Promising Practices in Suicide Prevention Across Inuit Nunangat NISPS RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION PROJECT JUNE 2019 1 About Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is the national representational organization for Canada’s 65,000 Inuit, the majority of whom live in four regions of Canada’s Arctic, specifically, the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador). Collectively, these four regions make up Inuit Nunangat, our homeland in Canada. It includes 53 communities and encompasses roughly 35 percent of Canada’s land mass and 50 percent of its coastline. The comprehensive land claim agreements that have been settled in Inuit Nunangat continue to form a core component of our organization’s mandate. These land claims have the status of protected treaties under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, and we remain committed to working in partnership with the Crown toward their full implementation. Consistent with its founding purpose, ITK represents the rights and interests of Inuit at the national level through a democratic governance structure that represents all Inuit regions. ITK advocates for policies, programs and services to address the social, cultural, political and environmental issues facing our people. ITK is governed by a Board of Directors composed of the following members: • Chair and CEO, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation • President, Makivik Corporation • President, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated • President, Nunatsiavut Government In addition to voting members, the following non-voting Permanent Participant Representatives also sit on the Board of Directors: • President, Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada • President, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada • President, National Inuit Youth Council Prepared by Firelight Research Inc., 2019 2 Acknowledgements This report was produced by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami with support from the National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy Working Group and The Firelight Group. It could not have been developed without input and direction from the following individuals: Kylie Aglukark Aileen Mackinnon Susan Aglukark Kim Masson Mary Binkie Andersen Amber Miners Mina Beaulne Laura Moores Kaila de Boer Geneviève Pellerin Héloïse Chartrand Jimmy Ruttan Sarah Clark Tracy Sarazin Melinda Comtois Britney Selina Meghan Etter Hilda Snowball Charles Feltham Evelyn Storr Lavinia Flaherty Maria Storr Selma Ford Shirley Tagalik Ruth Goose Melody Teddy Cecile Guerin Anna Ziegler Jenny Lyall 3 Acronyms and Abbreviations ASIST Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training CAC Child Advocacy Centre CSC Correctional Services Canada CSSD Department of Children, Seniors, and Social Development FNIHB First Nations and Inuit Health Branch GNWT Government of Northwest Territories IPQ Illusiliriniqmi Pigutjiutini Qimirruniq IRC Inuvialuit Regional Corporation ITK Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami KRG Kativik Regional Government LGBTQI Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex LGBTQIA2S Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual or Ally, Two Spirit NCCAH National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health NGO Non-Governmental Organization NISPS National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy NIYC National Inuit Youth Council NRBHSS Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services NTI Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated NWT Northwest Territories PUT-SANKS Sámi Psychiatric Youth Team RCMP Royal Canadian Mounted Police SEL Social Emotional Learning MOU Memorandum of Understanding MWAC Mental Wellness Advisory Committee UCYPC Umingmak Child and Youth Protection Centre 4 1 Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 12 1.2 Key Findings ................................................................................................................................................................. 8 1.2.1 Promising Practices, Actions and Interventions ........................................................................................ 8 1.2.2 Challenges, Gaps and Opportunities ............................................................................................................. 9 1.3 Conclusions and Next Steps ................................................................................................................................ 10 2 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Background ................................................................................................................................................................. 11 2.2 The National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy ........................................................................................... 12 2.2.1 The National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy Working Group .................................................... 12 2.3 Document Use and Organization ...................................................................................................................... 13 3 Methods ................................................................................................................................................................................. 14 3.1 Data Sources .............................................................................................................................................................. 14 3.1.1 Literature Review ................................................................................................................................................. 14 3.1.2 Working Group Interviews ............................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.3 Key Informant Interviews ................................................................................................................................. 14 3.1.4 Environmental Scan of Actions and Interventions ................................................................................ 15 3.2 Analysis ......................................................................................................................................................................... 15 4 State of Knowledge and Action ................................................................................................................................... 16 4.1 Overview ....................................................................................................................................................................... 16 4.2 Links Between Childhood Adversity and Suicide ........................................................................................ 17 4.2.1 Literature Review ................................................................................................................................................. 17 4.2.2 Promising Actions and Interventions Identified by Key Informants .............................................. 20 4.3 Promising Practices with Respect to Addressing Child Sexual Abuse Across Inuit Nunangat 23 4.3.1 Literature Review ................................................................................................................................................. 23 4.3.2 Promising Actions and Interventions Identified by Key Informants .............................................. 28 4.4 Promising Practices with Respect to Social Emotional Development in Inuit Nunangat .......... 32 4.4.1 Literature Review ................................................................................................................................................. 32 4.4.2 Promising Actions and Interventions Identified by Key Informants ......................................... 39 5 4.5 Promising Practices with Respect to Safe Shelters Focused on Children and Youth within Inuit Nunangat ....................................................................................................................................................................... 46 4.5.1 Literature Review ................................................................................................................................................. 46 4.5.2 Promising Actions and Interventions Identified by Key Informants .............................................. 49 4.6 Promising Practices with Respect to Current Supports for Inuit Within the Justice System with a Specific Focus on Addressing Child Sexual Abuse .................................................................................. 52 4.6.1 Literature Review ................................................................................................................................................. 52 4.6.2 Promising Actions and Interventions Identified by Key Informants .............................................. 55 4.7 Promising Practices with Respect to Parenting and Family Support Programs ............................ 59 4.7.1 Literature Review ................................................................................................................................................. 59 4.7.2 Promising Actions and Interventions Identified by Key Informants .............................................. 62 4.8 Summary of Promising Practices Identified by