We are excited to announce that the ACCESS Open Minds (AOM) Indigenous Youth Mental Health and Wellness Network was awarded $10.8 million for four years (2025-2029) under CIHR’s Integrated Youth Services Network of Networks (IYS-Net) Phase 2 funding initiative.

The AOM Indigenous Youth Mental Health and Wellness Network, led by Dr. Christopher Mushquash (Lakehead University) and Dr. Srividya Iyer (Douglas Research Centre, affiliated with McGill University), is comprised of over 175 members, including Indigenous youth, family and carers, Elders and Knowledge Holders, communities, leading Indigenous organizations, including the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation under the leadership of Dr. Carol Hopkins and the First Peoples Wellness Circle under the leadership of Dr. Brenda Restoule, and Indigenous and allied service providers and researchers. The Network is dedicated to enhancing the mental health and wellness of First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth across Canada. This four-year project aims to:

• Strengthen capacity to deliver high quality, culturally and contextually relevant, and responsive mental health services with and for Indigenous youth.
• Identify and support priorities of Indigenous youth and communities.
• Integrate Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing into learning health systems.
• Build a robust digital repository of mental health tools, measures and resources.
• Continue to build capacity of current and future leaders in Indigenous youth mental health and wellness.

These investments reflect the commitment of the Government of Canada, CIHR, and their partners (Graham Boeckh Foundation, Bell-Graham Boeckh Partnership, and Indigenous Services Canada) to building a mental health system that is accessible, inclusive, and culturally relevant for young people and their families across the country.

Interested in learning more about the Network and to get involved? Check us out here: https://accessopenminds.ca/aom-indigenous-network-who-we-are/

To view the full CIHR press release, click HERE.