Project 460917

People who are incarcerated receive clinical interviews by mental health clinicians to determine suicide and violence risk, treatment plans, need for segregation, readiness for release, etc. However, despite Indigenous Peoples' overrepresentation in the Canadian federal prison population, there are no studies on clinical interviews with Indigenous inmates. This may lead to inappropriate interview practices that prevent mental health needs from being met and contribute to the negative outcomes faced by Indigenous inmates (e.g., greater rates of mental illness, self-injury, and suicide; more frequent placement into solitary confinement; lower likelihood of being granted parole, etc. ). Thus, this project provides the first effort to develop clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for mental health clinicians conducting culturally safe clinical interviews with incarcerated Indigenous individuals. The aims are to explore experiences of Indigenous inmates with clinicians and clinical interviews; examine the elements of culturally safe clinical interviews in consultation with Indigenous inmates, and Indigenous mental health and justice professionals; and develop CPGs (i.e. recommendations for clinicians providing a clinical service to improve patient outcomes). To start, relevant journal articles will be reviewed. Consultations will occur through one-hour interviews with 10-12 Indigenous inmates in British Columbia (BC), and with 10-12 Indigenous mental health and justice professionals. Qualitative analysis will be used to examine themes from the interviews. CPGs will then be developed from the systematic review and consultations. These results will create more knowledge on effective and appropriate engagement with Indigenous Peoples, thereby contributing to cultural safe care, and improving health and justice outcomes. This research has the potential to provide the first evidence-based clinical interview for Indigenous Peoples within the justice system.