Mental health services in the Northwest Territories: a scoping review

The impacts of colonization have had significant impacts on the mental health and community wellness Indigenous peoples in the Northwest Territories (NWT). It is important that all communities in the NWT have access to key services in a culturally relevant way in achieving mental and community wellness. A scoping review was conducted to identify mental health services available in the NWT. To guide the understanding of the landscape of mental health services in the NWT, the information on health services gathered was organized using the First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum (FNMWC) Model’s Continuum of Essential Services. Documents accessed included grey literature, consisting of government documents, practice guidelines, education materials, community wellness reports, internet searches and expert consult interviews to collect data on mental health and wellness services in the NWT. 68 mental health services were included in this review, from 23 different sources. Results were summarized and described the Continuum of Essential Services from the FNMWC Model. This guided approach was found to be useful for mapping mental health services for communities in the NWT. The findings highlight and catagorize existing mental health services and gaps in relation to a First Nation’s perspective using the FNMWC Model. Specific areas examined included the Continuum of Essential Services, Key Partners, Culture as a Foundation, and Indigenous Social Determinants of Health. Findings can guide communities and health authorities in planning, implementing and coordinating a full range of optimized mental health services in the NWT.