Understanding the Experiences of Fly-In/Fly-Out Mental Health Service Providers in the Inuit Nunangat Region

My Master's thesis examined the experiences of fly-in and fly-out (FIFO) mental health service providers in Inuit Nunangat. Through participatory action research and semi-structured interviews with eight FIFO mental health service providers who deliver services to various Inuit communities across Inuit Nunangat, I assessed barriers and enablers to FIFO counselling, and I co-developed recommendations to ensure optimal delivery of services with my partner organization. I examined the factors that influence experiences of vicarious trauma for providers and gained insight into ways that FIFO practices may mitigate the effects of vicarious trauma. Additionally, I explored the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on FIFO mental health service delivery. The findings enabled us to reconceptualize mental health service delivery with considerations to mitigate pandemic risks. Together, these two papers are a novel contribution to understanding the experiences of FIFO mental health service providers in northern Canada.