The Child Youth and Seniors Advocate has recommended the government work with Indigenous governments to address youth mental health.
A new monitoring report released by the advocate said the unique challenges facing these communities required “dedicated funding and process that empowers First Nations governments to lead.”
Advocate Kelly Lamrock said in reviewing government actions in the three years since No Child Left Behind was released, he cited significant failures in collaboration, accountability, and targeted action.
Those included:
- Lack of recognition of the need for a distinct approach and process for reducing rates of youth suicide and mental health emergencies in First Nations communities.
- Delays in the formation of basic committees and implementation of training recommendations.
- A lack of transparency in how federal funds for First Nations mental health are allocated and used.
- Minimal integration of First Nations governments in mental health decision-making processes, undermining their knowledge of their communities and their status as rights-holders.
- A continued reliance on unscalable pilot projects without clear indicators of success or plans for expansion.
“One of the most striking observations is the lack of urgency,” Lamrock said in the release. “If the rates of suicide and mental health challenges we see in First Nations communities were mirrored in any other region or population, there would be an immediate outcry. Instead, there has been silence. This silence must end.”
He said there is a significant need for a distinct and collaborative approach to address the unique challenges faced by First Nations youth. Those included:
- Establishing a dedicated line item in the 2025-26 provincial budget for First Nations mental health.
- Setting clear key performance indicators for mental health initiatives that are core-funded, scalable, and targeting First Nations youth.
- Engaging in good-faith negotiations with First Nations governments to create a bilateral process for managing mental health funds.
- Expanding successful pilot projects with measurable outcomes and timelines.
“New Brunswick can do better,” Lamrock said in the release. “We have seen success in areas like education through trilateral agreements that dedicate funds and share decision-making with First Nations governments. This approach should be applied to youth mental health.”
Chair of the First Nations Advisory Council Roxanne Sappier said in the release that First Nations communities have been clear about what the youth need: “culturally rooted, accessible mental health supports delivered in partnership with us, not for us.”
“The lack of meaningful action and accountability is a breach of trust and a disservice to our children. This report reinforces what we have been saying all along – urgent, collaborative action is not optional; it is essential,” she said in the release.
Lamrock also offered a message of solidarity in the release to First Nations leaders.
“Your work is invaluable,” said Lamrock. “We see your dedication to improving the lives of children in your communities. With this report, we aim to inspire the partnerships and resources that reflect the importance of your advocacy efforts.”
Justice Minister Rob McKee – who is also the minister responsible for addictions and mental health – thanked Lamrock in a statement for his report, and highlighted some initiatives already underway in Health.
He said those include:
- Inviting First Nations leaders to create a bilateral forum and ongoing process with the goal of achieving culturally safe and equitable health care for Indigenous people in New Brunswick
- Working in partnership with First Nations to co-create and implement mental health and addiction programs that meet culturally safe First Nations service and practice standards of care
- Support, collaborate, and engage with First Nations health-care leaders in achieving their Health Transformation design and implementation process.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Keith Chiasson said in a statement, like McKee, they are reviewing the report.
“Our government has committed to more open and transparent dialogue with First Nations, and I look forward to working Nation-to-Nation on this critical file,” the statement said.
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