Indigenous Mental Health
- Canada
- For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
BLC Wellness INC. aims to strengthen the well-being of individuals, families and communities by providing the miyo-mamitoneyihcikan (Trauma-informed Educational Series) for clientele. BLC Wellness INC. honours the cultural perspectives and practices congruent with prevention and mental health support to Indigenous Communities.
In creating the miyo-mamitoneyihcikan (Trauma-informed educational series), BLC Wellness recognizes the diversity of First Nations and understands the complexity(co-existence) of trauma, addictions and mental health impacts. In creating the miyo-mamitoneyihcikan (Trauma-informed educational series), BLC Wellness recognizes the diversity of First Nations and understands the complexity(co-existence) of trauma, addictions and mental health impacts.
The study of trauma has grown exponentially, and its relationship with mental health disorders is acknowledged on a universal level. Research indicates severe mental illnesses in conjunction with childhood trauma are at a much higher rate than the general population.
Thus, incorporating the four aspects of Indigenous well-being – mental, emotional, physical and spiritual- with the miyo-mamitoneyihcikan (trauma-informed educational series) enhances well-being through learning.
BLC Wellness Inc., have developed(researched) an Indigenous mental health model to provide information to people who live in rural communities to understand the intersection of mental health impacts through - awareness and strategies to enacting the coping skills/awareness. The limiting factors to adequate resources to individuals who live in rural communities encompasses the, social determinants of health, and health outcomes. The mental health model identifies strategies and coping skills related to health outcomes.
The solution is using an app for Indigenous mental health model for information sharing.
*The solution is an idea - has not come to fruition*
Our solution, the Indigenous Mental Health App, is designed for individuals who live in rural communities and have limited access/resources to mental health supports. The Indigenous Mental Health App will use the technological platform to provide information universally.
The solution is unique in nature as the mental health model is designed by Indigenous entrepreneurs and integrates elder advisory through creation. The collaborative approach utilized through Indigenous ways of knowing and being is honoring the creation of mental health supports and providing information for all.
The developers are both of Indigenous ancestry with years of service within Indigenous communities and residing in an Indigenous community.
The developers work with community elders in creating the mental health model through knowledge sharing.
Our team consists of 2 individuals with numerous elder presence in conducting Indigenous research.
- Promote culturally informed mental and physical health and wellness services for Indigenous community members.
- 3. Good Health and Well-Being
- 17. Partnerships for the Goals
- Concept
BLC Wellness Inc., currently provides mental health supports within the community setting through trainings and awareness through social media page. The Indigenous ways of knowing and being incorporates the holistic practices of mental health through research based-information.
One of the developers is a mental health therapist with Alberta Health Services and utilizes the Indigenous mental health model through practice. And the other developer is a wholistic counselor with children's services - prevention.
BLC Wellness Inc., will be presenting their Indigenous mental health model at a Universal conference in New Zealand July 2024.
BLC Wellness Inc., is looking to gain visibility, networking, mentorship, and receive funding to support the integration of this new Indigenous Mental Health App.
- Business Model (e.g. product-market fit, strategy & development)
- Financial (e.g. accounting practices, pitching to investors)
- Legal or Regulatory Matters
- Monitoring & Evaluation (e.g. collecting/using data, measuring impact)
- Product / Service Distribution (e.g. delivery, logistics, expanding client base)
- Public Relations (e.g. branding/marketing strategy, social and global media)
- Technology (e.g. software or hardware, web development/design)
BLC Wellness Inc. has provided mental health support groups to community members bi-weekly for 3 hours an evening. The intention of the group was to give back to the community by providing awareness about mental health and impacts in the family unit.
Both of our Team Leads have worked in a number of capacities for their respected Nation.
Indigenous Mental Health App: will provide therapeutic awareness through the app. IE: if a youth in rural Alberta is experiencing GED - generalized anxiety disorder. They can log into the app to seek out strategies that will help them through their mental health concern. It can be a video of deep breathing to ground the individual and regain present status.
Indigenous Mental Health Model: will enhance the four quadrants of wellness through practice.
The goal is to integrate and deploy the Indigenous Mental Health App to vulnerable communities and provide public awareness/strategies and/or interventions to provide information and coping skills within mental health. In Alberta, Canada there are 46 identified first nations and metis nations.
ir-first-nations-reserves-and-metis-settlements-map-2021-04.pdf (alberta.ca)
Good Health & Wellbeing:
1. Can Scale by the amount of App downloads and the app can reach 46 identified indigenous communities and metis nations.
2. Can Scale by the amount of pages downloaded.
3. Integrate the Indigenous Mental Health Model through awareness.
4. Focus on mental heath and providing strategic coping skills and information for resources within community - of location.
Indigenous Mental Health Model - App (application), Software and mobile applications.
Traditional knowledge systems and technologies, combine modern and ancestral technologies.
- A new business model or process that relies on technology to be successful
- Ancestral Technology & Practices
Alberta, Canada
Alberta and Canada.
Hoping to launch globally
Bill Cardinal 780-290-1133
Leslie Cardinal 780-290-1259
Elders/knowledge keepers from community - when researching
One year
The developers are an interdisciplinary team of 2 full time employees. As Indigenous social workers who work with diverse clientele through mental health supports within children's services and Alberta Health Services.
We honor the relationships of diverse clientele through additional trainings and cultural competency into practice.
One developer currently contracts as a Mental Health therapist with ICloud MD, which is personalized and connected care. Provides access to 5,100+ clinicians including Social Workers, Psychologists, Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, and Medical Specialists all working together to build personalized plans and deliver connected care.
We also engage in contract based work with local communities through trainings and mental health awareness.
- Organizations (B2B)
1. Improve scalability by the number of downloads from app.
2. Expand our resources to provide adequate monitoring and evaluation through downloads and requests for trainings, etc. Provide up to date reports on a regular basis.
3. Increase revenue by 20% from contract-based work with development partners.
5. Continue to develop Indigenous mental health model(s) for research-based funding through creation of public health research information.
RSW, MSW (clinical specialization), CAPA,