Biigajiiskaan: Indigenous Pathways to Mental Wellness - How To Access
Program Access
To access Biigajiiskaan, Indigenous adults within the London-Middlesex and St. Thomas-Elgin regions in need of mental health and addictions services, will require a direct referral through one of the following organizations:
- Atlohsa Family Healing Services
- Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre
- London Intercommunity Health Centre
- London Health Sciences Centre
- N’Amerind Friendship Centre
- Oneida Nation of the Thames
- Chippewa of the Thames First Nation
- Munsee Delaware Nation
- St. Joseph’s Health Care London’s Mental Health Care Program
At this time, referrals are only accepted through the above care partners. Further pathways with partnering agencies are in development and will be added as they become confirmed.
Program Eligibility
1. To meet the eligibility criteria for the Holistic Assessment and Intensive Case Management streams of the Biigajiiskaan program, individuals must:
Be 18 years of age or older
- Individuals turning 18 within the calendar year will be considered.
2. Self-identification as Indigenous (First Nations, Metis, Inuit).
- And open to learning the use of Traditional Medicines and Ceremony with Western treatment modalities.
3. Have a severe and persistent mental illness, or concurrent disorder (substance use) such as; Meeting the DSM-V criteria for schizophrenia or related disorder; severe mood disorder (unipolar or bipolar), trauma related disorders, severe anxiety disorder.
- Individuals with a primary diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, substance use disorder, dementia, brain injury, intellectual disability are not the intended or appropriate client groups.
4. Have a primary health care provider (physician, or nurse practitioner) who is willing to participate in shared care of the person being provided service by Biigajiiskaan: Indigenous Pathways to Mental Wellness.
- In instances where a community member does not have a primary health care provider (physician, or nurse practitioner), the person must be willing to work collaboratively with Biigajiiskaan staff to acquire primary health care in the community.
5. Have wellness needs that cannot be adequately addressed in the community or the general psychiatry setting. (The person must have at least one of the wellness needs listed below).
Wellness needs are defined as:
- Unstable symptoms or failure to respond well to previous treatment.
- Unable to access culturally safe and/or trauma informed care.
- Complex psychosocial needs in one or more of the following areas:
- Housing
- Finances
- Educational or occupational functioning
- Ability to establish or maintain social support system
- Basic tasks of independent living
- Identity and cultural issues and/or interests in connecting with cultural care and Indigenous teachings.
- Trauma and violence (including intergenerational trauma, experiences with human trafficking, intimate partner/familial violence).
Those who would not meet eligibility include:
- People with high risk behaviours who are not safely manageable in the community
- People whose mental unwellness is not a primary driver of their ability to live a full, healthy and balanced life
- People who are banned from referring care partners
- People with a primary diagnosis of substance use disorder, borderline personality disorder, dementia, brain injury, or intellectual disability
- People unwilling to receive care with a ‘two-eyed seeing’ approach
- People who do not have a primary care provider and who are unwilling to partner with Biigajiiskaan to find one
Referrals
Referrals are currently accepted from any staff member of the below listed organizations who has a working knowledge of the client’s wellness needs:
- Atlohsa Family Healing Services
- St. Joseph’s Mental Health Care program
- Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre
- London Intercommunity Health Centre
- London Health Sciences Centre
- N’Amerind Friendship Centre
- Oneida Nation of the Thames
- Chippewa of the Thames First Nation
- Munsee Delaware Nation
Self-referrals, and referrals from outside of the above organizations, are not being accepted at this time. Further pathways with partnering agencies are in development and will be added as they become confirmed.
Referral process and instructions
- Prior to completing a formal referral, please email our team at: @email to request a preliminary phone consultation. This initial conversation allows Biigajiiskaan staff to assist in determining whether to recommend a formal referral. Please indicate “Request for consultation” in the email subject line.
- If a recommendation to move forward with a referral is received, please:
- Obtain consent by completing your agency’s consent form with the client, which permits you to share the client’s information with Biigajiiskaan. Fax the consent form to: 519 685-4801.
- Complete the fillable PDF Biigajiiskaan Referral Form. Save the completed form to your computer, then email it to: @email. Please indicate “Completed referral” in the subject line.
3. Biigajiiskaan staff will review the referral and reach out to the client within three business days to schedule a screening interview that will assist in determining eligibility. Note: The referring staff will often partner with Biigajiiskaan in a collaborative community care approach moving forward.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.