November 20, 2024 – Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) and the Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators (CCSWR) support Indigenous leaders and organizations, echoing their urgent calls for reform to the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program. Recent investigations into mental health services provided to First Nations people have exposed serious concerns that undermine the safety and well-being of Indigenous Peoples seeking support.
Investigative reports by the Toronto Star and the Investigative Journalism Bureau have brought to light cases where mental health providers with criminal and professional disciplinary histories have been approved by the NIHB program to provide services to First Nations and Inuit people and communities. This failure to establish appropriate requirements for approving service providers by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) endangers Indigenous communities and continues an ongoing legacy of harm.
Both CASW and CCSWR stress that mental health providers under the NIHB program must meet the highest professional practice and competence standards. “We support Indigenous voices calling for broad reform, and add that, from our perspective, mental health providers under the NIHB must be appropriately screened by ISC to ensure they have the specialized qualifications, experience and competencies required to provide culturally safe services,” said CCSWR President Barbara Temmerman.
While both organizations advocate for regulated professionals, they also strongly support the inclusion of culturally grounded healing practices within the mental health system. Indigenous communities must be able to determine how their healers, Elders, and cultural helpers are vetted and qualified, ensuring that these individuals are supported in safe and culturally appropriate ways. “Indigenous knowledge is vital to culturally safe care,” said CASW President Barbara Whitenect. “We must create pathways that respect both professional standards and cultural practices.”
CASW and CCSWR call on ISC to take immediate action by partnering with Indigenous leaders to establish standards for providers and taking the lead of Indigenous communities to design safe culturally relevant pathways for including Indigenous healers We support the call for mental health professionals to undergo mandatory cultural humility and safety training to ensure they understand the unique histories and needs of First Nations and Inuit peoples prior to being accepted as NIHB providers.
“The current system requires urgent change,” said Temmerman. “First Nations communities deserve mental health care that is safe, effective, accountable, and accessible.”
“We stand with Indigenous leaders in urging the federal government to act swiftly to improve the NIHB program and ensure it truly meets the needs of Indigenous people and communities” concluded Whitenect.
The Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators (CCSWR) provides a national structure for provincial and territorial social work regulatory authorities to act together as the voice, both nationally and internationally, on social work regulatory matters in Canada.
The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) is the national professional association for social workers in Canada, comprised of 10 partner organizations in the provinces and territories. CASW has a dual mandate to support and promote the profession and advance issues of social justice.