Indigenous mental health an overlooked priority – The Coast Halifax

Friendship Centre staff not qualified for clinical diagnoses.

A community agency in Halifax that provides programming to urban aboriginals has identified mental health help for its clients as a priority.

But not only is there a gap in service to address that need at the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre on Gottingen Street, the city as a whole is lacking the culturally based health care that would benefit indigenous people with emotional problems, says a Dalhousie University faculty member and researcher working with staff at the centre.

Professor Amy Bombay is planning to help officials at the friendship centre pinpoint potential sources of funding for mental health counselling. She says not all avenues of financial assistance have been explored, but “I think just awareness of this…needs to kind of get out there.”

Read More: http://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/indigenous-mental-health-an-overlooked-priority/Content?oid=5193626