strategies for Northern Saskatchewan 2009
 Northern Suicide Prevention Forum 2009
 Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Post-Vention
Training
 Health Line 811
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What is currently happening?
 First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, SK Region
Strategic Review
 Metis Nation – Saskatchewan Northern Youth Suicide
Prevention
 National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy
 Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan
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What is currently happening?
 Saskatchewan Suicide Protocols for Saskatchewan
Health Care Providers
 Suicide Prevention Policy for regional health
authorities by March 31, 2014
 Pre-Workshop Activities
 Matrices
 Training and Resource List
 Literature Review
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How Will Embracing Life Be Effective?
 Building on work that has been done previously
 Background information collected
 Best practices, programs, gaps, resources, training
 Presentations meant to provide thorough information for
participants
 Opportunity for ALL participants to provide feedback &
input on: priorities, action items, gaps
 Break out sessions planned to obtain input from front line
staff, community members, Elders, youth, agencies,
organizations, etc.
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 How do we best come together and move forward for
mental well-being?
 What approaches are required? Traditional
approaches; conventional mental health; youth
development; others.
Thank you for attending, for your participation, your
voice, your desire for change for a brighter future for our
youth.
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Embracing Life Committee
So far, composed of
representatives from:
First Nations University of Canada
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations
Health Canada
Keewatin Yatthé Health Region
Mamawetan Churchill River Health Region
Ministry of Government Relations
Ministry of Justice
New North SANC Services Inc.
Northern Human Services Partnership
Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority
Northern Lights School Division
Population Health Unit
Prince Albert Grand Council
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