Mental Wellness Teams Comprehensive Needs Assessment, June 2019

In 2018, First Peoples Wellness Circle began a comprehensive needs’ assessment (CNA) of all new and existing Mental Wellness Teams (MWTs). The goal was to determine MWT needs related to capacity, governance, infrastructure, training, networking, evaluation and defining practice-based evidence. The results from the needs assessment provide FPWC the basis for a national strategy outlining a suite of comprehensive supports required across infrastructure, governance, knowledge exchange and evaluation to be able to support the effectiveness of MWTs and their implementation of the First Nation Mental Wellness Continuum Framework.

Throughout the comprehensive needs’ assessment, MWTs thoughtfully expressed a range of realistic needs which reflect their unique service requirements based on the current gaps in the mental health system and policy environment, the level of underserved community circumstances coupled with high service needs due to the multigenerational impacts of colonialism on mental wellbeing, rural and isolated geography with vast catchment areas, governance models and their stage of development, strengths and cultural assets.

Findings from the CNA gave added impetus and rationale for enhanced support for mental wellness teams. The findings also further underscore the findings of the First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum Framework.