Engaging Indigenous partners in health service transformation: a framework for sustained engagement built on trust

Indigenous perspectives and community protocols are often overlooked in the development of health research and service delivery. Engaging in meaningful ways with Indigenous youth and community partners in research can lead to better health care access, quality, and health outcomes in health care, that are more aligned with Indigenous youths’ needs.

This paper examines the development of a national research network called ACCESS Open Minds. This network includes youth, families, clinicians, community members, decision-makers, and academics, all working to transform youth mental health services in Canada. It describes how Indigenous youth and community partners have been involved in transforming health systems and services. The focus is on the network’s past and current efforts to engage Indigenous partners, providing a critical view of developing and maintain partnerships.

The paper highlights key activities and reflections that are essential for building trust and sustaining engagement with Indigenous youth and community partners in mental health service transformation. Trust and sustained engagement are crucial for making progress in developing, implementing, and evaluating health systems and services in collaboration with Indigenous communities. The paper proposes a conceptual framework for involving Indigenous youth and community partners in service transformation, with trust being a central theme.

It concludes with a call to build evidence on what works in achieving and maintaining trust in engaging Indigenous partners in health system transformation. Engaging Indigenous partners in health service transformation: A framework for sustained engagement built on trust.