Métis Nation–Saskatchewan's mental health support program to close after federal funding lost

Members of the Métis Nation—Saskatchewan (MN-S) who had come to rely on a mental health and addictions support program say the organization should have done more to prepare for the end of federal funding that will force it to close next month.

The MN-S announced the end of the program, which covered counselling services and a toll-free phone line, in an email to members on Tuesday.

Beverly Fullerton, a regional director and holder of the ministerial portfolio for health, mental health and addictions, said the project started as a pilot in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, to meet the needs of citizens "facing trauma and needing some extra support."

The pilot started during the pandemic and has grown over the last few years, she said. When its funding came to an end, the MN-S turned to the First Nation and Inuit Health branch of the federal government for support.

A multi-year agreement for that funding stream ends on March 31, she said.

“When there's a callout or there's funding opportunities through Canada, our nation, you know, applies for dollar-specific programs or, you know, a work plan, and this was a part of that one,” Fullerton said.

“We were trying to have more conversations of how we could, you know, keep this program going. And unfortunately the eligibility and the requirements for programming, this didn't align with any of the other funding options out there.”

Fullerton said the MN-S was working with the federal government to try to expand its funding options.

“We were really hopeful that we were going to find those dollars or that Canada would say, 'Yes, we can extend this for another year or we can move this into that funding program,'” she said.

“However, we were met just a couple weeks ago with a hard no.” 

MN-S has started negotiating with the provincial government's Ministry of Health, she said.

“We're seeing it. We hear the citizens. Voices are being heard. The amount of people that this is impacting — I'm being hopeful that, you know, one of the governments will come back and be like, 'OK, we hear you. We see the impact. you know, there's some funding.'”

Some members who relied on the program are concerned.

“They should have known about this a long time ago, that OK, this funding is actually getting pulled. That's what's upsetting about it,” said MN—S member Karianne Waine.