Promising practices in suicide prevention across Inuit Nunangat: NISPS research and data collection project

In the National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy (NISPS), suicide is identified as “the most urgent challenge facing our people” (Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, 2016, p. 4). Given the seriousness of the issue, and recognizing that more work is needed to mobilize Inuit knowledge for resilience and suicide prevention across Inuit Nunangat (one of the NISPS’s six priority areas), Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) and the NISPS Working Group have a shared interest in:

• Developing a more complete picture of the actions and interventions currently in place to address the elevated rate of suicide across Inuit Nunangat;
• Gathering and sharing information about actions and interventions that appear to be effective/showing promise in addressing elevated rates of suicide among Inuit;
• Identifying opportunities to improve outcomes concerning suicide rates in Inuit Nunangat; and
• Identifying opportunities to effectively mobilize knowledge across the six areas noted above.

This report presents findings from an environmental scan that was undertaken to support these objectives. The scan involved a review of both grey and academic literature, and a series of key informant interviews with individuals who have experience working on suicide prevention and related initiatives across Inuit Nunangat. The literature review and interviews were organized around the following six topic areas:

1. Links between childhood adversity and suicide;
2. Promising practices with respect to addressing child sexual abuse across Inuit Nunangat;
3. Promising practices with respect to social emotional development in Inuit Nunangat;
4. Promising practices with respect to safe shelters focusing on children and youth within Inuit Nunangat;
5. Promising practices with respect to current supports for Inuit within the justice system with a specific focus addressing child sexual abuse; and
6. Promising practices with respect to parenting and family support programs.

Key informants were identified by ITK staff and the NISPS Working Group. 20 people were interviewed in total.