This is not a site for personal disclosure of mental health distress, suicidal thoughts or behaviours. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department for assistance.

Indigenous Mental Health Resources

For Indigenous youth, curated by Indigenous youth

  • Indian Residential School Survivor Society: The IRSSS Crisis line is available 24/7 at 1-800-721-0066.
  • Manitoba Metis Federation mental health line wellness line: 1-833-390-1041. Available daily from 7:00am - 11:00pm.
  • Metis Nation of BC crisis line: 1-833-Metis-BC (1-833-638-4722). Available 24/7.  
  • 24hr Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line
  • Metis Nation of Ontario: 1-877-767-7572.
  • Metis Settlements General Council (Metis Settlement members in Alberta) Mental Health Helpline: 1-877-303-2642. Available 24/7. 
  • Alberta Indigenous Virtual Care Clinic
  • Hope for wellness line (Alberta) - Cree language: 1-855-242-3310 or online chat at hopeforwellness.ca. If you are experiencing emotional distress and want to talk this service is provided 24/7, 7 days a week. Available in Cree and English.
  • Kamatsiaqtut Helpline: 1-867-979-3333, toll-free at 1-800-265-3333.
  • Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (24 hours). Text "TALK" to 686868 to reach a counsellor.
  • NWT Crisis Line: 1-800-661-0844. Available from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET.
  • Alberta Distress Centre: Call 403-266-HELP (4357). Available 24/7. Confidential Online chat available 3PM to 10PM on weekdays and noon to 10pm on weekends. 
  • ConnectTeen: Call 403-264-8336. Text 587-333-2724. Available 24/7.
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Available 24/7.
  • Albertas one line for sexual violence: Call or text 1-866-403-8000. Available daily from 9am to 9pm.
  • Aboriginal counselling services association of Alberta. Circle of safety (men/women/children): (780) 448-0378.
  • Poundmaker’s lodge: Tele-Mental Health (780) 458-1884. Toll Free: 1-866-458-1884. 
  • We Matter Campaign 
  • The Moose Hide Campaign 
  • First Nations Child & Family Caring Society
  • Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services
  • Native Youth Sexual Health: Mental Health Peer Support Manual

Education for allies
Online Resources

Reading List
 
Reports
Fiction
  • 7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga by David Robertson
  • By Richard Wagamese: Embers, One Drum, Starlight, Indian Horse, and more
  • Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
  • Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
  • Flight by Sherman Alexie
  • Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead
  • Kiss of the Fur Queen by Thomson Highway
  • Mighty Muskrat Mysteries by Michael Hutchinson
  • Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
  • Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq
  • Sweetest Kulu by Celina Kalluk
  • The Break by Katherena Vermette
  • The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
  • The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
Nonfiction
  • 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph
  • A History of My Brief Body by Billy-Ray Belcourt
  • A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliot
  • Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
  • From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle
  • Halfbreed by Maria Campbell
  • In My Own Moccasins by Helen Knott
  • Nothing Will Be Different by Tara McGowan-Ross
  • Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga (Also available as a short audible series called "Seven Truths")
  • The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King
  • Why Indigenous Literatures Matters by Daniel Heath Justice
Poetry
  • I am a Body of Land by Shannon Webb-Campbell
  • I Place You into the Fire by Rebecca Thomas
  • it was never going to be okay by jaye simpson
More readings You can check out more books in this list curated by Cree author, David A. Robertson.


Podcasts
  • All My Relations
  • Métis in Space
  • Pieces
  • Telling Our Twisted Histories
  • The Secret Life of Canada
  • This Place
  • Unreserved

Videos