Introduction
The overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in Canada’s correctional system represents a profound legacy of colonial trauma, systemic discrimination, and intergenerational harm, which has significant implications for mental health outcomes. This essay examines the Regional Psychiatric Centre (RPC), a federal forensic psychiatric facility operated by Correctional Service Canada (CSC) and located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, as a case study for addressing these issues. Indigenous mental health is of critical importance, given the disproportionate incarceration rates of Indigenous individuals, who comprise around 80% of inmates at RPC despite making up only a small fraction of the national population (McGuire and Murdoch, 2022). This overrepresentation is linked to colonial histories, including residential schools and systemic displacement, which exacerbate mental health challenges and contribute to higher rates of involvement in the justice system (Barmaki, 2025).
Drawing on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada’s Calls to Action, this essay focuses on selected calls relevant to health care in correctional settings: Call #22, which advocates for the recognition and integration of Aboriginal healing practices in collaboration with healers and Elders; Call #23 i., aimed at increasing the number of Aboriginal professionals in health care; and Call #23 iii., which calls for cultural competency training for all health-care professionals. The rationale for selecting these calls stems from the strong intersection between colonial trauma, mental health, and the judicial system at RPC, where Indigenous overrepresentation is stark. Although the Government of Canada, through CSC, has responded to these calls on its website—emphasizing culturally responsive interventions—the RPC itself does not explicitly detail its institutional responses online. This essay provides a background on RPC, analyses current policies and gaps in relation to these calls, and proposes actionable recommendations to foster reconciliation and improve Indigenous mental health care. By implementing structural changes, RPC could move beyond symbolic gestures to achieve measurable improvements in patient outcomes and contribute to broader reconciliation efforts in Canada’s correctional and health systems.
Background and Overview of the Regional Psychiatric Centre
The Regional Psychiatric Centre (RPC) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, stands as a key institution at the nexus of psychiatric care and the federal correctional system. Established in 1978 and managed by Correctional Service Canada, RPC is situated on land owned by the University of Saskatchewan, which facilitates its academic affiliations (Olver et al., 2018). As a federal forensic psychiatric facility, it provides specialized services including psychiatric assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation for incarcerated individuals, with a capacity of 171 men and women and a staff of approximately 345 employees. Notably, RPC is accredited as a hospital and serves as the only psychiatric hospital in Canada offering a therapeutic healing program specifically for female offenders (Stoliker et al., 2025).
RPC caters to a high proportion of Indigenous patients, many hailing from rural and remote communities, which can intensify feelings of disconnection from land and cultural roots during incarceration. This disconnection is particularly poignant given the cultural significance of land in Indigenous healing paradigms (Redvers, 2020). The facility’s senior medical staff hold joint appointments with the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine, and it functions as a residency training site for psychiatry students, underscoring its role in bridging academic and practical health care in a correctional context (Olver et al., 2018). However, the dominance of Western biomedical models at RPC often prioritizes diagnosis and pharmacological interventions over holistic, culturally attuned approaches, which may not fully address the trauma-informed needs of Indigenous inmates (Barmaki, 2025). This background highlights RPC’s potential to lead in culturally responsive care, yet it also reveals gaps in fully integrating Indigenous perspectives into its operations.
Current Policies and Gaps at RPC in Relation to TRC Calls
Despite some existing initiatives, RPC exhibits notable gaps in fully responding to the selected TRC Calls to Action, particularly in addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous inmates, who constitute around 80% of the facility’s population (McGuire and Murdoch, 2022). For Call #22, which emphasizes the value of Aboriginal healing practices in collaboration with healers and Elders, RPC has implemented measures such as a dedicated room for Indigenous ceremonies and healing. However, these appear more as examples of superficial Indigenization rather than a genuine shift towards a new, integrated healing model (Stoliker et al., 2025). The prevailing Western biomedical approach focuses on diagnosis and treatment, often overlooking a whole-person perspective that incorporates cultural and spiritual elements essential for Indigenous mental health (Barmaki, 2025). This limitation is evident in the facility’s emphasis on standard psychiatric interventions, which may not adequately account for colonial trauma’s role in mental health outcomes.
Regarding Call #23 i., which seeks to increase Aboriginal professionals in health care, RPC’s affiliation with the University of Saskatchewan positions it uniquely as one of the few sites for psychiatry residencies in a correctional setting (Olver et al., 2018). This affiliation could potentially foster greater Indigenous representation, yet there is limited evidence of targeted efforts to recruit or retain Indigenous psychiatrists, contributing to biases in assessments and treatment (Usher and Stewart, 2014). For Call #23 iii., on cultural competency training, RPC employs a diverse staff including nurses, psychiatrists, correctional officers, and psychologists, with training aimed at cultural sensitivity. However, the varying quality and impact of this training across roles suggest inconsistencies, potentially undermining effective care for Indigenous patients (Horvat et al., 2014). These gaps reflect a broader failure to embed culturally appropriate interventions, as noted in CSC’s overarching values, which prioritize Indigenous perspectives but lack specific implementation details at RPC (Barmaki, 2025). Overall, while some policies exist, they often fall short of addressing the structural roots of Indigenous overrepresentation and mental health disparities.
