Request for Proposals
Mental Health First Aid Inuit Program Evaluation
Issue Date: September 11, 2015 Proposal Deadline: October 9, 2015
Information on content matters may be obtained (through email correspondence):
Del Jacko
Project Officer, Mental Health First Aid Inuit Mental Health Commission of Canada
100 Sparks St, Suite 500 Ottawa, ON K1P 5B7 djacko@mentalhealthcommission.ca
The views represented herein solely represent the views of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Production of this document is made possible through a financial contribution from Health Canada.
This Request for Proposals is the exclusive property of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, all rights reserved. The release, reproduction, distribution or other use without the express written consent of the Commission is strictly prohibited.
DISCLAIMER
The Mental Health Commission of Canada disclaims responsibility for all warranties and conditions with regard to electronic files and any contents thereof. The Commission makes no guarantee or representation that electronic files are error‐free, nor compatible with recipient’s systems, nor free from viruses. The Commission will not be held responsible for any problems or injuries that arise including, but not limited to, the reliability or safety of the use of its electronic files, in whole or in part.
CONTEXT
The Mental Health Commission of Canada is a not‐for‐profit organization created to focus national attention on mental health issues and to work to improve the health and social outcomes of people living with mental health problems or illnesses.
Mental Health First Aid Canada (MHFA) is an evidence‐based course that increases mental health literacy, decreases stigma, and increases helping behaviours. Studies show the course increases knowledge, reduces stigma and, most importantly, increases supportive actions. It even improves the mental health of first‐aiders.
The overall goal of the MHFA course is to improve Canadians’ knowledge and awareness of mental health and provide participants with the skills to assist a person that is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Mental health first aid is given to a person experiencing distress until professional assistance is given or the crisis has ended.
Mental Health First Aid is offered in 23 countries, in addition to Canada, and is part of the national mental health strategies of Australia and Scotland.
In Canada, we have over 1000 trained instructors who have, in turn, trained over 140,000 Canadians.
BACKGROUND
With respect to the courses, the MHFA Basic course covers: mood disorders (e.g. depression, bipolar);
anxiety disorders; substance misuse; psychotic disorders. The following crisis situations are also examined: suicidal behaviours; panic attacks; drug overdose; reaction to traumatic events; and,
psychotic episodes. There is also a course for Adults Who Interact with Youth, which focuses on mental health first aid for adults who work with youth ages 12‐24.
MHFA for Nothern Peoples is an adaptation of the MHFA Basic course with materials customized from the perspective of people who reside in the nothern regions of Canada.
The focal point of the MHFA course is the first aid action plan (ALGEE), which is not applied in sequential steps but includes the following actions:
• Assess the risk of suicide and/or harm;
• Listen non‐judgmentally;
• Give reassurance and information (the action to help instill hope);
• Encourage the person to obtain appropriate professional help; and,
• Encourage the person to obtain other supports (e.g., community, family, friends, elders, traditional culturally‐based approaches, clergy, self‐help groups, etc.).
Once participants are trained, they can help a person developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. The “first aid” is given until professional or other appropriate help is given and/or the crisis is resolved. MHFA is not intended to train people to be therapists, but to build capacity among the general public so that they can respond to mental health problems or illnesses in the community.
In October 2013, the adaptation of MHFA course materials for use by Inuit (MHFA Inuit) began. The expected completion date for the adaptation is March 31, 2016. In collaboration with the four regions (Inuvialuit, Nunatsiavut, Nunavik, Nunavut), the MHFA Inuit course will be developed, tested and evaluated. Based on the feedback recieved from Inuit participants and instructors, the adapted MHFA course will include culturally relevant knowledge and processes and Inuit perspectives and worldviews will form the foundation of the MHFA Inuit course. It will incorporate the philosophy of health and healing, a description of the current and historical context in which Inuit live, as well as content that is built or selected for this course specifically. It will also include a focus on the manner in which learning material is given and recieved.
The outputs of the course development include: an instructor’s course manual; a participant’s course manual; a participant’s workbook; supplementary educational videos depicting Inuit experiences; local artwork for inclusion in the course binders; training of two Inuit instructors from participating regions;
and testing the course through delivery to participants in partner communities. Two aspects of the MHFA Canada course remain a key component of the MHFA Inuit course. These aspects include: the MHFA action plan described above (ALGEE), and the expected outcomes (increased knowledge, increased helping behaviours, and reduced stigma).
