Enhanced Skills Program: Indigenous Health Goals and Objectives Mental Health

Medical Expert:

The trainee will be able to:

  1. Provide appropriate mental health care to Indigenous people, including both outpatient and inpatient care. Examples include treating: anxiety, depression, personality disorders, psychological consequences of medical illness, psychoses, grief and bereavement, family violence and its consequences, substance use disorders, somatoform disorders, dementia/delirium, behavioural problems in children.
  2. Use the Mental Health Act Forms 1 and 14 in appropriate circumstances.
  3. Manage a crisis intervention (including managing suicidal and violent patients).
  4. Prescribe the appropriate medications that are more commonly used to treat mental health issues and mental illness.
  5. Conduct an assessment of competency.
  6. Demonstrate an understanding of the impact and correlation of the various medical, social and spiritual determinants of health and well-being on Indigenous peoples and the effects on mental health.
  7. Demonstrate an awareness of the historical, cultural and political issues and how they affect the mental health of Indigenous peoples.

Communicator:

The trainee will be able to:

  1. Conduct individual assessment and counselling, using appropriate techniques.
  2. Include the family and community in the assessment and counselling, if appropriate.
  3. Work cross culturally and with interpreters.
  4. Work inter-professionally, including with Indigenous healers.
  5. Demonstrate knowledge and skills regarding cultural safety as it pertains to Indigenous people.

Collaborator:

The trainee will be able to:

  1. Function effectively in a multidisciplinary team to provide high quality care to Indigenous populations. These team members would include physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, clerical staff, traditional healers, therapists, pharmacists, and medical specialists.

Manager:

The trainee will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate awareness of the context of patient referrals.
  2. Consult effectively with health care professionals in the patients’ home community.
  3. Establish and ensure appropriate support systems and follow-up for sustained culturally appropriate care.
  4. Refer to appropriate community and mental health resources, and support structures, available to both rural and remote Indigenous communities.
  5. Use the mental health care resources appropriately.
  6. Demonstrates effective organizational abilities (incl. time management, handling multiple responsibilities)

Health Advocate:

The Trainee will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the Indigenous patient’s view of illness, how the community is part of the patient, and “empowerment.”
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of discrimination, racism, and government policies on the mental health of the Indigenous patient.

Scholar:

The Trainee will be able to:

  1. Provide teaching to colleagues, students and residents about Indigenous health issues, including mental health issues.
  2. Describe the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada, including the history of colonization, residential schools and political issues, and explain how this history affects current health, mental health and social conditions of the Indigenous population.
  3. Critically appraise medical information and its sources, and apply the relevant information to medical practice.
  4. Employ critical analysis skills in evaluating the delivery of health care to Indigenous peoples.

Professional:

The Trainee will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate a commitment to patients and their families, colleagues, their profession and to society through ethical and reflective practice.