103 Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers Effectively addressing mental health and alcohol and drug related issues is multifaceted. It will take the efforts of several ministries, organizations, and service providers to achieve effective and sustainable change. Recent mental health and addictions system improvements are an example of collaborative work that has occurred within Saskatchewan. The Ministry of Health will work with other ministries to incorporate its work into a government-wide approach, to promote life and prevent deaths by suicide in Saskatchewan. All sectors need to address suicide prevention within their mandates. Accountability, across and within other ministries, is necessary to ensure suicide prevention is made a priority and remains a priority. Pillars for Life: The Saskatchewan Suicide Prevention Plan The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) developed Roots of Hope, a community-based suicide prevention model that incorporates the WHO recommendations and other international experiences. The five pillars of Roots of Hope provide a framework and structure for communities to tailor suicide prevention activities and link these activities to community needs and strengths.Activities and initiatives are planned under each pillar simultaneously so that a fulsome and meaningful plan is developed. Currently, Saskatchewan is the only province that has three communities participating in the MHCC Roots of Hope suicide prevention initiative, with sites in La Ronge, Meadow Lake and Buffalo Narrows. The actions outlined in Pillars for Life: The Saskatchewan Suicide Prevention Plan are grounded in the five pillar approach developed by the MHCC.The five pillars of the Saskatchewan plan include: (1) specialized supports, (2) training, (3) awareness, (4) means restriction and means safety 1 and (5) research, surveillance and evaluation.The Government of Saskatchewan is dedicated to supporting the actions under each pillar for a suicide prevention plan that is comprehensive and effective. While suicide is not a challenge easily or quickly resolved, realization of prevention will be achieved through sustained and coordinated efforts that are linked to the Saskatchewan experience. It is important to acknowledge the multi-layered effects of colonization and residential schools on the Indigenous population. Pillars for Life recognizes that solutions must be community driven and must take into account the local history, economics and social factors of the people they are meant to support and serve. Ensuring a community driven approach honours the fact that each community is unique and the solutions they present will produce meaningful change. Indigenous health is a priority for Saskatchewan. In the spirit of theTruth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, Saskatchewan will continue to build and strengthen relationships by meeting with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, Métis Nation of Saskatchewan and other First Nations and Métis community leadership to engage in dialogue regarding the unique needs of their populations. The Ministry of Health continues to build and strengthen partnerships with First Nations and Métis communities to meet the health needs of First Nations and Métis patients and clients. Actions Pillar One: Specialized Supports Year 1 Actions -Enhance and evaluate investments in mental health and addictions. -Ensure the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) implements the Provincial Auditor’s Report - Volume 2 (chapter 24, 2019) recommendations on suicide protocol audits for treating patients with potentially high risk for suicide in northwest Saskatchewan. These recommendations are: 1.“Work with others (e.g., Ministry of Health) to analyze key data about rates and prevalence of suicide attempts to rationalize services made available to patients at risk of suicide. 2. Give suitable training to staff located in northwest Saskatchewan caring for patients at risk of suicide. 3. Follow its established [SHA] protocols to provide psychiatric consultations to patients accessing emergency departments in northwest Saskatchewan who are at high risk of suicide. 4.Address barriers to using videoconferencing to provide psychiatric services to communities in northwest Saskatchewan. 5. Analyze reasons patients at risk of suicide miss appointments for mental health outpatient services to help address barriers. (continued) Pillars for Life:The Saskatchewan Suicide Prevention Plan (continued)
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