OBJECTIVE
The overall aim of MHFA Inuit is to develop a course that is skills and knowledge based and effective in reducing stigma, increasing knowledge, and increasing helping behaviours among Inuit.
The goal of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to secure a proponent that will utilize the existing
cultural safety and literature review, alongside the piloting of the MHFA Inuit course within the partner regions. The evaluation is intended to meet the needs of Health Canada, Inuit organizations,
communities that will utilize the MHFA Inuit course, and the MHCC.
MHFA Inuit is dedicated to building capacity amongst Inuit youth. We ask that proposal submissions include a research opportunity for an Inuit student currently enrolled in post‐secondary studies.
PROJECT CONTEXT
With funding from Health Canada, MHFA Inuit is being developed in collaboration with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) and its National Inuit Committee on Health (NICoH). NICoH includes representatives from: ITK, Nunatsiavut Government, Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, National Inuit Youth Council, Pauktuutit Inuit Women’s Association and Inuit Circumpolar Council. Mental Health First Aid Inuit will support and build capacity towards mental wellness in Inuit communities. MHFA Canada will continue to work with key Inuit organizations, Inuit community members and Inuit mental health and wellness workers to ensure culturally safe approaches and techniques are included within the intervention.
A cultural safety and literature review was produced for the MHFA Inuit course. In keeping with the protocols of cultural safety, the following guidelines should be followed:
• The process respects the unique ways of knowing of Inuit and utilizes culturally established ways of communicating;
• The evaluation honours the communities’ unique histories, contexts, and individuals by using culturally valid measures such as oral history or storytelling, elder review and community contributions and accommodates elders who may be unilingual.
• The evaluation is carried out in ways that are respectful and undertakes a process that encourages early and ongoing involvement and engagement of the pilot communities.
• The evaluation is undertaken in a way that adheres to Inuit research principles and uses protective mechanisms regarding cultural and intellectual property of participants.
The summative evaluation is focused on the adaptation process, as well as how the course is
developed, delivered, and the extent to which the development process aligns with expectations. The summative evaluation is focused on the extent to which the course delivery results in outcomes such as increased knowledge, increased helping behaviours and reduced stigma among participants.
MHFA Canada recognizes that Inuit communities know what is best for them and our goal is to support them in building a successful MHFA Inuit curriculum.
DESCRIPTION OF WORK
The successful proponent will utilize the existing cultural safety and literature review, will implement the program framework developed by the Social Research and Demonstration Coorporation (SRDC), will compare the initial pilot course evaluations (by SRDC) and follow alongside the upcoming MHFA Inuit course pilot processes. This evaluation will be used as a model for subsequent evaluations to be undertaken as resources are secured. The results of this evaluation will guide subsequent iterations of the MHFA Inuit course.
The evaluation will include an examination of the process for developing the course and the efficacy of the course in achieving its goals: changes in knowledge, helping behaviours and stigma reduction among participants. The MHFA Inuit course will be piloted in five Inuit communities with possibly 30‐60 participants in total. The evaluation will collect feedback about: participants’ experience of the course, their recommendations for improvement of the course and their initial perspectives/approaches to sustaining MHFA Inuit in Inuit regions, territories and urban locations.
An assessment of the MHFA Inuit course and its fidelity to the original MHFA courses will be made through a comparative examination of course materials, keeping in mind the original requirement to retain the MHFA actions (ALGEE) and expected outcomes.
Utilizing a mixed methods approach to collecting evaluation data, the evaluation approach will need to incorporate both quantitative and qualitative data (including storytelling as a source of data or
information).
The final draft of the evaluation must be completed by February 5, 2016.
DELIVERABLES
The successful proponent will undertake the following activities to achieve the objectives noted above.
