Closing critical gaps in Indigenous youth mental health through national initiative –
September 22, 2025
THUNDER BAY — A national initiative to improve Indigenous youth mental health co-led by Pays Plat’s Chris Mushquash recently received an additional $10.8 million in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
“This is an incredible opportunity for our network to help close critical gaps by cultivating a trust-based collaborative learning environment across Canada,” says Mushquash, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction, professor in the Department of Psychology at Lakehead University, vice president of research at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, and chief scientist at Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. “With this investment, we can translate knowledge into real-life improvements for Indigenous youth, ensuring that services are more culturally grounded, accessible, and responsive to community needs. Being able to co-lead this work from northwestern Ontario, and specifically Thunder Bay, is deeply significant as it reflects both the challenges and strengths of the communities we serve.”
