Letter to the Editor: Closing gaps in Indigenous youth mental health services

To the Editor,

I recently read the article discussing a national initiative aimed at closing gaps in Indigenous youth mental health services. While it is encouraging to see investment and collaboration across Canada, the reality for many urban Indigenous youth is that barriers still exist at the point of care.

In community spaces in Toronto, I regularly see Indigenous youth, such as myself, trying to access counselling, addiction treatment, and medication coverage through the Non-Insured Health Benefits program. A major obstacle is the requirement to provide a Status Card before services are approved. Youth who are couch-surfing, in care, or disconnected from family often do not have identification, and they are turned away when they finally ask for help. Indigenous people already experience unequal access and treatment within the health system (Allan & Smylie, 2015).

The article highlights the importance of culturally-grounded services and collaboration with Elders and community knowledge holders (Garrick, 2025); however, these supports are rarely funded or easily accessible in cities. Without culturally safe care, youth are pushed toward crisis services instead of prevention and healing.

Mental health care should not depend on paperwork. Expanding NIHB access and funding culturally safe services in urban communities would be a meaningful step toward reconciliation.

Sincerely,

Melissa Podnar