Community-based screening and triage connecting First Nations children and youth to local supports: a cross-sectional study

Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) children in Canada experience serious health inequities compared to non-Indigenous children. Rates of mental health crises are highest in northern and rural communities, where the rates of physician visits for mental health support are lowest. Indigenous children are often forced to seek treatment hundreds of kilometres away from home, creating a disconnect from family and natural helpers that is not conducive to healing. One opportunity to improve the fit between the needs of children and local resources is by identifying emergent needs within the community and connecting these children to culturally based services within their communities.