Federal government announces new money for indigenous mental health

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government will provide $69 million over the next three years for indigenous mental health services.

He’s making the announcement after a meeting with more than 20 youth who are in Ottawa as part of an aboriginal delegation from northern Ontario.

The funding is meant to help communities deal with urgent mental health needs while the federal government also works with indigenous leaders on negotiating a new health accord.

A detailed breakdown of the new spending was not immediately available.

The funding is designed to provide services including four crisis response teams in Ontario, Manitoba and Nunavut—identified as having the greatest need—as well as 32 additional mental wellness teams.

Trudeau is meeting with Attawapiskat Grand Chief Bruce Shisheesh and Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde privately this afternoon.  We’ll have more coverage of how the meeting went in the coming days.