Meal Options That Meet the Needs of Our Indigenous Clients

Thanks to special financing from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), an initiative is underway to ensure that Indigenous patients receiving psychiatric care can now receive meal options that better reflect their culture at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute (DMHUI). 

Each year a number of members from Québec’s northern Indigenous communities travel south to receive healthcare. A lack of access to their traditional foods is often a significant issue. “There are 10 to 15 users from Indigenous communities at our facilities, and their stays last one to three months,” says Flavie Major-Desrosiers, Interim Coordinator—Indigenous Services and Psychogeriatrics at the DMHUI. “We needed to adapt our meal options to their specific needs and better reflect their culture,” she adds. A request for financing was submitted to the MSSS by the DEI and Cultural Safety team in collaboration with the Mental Health and Addiction Programs Directorate (MHAPD). This aligns with recommendations by Indigenous partner organizations, including the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay and the Nunavik Regional Board of Health Services and Social Services.

Attentive to Our Clientele

The DEI and Cultural Safety team, in collaboration with the MHAPD and an Indigenous consultant, led discussion groups with hospitalized users to hear their suggestions. Certain choices quickly emerged during those discussions, including bannock, a traditional bread that is central to the Indigenous diet. During the discussion groups, a menu (fish pie, corn soup, berries, and Labrador tea) was developed in collaboration with the Food Services team at the DMHUI.

Some users had the opportunity to take part in cooking workshops to make their own bannock, which they enjoyed with cloudberry jam. Cloudberries are found primarily in northern Québec.

“We are still in the initial stages of this project, and for the time being the options are basic. We are currently looking into the possibility of integrating other typical foods into our users’ diets. Nutritionists will be working with us on these next steps,” adds Major-Desrosiers.

Other institutions in Québec and Ontario are also looking to follow suit, so that their menu options are better adapted to the needs of Indigenous users. The project team is regularly in contact with these institutions, providing mutual support and inspiration, says Nathalie Laviolette.