(Submitted photo/ Brianna Bergeron)

By Nigel Maxwell

Mental health

Northern Sask. high school testing limits of virtual reality for mental health support

Jan 21, 2022 | 5:00 PM

A unique form of technology is being explored to help assist youth in La Loche, dealing with mental health needs.

Sask. Polytech has been working with students at the community’s Dene high school, exploring the possible uses of virtual reality. Lindsey Boechler, Sask. Polytech researcher for the Centre for Health Research, Improvement and Scholarship, previously served northern communities as a paramedic.

“A lot of times I would end up transporting individuals requiring mental heath care, hours to urban centres or to the nearest centre that could provide the care,” she said.

The Sekwe’ha (for the children) takes a multi-pronged approach to providing better mental health supports and enhancing accessibility to care. Boechler provided one example where the technology can actually take the students to a place that makes them feel safe.

“So they can access those places everyday and fully submerse themselves in that environment if they are having a really bad day or feeling really anxious,” she explained.

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Through conversations and work with elders, the technology also carries a cultural component, connecting youth to the stories and teachings they grew up with.

“We’re not trying to replace any of these in person teachings, or students going out in nature and going to their favourite places, but we are trying to provide an alternative so they can access it and immerse themselves in that environment as they need,” Boechler said.

Another important aspect to the technology is it can connect students to actual clinicians and therapists, thereby eliminating the need for travel. Boechler explained through her own research, she learned a lot of tele-health meetings were being missed because people were feeling discouraged about the telephone meetings, specifically because they didn’t know who was listening on the other end or if the other person was even listening.

Lindsey Boechler. (Submitted photo/ Brianna Bergeron)

Noting the outcome and success of the project is dependant on the development, Boechler explained the work done by the students, provides them a sense of pride and a feeling of empowerment.

“They feel like they can kinda take control of the situation,” she said, adding by an increase engagement, they can also hopefully increase after the work is done.

With respect to timeline, Boechler hopes to begin filming as early as next month, and be ready for a presentation and trials in May. And while La Loche is the focus at this time, Boechler confirmed the platform could one day be rolled out to other northern communities.

The project itself was initially launched in fall 2020 and Boechler has been working directly with Dene High School students and a local research assistant, who is fluent in Dene.

“I wanted to get involved with the Sekwe’ha project because it’s being developed from scratch. It’s a great idea,” Research assistant Rhonda Herman said. “Dene High School students participate in the project after school, during lunch and sometimes during class time. The school has been very supportive of the project and is accommodating Sask. Polytech and the student participants on this collaboration.”

The Sekwe’ha project is funded by Centre for Health Research, Improvement and Scholarship (CHRIS) at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) and the College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF) managed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell