NIHB Indigenous Support
NIHB Support for First Nations and Inuit communities is a program that allows Indigenous individuals, group and couples to access mental wellness support for whatever they need. This can include grief, crisis support, trauma, addiction, depression, processing related to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), the impact of Residential Schools, and more.
What is NIHB Coverage?
The Government of Canada runs the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program, which provides eligible First Nations and Inuit clients with coverage for a range of health benefits including mental health and counselling support. Every 12 months, an eligible client can receive up to 22 hours of counselling performed by an eligible provider on a fee-for-service basis (such as individual or group counselling). Additional hours in the same 12 month period may be provided on a case-by-case basis. For these sessions The Growth & Wellness Therapy Centre will bill the government directly, which means you don’t need to pay out of pocket for your sessions, making it more accessible.
Why Access NIHB Support?
When seeking out mental wellness practitioners, culturally safe support is vitally important. It means your practitioner will have context for your cultural values and knowledge, and can support your whole health. In being approved to provide support through the NIHB program, clinicians at The Growth & Wellness Therapy Centre are encouraged to demonstrate cultural competency through either personal lived experiences, previous work with First Nations communities, documented trainings, or personal and professional references from First Nations or Inuit organizations they’ve been involved with. You are welcome to ask your clinician about their experiences in these areas when you meet with them.
An additional note: Indigenous Services Canada has entered into separate agreements with some First Nations and Inuit communities and organizations in each region to assist with the delivery of traditional healing services in support of mental health counselling. For more information regarding these services, please contact your local community for information on Elder and Traditional Healer services they may offer. Note that not all communities may offer this service.
Types of Therapy and Support
Depending on what you are seeking support for, there are a variety of therapies clinicians may use in their work with clients accessing NIHB support. Each clinician will have their own approaches, but some of the approaches you might experience at The Growth & Wellness Therapy Centre include:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
Parts Work or Internal Family Systems Theory (IFS)
Somatic Experiencing
Mindfulness and Meditation Practices
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Narrative Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Play Therapy
Therapeutic Arts
Working with a Clinician
Our office has a number of clinicians who are approved to provide mental health support through the NIHB program, and those who are currently accepting new clients are listed below. Therapy is most effective when there is a strong connection between the therapist and client, and because of that we encourage you to meet for consults with as many clinicians as you need to ensure the best fit. If a clinician at our office is not a fit for you let us know and we will do our best to support you to connect with another practitioner in the community.
