Preventing Suicide in the Newcomer Community

Although relocating to a new country or city can be exciting for some, it can also be a stressful and lonely experience for people. As immigration to Canada is increasing, it is becoming even more important to ensure that newcomers are accessing the services they need and know where to turn when they need help. Below are resources that you as a newcomer can use to navigate your move here to Canada. If you know someone who is new to Nova Scotia or Canada in general, feel free to share these resources with them.

Risk And Protective Factors For Suicide Among Refugees

Refugee children and adolescents who experience suicidal ideation may not receive the help they need as many refugee families do not seek traditional mental health services and lack access to other sources of support. Being informed about risk and protective factors for suicide among refugees can help identify those in need of services at an earlier stage. Visit this resource for more information.

Statistics On Racialized Groups In Canada

This resource is a quick graphic outlining statistics showing that racialized groups in Canada die by suicide more than their white peers. It also offers a few quick solutions to this problem as well as provides links to other resources.

Suicidal Thoughts And Suicide Mortality Among Immigrants In Canada

This quick graphic offers statistics on suicidal thoughts and suicide mortality among immigrants in Canada. It also outlines help that is available for those who need it.

Alone in Canada: 21 Ways to Make it Better

In this book you will find suggestions that may help you to get to the good days as quickly as possible. These “21 ways to make it better” share the experience of people just like you. Each chapter in this book begins with a quotation from a newcomer. Then, you will read about a problem that many people face when they are learning to live in a new culture. Each chapter ends with some tips or exercises that may help you to solve problems and to stay mentally and physically healthy.

Refugee Men’s Health And Well-being: Strategies for Language Instructors

The purpose of this resource is to help EAL instructors and male students engage in the topic of men’s health in a safe and supported way. It primarily attempts to address the much larger picture of refugee men and their barriers to physical and mental wellness. We hope that in providing a resource that supports language instructors with information and strategies to help refugee men build language skills around developing healthy lifestyles in Canada, accessing health services, connecting with their new community, and building networks and social spaces, refugee men and their families will be better able to transition successfully into their new lives in Canada.

Refugee Health: Refugee Suicide Prevention Training Toolkit

This Toolkit is designed to provide resources for instructors who are interested in training refugee gatekeepers. It includes an Orientation to Refugees for QPR Trainers and Materials for Classroom Training.

Refugee Mental Health Promising Practices and Partnership Building Resources

The knowledge does exist on how to serve refugees and on how to support their emotional well-being, and often the most important thing that we can do is bring different experts together. This guide offers some suggestions on how to do that.

Couch Of Hope

Couch of Hope is a registered non-profit charity that provides free counselling for those who may not have insurance or means to cover it. They are partnered with Yorkville University and Acadia University as a practicum site for their Masters Level counselling students. Their experienced Registered Counselling Therapists are approved as supervisors under each of the Universities. Check out their website for more information!

IWK Interpretation and Translation Services

The IWK is committed to offering a welcoming and inclusive environment where diversity is respected, embraced, and valued. To ensure that all IWK patients and their families are able to communicate with their physician or health care provider, they provide a professional interpretation and translation service. For information on how to request an interpreter visit the link above!

Nova Scotia Immigration

This webpage provides various information to answer any questions about moving to and living in Nova Scotia that may be causing any anxiety about relocating. Visit this page to find out about housing, working, education, child care and more!

Health Care In Canada: Mental Health And Well-Being Support For Newcomers

This Government of Canada webpage outlines supports for those who are new to Canada and need mental health support. There are resources for those in crisis, as well as resources for those experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, family or gender-based violence, addiction or substance use, or other mental health issues that relate to immigrating into Canada. Visit the link for more information.

The Immigrant And Refugee Online Course

The Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health Project’s online course is a free, self-directed training that will offer a comprehensive overview of immigrant and refugee mental health, focusing on subgroups at risks. It will provide in-depth discussion on how context and culture influence mental health and mental illness, as well as providing sample tools and resources for use in various practice settings, and offering evidence-based strategies and interventions to help you provide better services and supports to different immigrant and refugee populations. You will find practical examples of promising and innovative practices effective in improving outcomes for different groups of immigrants and refugees.

Determinants of Mental Health for Newcomer Youth: Policy and Service Implications 

Drawing on a study with newcomer youth from four communities in Toronto, this article discusses post-migration determinants of mental health for newcomer youth in Toronto and reflects on policy implications. Preliminary study findings indicate that settlement challenges and discrimination/exclusions are salient risks to the mental wellbeing of newcomer youth and their families.

Examining Variations In Immigrants’ Lower Risk Of Suicide-Related Behaviours

Using data from the Canadian Community Health Survey and the Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort, this article provides an understanding of suicide-related behaviours, namely suicide ideation and completed suicides, among immigrants. This study aims to provide contextual information on groups in the immigrant population in Canada, particularly across life stages. Guided by the social determinants of health framework, the descriptive analysis disaggregates suicide-related behaviours by sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors, including age, sex, income, household level education; and for immigrants, time since migration and country of birth.

Mental Health and Well-Being of Recent Immigrants in Canada: Evidence From The Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada

There is limited Canadian research on the mental health of recent immigrants, more specifically on the disparities among immigrant sub-groups. This paper addresses these gaps using data from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada. It examines different aspects related to mental health, including prevalence of emotional problems and stress levels. Potential factors that may be associated with mental health outcomes, including socio-economic variables, are also explored.

Suicide and Self-Harm Trends In Recent Immigrant Youth In Ontario, 1996-2012: A Population-Based Longitudinal Cohort Study

Despite growing global interest in the epidemiology of mental health in children and youth, little is known about suicide and self-harm risk within subpopulations of youth, including immigrants, and how this risk has changed over time. The objectives of this study were to describe the trends in the rates of suicide and emergency department visits for self-harm in recent immigrant youth compared with long-term residents of Canada. Additionally, they aimed to describe these trends and rates among subgroups of immigrants, including by immigrant class (refugees and non-refugees), duration of residence in Canada, and by region of birth.