Northern Public Affairs is pleased to release this call for contributions to the Fall 2017 issue of NPA Magazine focusing on promising developments in suicide prevention among Indigenous Peoples in North America.
Indigenous Peoples in Canada and the United States have for decades faced elevated rates of suicide compared to our non-Indigenous counterparts. In Canada, suicide clusters among Indigenous populations frequently trigger national debates and speculation about suicide and suicide prevention. However, despite persistent, elevated rates of suicide among many Indigenous communities, the discourse among politicians, policymakers, and other commentators about suicide prevention tends to focus on solutions driven by speculation and personal opinion rather than evidence-based, public health approaches. In order to address this challenge, a mature discussion is needed that includes the robust and growing evidence about suicide and suicide risk factors, as well as bright spots in suicide prevention, that can help point the way to reduced rates of suicide among Indigenous peoples.