The proponent would need to review existing documents and submit a work plan with their proposal that aligns with the piloting of the MHFA Inuit course. The pilots for the course are scheduled to occur October 2015 – December 2016, with exact dates subject to pilot communities’ availability. The work plan would include a timeline for completion, deliverable start and end dates, evaluation tools (e.g., interview guide, surveys, etc.) and other information as determined by the proponent.
i. Incorporate MHFA Inuit program framework
For ongoing improvement of the piloting process, the successful proponent will undertake a multi‐method evaluation, and monitoring strategy that incorporates multiple perspectives to understand both the process and overall success of the adaptation and piloting of the MHFA Inuit course. This evaluation will inform the final MHFA Inuit course products, once the pilot testing is completed. The evaluation approach may entail acquiring ethics approval, attending to and addressing any ethical issues that may arise and undertaking the evaluation in a manner that monitors/tracks the development/piloting and evaluates the outcome of the MHFA Inuit course. The successful proponent will develop and submit the necessary documentation for ethics approval, if required.
The proponent will develop the evaluation tools (e.g., interview guide, surveys, etc.) in a manner that determines the effectiveness of the pilot and measures outcomes focused on:
• The development and testing of the MHFA Inuit course;
• The extent to which the course achieved its goals and led to changes in knowledge, helping behaviours and stigma among participants;
• An assessment of the MHFA Inuit course and its fidelity to the core aspects of original MHFA courses (e.g. ALGEE and expected outcomes);
• Feedback about participants’ experience;
• Recommendations for improvement of the course delivery and content;
• The extent to which the course incorporates a range of relevant/appropriate information/”ways of knowing”; and
• Ascertaining what is needed to expand the reach and sustain MHFA Inuit in Inuit communities.
The goal is to ensure that the evaluation captures relevant data from all stakeholders which include: the MHFA Inuit Guidance Group, which brings together delegates who represent skills, expertise and experience from each Inuit region and national organization; MHCC staff;
representatives from the MHFA Inuit course development team; and pilot participants. The evaluation will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to share their experiences, as well as articulate the achievements and challenges of the MHFA Inuit course development and pilot implementation. Data will need to be collected through multiple avenues that are not limited to, and will likely include, collecting data through MHCC standard project reporting
mechanisms; conducting a series of interviews; and undertaking communications with pilot communities.
ii. Feedback and Reports
Reports will be made, through the piloting process, to ensure that there is feedback built into the course delivery and the course content. For example, status reports from the pilot
communities will need to be made available for review. They will also need to be analyzed periodically to allow for improvements to the piloting of the course and its delivery and to ensure that the pilots are meeting the goals outlined in the MHFA Inuit course.
More specifically, deliverables focused on reporting will include:
• Periodic developmental mini‐reports;
• Status reports of the piloting process;
• One mid‐point evaluation report focused on the piloting process;
• One mid‐point evaluation report focused on the course content; and
• An end‐point evaluation report that brings it all together – the delivery process, fidelity, course content, outcomes and recommendations for implementation.
The final report will be shared with Inuit partners and relevant MHCC and Health Canada staff.
ESTIMATED VALUE AND TERM
The total estimated value of this contract shall not exceed $30,000 and must include the costs of personnel, offices supplies, printing, and including any need for consultation with experts or stakeholders.
Please be advised that travel, accommodations and incidentals to three pilot course locations for one evaluator will be covered by MHFA Inuit and the evaluator’s time is to be included within the
estimated value of the contract. Upon request, a tentative travel schedule will be provided to firms submitting proposals.
SUBMISSIONS
Proposals should include the following:
1. Approach ‐ methods for carrying out the evaluation, examples of initial tools (e.g. guiding questions, etc.);
2. Work plan ‐ including a timeline, deliverables;
3. Detailed budget;
4. CVs for the proposed project team outlining their qualifications, including related experience and the role of each individual on the team.
5. An illustrated knowledge of, and previous work experience with, Indigenous stakeholders and with Indigenous research methods; and
6. A research opportunity for an Inuit student currently enrolled in post‐secondary studies.
Proposals are to be single‐spaced, 12pt font, and not exceed 10 pages in length. Researcher background information, references and proposed budgets can be included as appendices and not counted in the 10 page requirement.
Proposals are to be submitted in a single file, including all appendices, and in pdf format. The file should be named as follows: proponent name MHFA INUIT EVALUATION, and sent to Del Jacko at djacko@mentalhealthcommission.ca by 5:00 PM on Friday, October 9, 2015. Thank you for considering our Request for Proposals.
