The federal government says three mental health therapists will make weekly trips to a region in northern Saskatchewan after three girls died by suicide in recent days.
Two girls from Stanley Mission, a First Nation located about 300 kilometres north of Prince Albert, died by suicide last week. They were between the ages of 12 and 14.
Another girl from the town of La Ronge who had been in intensive care in Saskatoon following a suicide attempt also died in recent days.
Community halls and churches have become meeting spaces for the community to grieve, and some fear that other youth could be at risk.
鈥淪ome people are only sleeping two or three hours because they鈥檙e worried, and people are still on edge. We don鈥檛 know when we鈥檙e going to get the next call,鈥� Lac La Ronge Chief Tammy Cook-Searson told 麻豆影视.
In a statement to 麻豆影视, Health Canada said the community obtained the services of a mental health therapist who conducted an assessment to determine 鈥渟hort-term鈥� needs.
鈥淏ased on this assessment, the Department will help fund therapy and travel costs for three mental health therapists to travel weekly to the community provide counselling to at-risk youth on Fridays and Saturdays, starting now until the end of December 2016.鈥�
Health Canada also said a regional team is providing support and that additional support is also available from the Mental Wellness Team from Prince Albert Grand Council.
According to one indigenous leader, immediate action must be taken to prevent further tragedies.
鈥淲e need to respond now. The call to action is now,鈥� said Robert Merasty, vice chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.
The Canadian Press also reported that Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson said there have been nine suicide attempts in her community in the past week.
The deaths underscore an ongoing crisis in several First Nations across Canada. A state of emergency was declared in Attawapiskat in the spring when 25 people attempted suicide in two weeks. In Manitoba鈥檚 Pimicikamak Cree First Nation, six young people committed suicide over two months in early 2016.
With a report from CTV鈥檚 Manitoba Bureau Chief Jill Macyshon and files from The Canadian Press
