Nunavut suicide prevention strategy action plan September 1, 2011 – March 31, 2014.

Suicide touches the lives of all Nunavummiut. The immense loss of lives – concentrated among Inuit youth – is well-known within the Territory. … Even in the absence of a public debate about the best way to deal with the health and social issues surrounding suicide there has been action. … In response to this longstanding demand for a coordinated approach, in 2008 the Government of Nunavut (GN), Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI), the Embrace Life Council (ELC), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) formed a partnership to create a Nunavut Suicide Prevention Strategy. … The document that follows is the culmination of two years of searching for the best possible ways to prevent suicide in Nunavut. It begins with the Partners’ vision for a healthier Nunavut – the vision that guided development of this entire Strategy. It then examines the current situation, and the historical and present-day factors that underlie and perpetuate it. This information forms the background for discussion of the Strategy’s approach and core components, the challenges to be overcome, and the concrete commitments undertaken by the Partners. … The Strategy’s eight commitments are as follows: Commitment 1: The GN will take a more focused and active approach to suicide prevention. … Commitment 2: The Partners will strengthen the continuum of mental health services, especially in relation to the accessibility and cultural appropriateness of care. … Commitment 3: The Partners will better equip youth to cope with adverse life events and negative emotions. … Commitment 4: The GN will deliver suicide-intervention training on a consistent and comprehensive basis. … Commitment 5: The Partners will support ongoing research to better understand suicide in Nunavut and the effectiveness of suicide prevention initiatives. … Commitment 6: The Partners will communicate and share information with Nunavummiut on an ongoing basis. … Commitment 7: The GN will invest in the next generation by fostering opportunities for healthy development in early childhood. … Commitment 8: The Partners will provide support for communities to engage in community-development activities.

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