What Is NIHB Mental Health Counselling?

The Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program is administered by Indigenous Services Canada and provides eligible First Nations and Inuit clients with coverage for a range of health benefits that are not otherwise available through provincial or territorial health insurance, private insurance or other publicly funded programs.

Mental health counselling is one of those benefits.

The program is intended to complement other mental wellness resources available through communities and provincial or territorial services.

For eligible clients, NIHB currently provides coverage for up to 22 hours of counselling per calendar year with an eligible mental-health provider. Additional counselling may be available on a case-by-case basis.

Who May Be Eligible?

According to Indigenous Services Canada, NIHB eligibility includes a First Nations person registered under the Indian Act, an Inuk recognized by an Inuit land claim organization, or a child under two whose parent is an NIHB-eligible client, provided the residency requirements are met.

If you are living and registered in Ontario, you can receive services from an Ontario therapist.

Eligibility and individual circumstances can vary, so it's worth confirming your coverage rather than assuming that you either do or don't qualify.

Therapy Doesn't Require You to Know Exactly What's Wrong

Maybe you've been anxious.

Perhaps you're having trouble sleeping or concentrating.

Maybe something painful happened years ago and you're beginning to realize it still affects you.

You could be navigating relationships, grief, family responsibilities, identity, trauma or simply a period when life feels heavier than usual.

You don't need to arrive with a diagnosis or a perfectly organized explanation.

Psychotherapy can begin with something as simple as:

"Things haven't felt right lately."
At Redbird Therapy, psychotherapy is a collaborative process tailored to the individual, with both short- and long-term therapy available and different therapeutic approaches used according to the client's needs.

NIHB Therapy Through Redbird Therapy

Redbird Therapy provides mental-health services through NIHB for registered First Nations and Inuit people. Redbird has several members of its therapy team who have NIHB coverage among their services.

If you're looking for NIHB therapy in Thunder Bay, virtual psychotherapy can make it possible to connect with an appropriate therapist without having to be located near a therapist's physical office.

Before counselling begins, coverage and provider eligibility should be confirmed. NIHB also encourages clients to ask prospective providers about direct billing and whether any payment would be expected from the client.

Those aren't awkward questions.

They're practical ones.