First Nations Health Authority cuts mental health coverage for non-Status clients

Changes are being made to mental health coverage eligibility under the First Nations Health Authority, specifically affecting those who don’t have Status cards.

As of April 15, the FNHA says program benefits and services will “have the same eligibility as all other (First Nations Health Benefits and Services) programs.”

“These services will only be available for FNHBS Clients with a Status number,” a notice to clients from the FNHA reads.

The FNHA website also says, “Only First Nations people with Status and live in BC will be eligible to register for counselling services effective immediately.”

The authority notes current non-Status clients will be “eligible for up to four sessions, if required based on a risk assessment” with their current provider until April 30, 2024, “to support this transition.”

Among those affected by this change are families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls without Status cards, and Métis, Inuit, and Nisg̱a’a people.

“A Métis membership number does not meet the eligibility criteria for the Mental Wellness and Counselling program,” the FNHA explains. “The Mental Wellness and Counselling eligibility requires that Clients have a Status number as defined by the Indian Act.”

Concerns are already being raised about the change in program eligibility, with one service provider telling CityNews the exclusion of non-Status Indigenous people “will disrupt mental health support for so many,” and that this move will “prevent many more from accessing this critical funding support.”

Services are still available to residential school survivors and their families who do not hold Status cards through Indian Residential School (IRS) service providers.

CityNews has reached out to the FNHA and several Indigenous counselling services for more information.