Kids Help Phone launches new service for Indigenous Mental Health

August 27, 2026 · 0 Comments

The Kids Help Phone is aiming to “End the Silence” on the Indigenous mental health crisis in Canada.

The organization kick-started the conversation on August 18 with the launch of their End the Silence Movement, the first-ever recognition day shining a light on the mental health of Indigenous boys and men, an issue that is often shrouded by silence and stigma alike.

End the Silence is designed to “confront a long-standing and urgent crisis – joining the ranks of established awareness days like Bell Let’s Talk and Have a Heart Day.”

“Indigenous men and boys in Canada face profound mental health challenges and remain significantly underrepresented in both research and programming,” said the Kids Help Phone. “Data from Statistics Canada underscores the depth of the crisis, with 19.2 per cent of Indigenous males aged 18 to 24 having seriously contemplated suicide. Among younger demographics, 12.2 per cent of Indigenous males aged 15 to 17 have seriously contemplated suicide.

“End the Silence invites Indigenous boys and young men to take the first step toward support, encourages communities to break the silence around a crisis that has gone unspoken for too long, and asks organizations across the country to help carry the message forward by advocating for more research and more culturally-informed resources.”

In a statement, Deanna Dunham, Kids Help Phone’s Director of Indigenous Initiatives for Kids Help Phone, said that despite these statistics, of Indigenous people who have reached out for services, only 16 per cent identified as male.

“It’s time to change that,” said Dunham. “That is why we’re launching this campaign in partnership with Indigenous communities to put a greater spotlight on this issue, and to let them know that support is here, it’s okay to reach out, and you can talk to someone about how you are feeling.”

Kids Help Phone believes that greater mental health supports are needed for all Indigenous peoples, regardless of gender identity, and, over the years, there has been “limited attention in research, programming, and resource development” in this field.

“The impacts of colonization, intergenerational trauma, racism, and systemic inequities continue to affect wellbeing, while social expectations around masculinity can make it harder to seek help or speak openly about mental health,” they say. “At the same time, there is a growing need for culturally-relevant research, services, and resources that reflect the unique experiences, strengths, and realities of Indigenous boys and young men.”

According to statistics provided by Kids Help Phone, Indigenous men die by suicide at 2.4 times the national average while Indigenous men experience two to five times more years life lost due to suicide than non-Indigenous men in Canada.

Male Inuit youth are especially vulnerable in this area, they say, and are estimated to have suicide attempt rated 10 times higher than non-Indigenous male youth.

Statistics also show 19.2 per cent of Indigenous males between the ages of 18 and 24 have contemplated suicide in the last 12 months, while 7.4 per cent did so.

The End the Silence Campaign has compiled an expansive set of online resources designed to do just that, including first-hand testimonials, messages “from Indigenous guys, for Indigenous guys,” articles, and more. Visit endthesilence.com for further information.

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter