Queen’s partners with Metis Nation, Providence Care

Researchers from Queen’s Centre for Health Services and Policy Research will conduct a survey of mental health conditions among the Métis people in Ontario, as part of a joint health initiative announced today in Ottawa.

The agreement, signed by the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO), Kingston-based Providence Care and Queen’s, will dramatically expand the MNO’s limited mental health resources, training and research capacity across the province.

Providence Care will become the mental health training resource, providing training and certification for all MNO health care providers, including annual certification in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills and Non Violent Crisis Intervention training. Additional access to clinical training and mental health expertise will be provided via videoconference and on-line education. To increase educational capacity, the MNO and Providence Care will use an internet portal to provide Métis caregivers access to educational materials and clinical education 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Data from the Queen’s survey will be used to help plan, access and provide the appropriate resources to meet the identified needs.