Recommendations for Responding to TRC Call #22
To better align with Call #22, RPC could enhance its integration of Aboriginal healing practices by developing land-based, culturally appropriate programs. Although details of current operations are not fully known and these suggestions may overlap with existing efforts, they provide a framework for advancement. CSC’s website outlines values supporting Indigenous initiatives, such as culturally responsive interventions for reintegration, yet RPC lacks explicit plans to uphold these at the institutional level (Stoliker et al., 2025).
A key action idea involves supervised programs led by Indigenous leaders, incorporating land-based practices like gardening, traditional food preparation, and cultural teachings, adapted to security constraints. RPC’s multiple courtyard spaces and access to grassy areas during summer months could facilitate such programming (Redvers, 2020). Land-based healing is particularly beneficial, as it can foster recovery in ways that conventional medicine cannot, by reconnecting individuals with cultural roots and addressing colonial trauma (Redvers, 2020). For instance, evidence from Indigenous practitioners in northern Canada highlights how land engagement promotes mental well-being, reducing feelings of disconnection experienced by incarcerated patients from rural communities (Redvers, 2020). Implementing these would require collaboration with Elders and healers, ensuring programs are requested by patients and integrated alongside biomedical treatments, thereby moving towards a hybrid model that respects Indigenous epistemologies.
Recommendations for Responding to TRC Call #23 i.
In response to Call #23 i., RPC should expand residency training opportunities to increase the number of Indigenous professionals in health care. Partnering more robustly with the University of Saskatchewan to boost psychiatry residency spots at the facility could attract and train Indigenous candidates, addressing underrepresentation in correctional psychiatry (Olver et al., 2018).
Having Indigenous psychiatrists in these roles would reduce biases in assessments, enable culturally appropriate diagnoses, and ensure fairer treatment pathways within the justice system (Usher and Stewart, 2014). For example, residents trained at RPC are more likely to remain in Saskatchewan’s correctional settings, building a sustainable workforce attuned to local Indigenous needs (Olver et al., 2018). This expansion could include targeted scholarships or mentorship programs for Indigenous students, drawing on evidence that diverse professionals improve outcomes for ethnically diverse offenders (Usher and Stewart, 2014). Such measures would not only fulfill the call but also mitigate the over-incarceration of Indigenous women and men by fostering equitable psychiatric evaluations (McGuire and Murdoch, 2022).
Recommendations for Responding to TRC Call #23 iii.
For Call #23 iii., RPC could implement ongoing professional development to enhance cultural competency among all staff. Requiring annual refresher courses, with advanced training for leadership and clinical roles, would ensure consistent application of culturally safe practices (Horvat et al., 2014).
These courses should cover Indigenous histories, such as residential schools and systemic displacement; colonial traumas and intergenerational impacts on mental health; antiracism; emerging trends in Indigenous mental health and incarceration; and practical strategies for culturally safe interactions (Barmaki, 2025). By embedding these elements, training would transcend mere compliance, fostering a work environment where sensitivity is integral rather than performative (Horvat et al., 2014). Research supports that cultural competence education improves health professionals’ ability to address complex issues like those faced by Indigenous offenders, potentially reducing recidivism through better rehabilitation (Usher and Stewart, 2014). This approach would align with CSC’s broader commitments while providing RPC-specific mechanisms to evaluate training impacts.
Conclusion
In summary, the Regional Psychiatric Centre’s role in addressing Indigenous overrepresentation and mental health challenges underscores the need for targeted responses to TRC Calls #22, #23 i., and #23 iii. Through a background analysis, examination of current gaps, and proposed actions—such as land-based healing programs, expanded residencies, and comprehensive training—RPC can advance culturally responsive care. These recommendations represent effective strategies because they prioritize measurable, structural changes over symbolic ones, potentially improving health outcomes and contributing to reconciliation in Canada’s correctional and health systems (Stoliker et al., 2025). Ultimately, such efforts could reduce the dehumanization and over-incarceration of Indigenous peoples, fostering a more just intersection of judiciary and psychiatric care (McGuire and Murdoch, 2022). Further research into RPC’s ongoing operations would refine these suggestions, ensuring they build on existing progress.
References
- Barmaki, R. (2025). Addiction, Correctional Programming, and Rehabilitation of Canada’s Federally Incarcerated Indigenous Individuals: A Trauma-Informed Explanation of the Failure of “Pathways Initiatives” Reza Barmaki. Prison Service Journal, 279, 21.
- Horvat, L., Horey, D., Romios, P., & Kis‐Rigo, J. (2014). Cultural competence education for health professionals. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014(5), Article CD009405.
- McGuire, M. M., & Murdoch, D. J. (2022). (In)-justice: An exploration of the dehumanization, victimization, criminalization, and over-incarceration of Indigenous women in Canada. Punishment & Society, 24(4), 529–550.
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- Redvers, J. M. (2020). “The land is a healer”: Perspectives on land-based healing from Indigenous practitioners in northern Canada. International Journal of Indigenous Health, 15(1), 90-107.
- Stoliker, B., Jewell, L., Thevenot, M.-L., Ryan, C., Nordholt, N., & Mela, M. (2025). Evaluation of an Indigenous Traditional Healer and Medicine Program in a Canadian Correctional Facility. International Indigenous Policy Journal, 16(2), 1–34.
- Usher, A. M., & Stewart, L. A. (2014). Effectiveness of Correctional Programs With Ethnically Diverse Offenders: A Meta-Analytic Study. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 58(2), 209–230.
