The Aaniish Naa Gegii App Earns National Recognition from the Mental Health Commission of Canada

23/06/2025

Ottawa, Ontario — Monday June 23, 2025

The Aaniish Naa Gegii: Children’s Health and Well-being Measure (ACHWM) has received The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) Assessed Badge, marking a significant milestone in digital mental health.

The ACHWM app offers a culturally appropriate and holistic approach to health assessment. It generates a summary score and four domain scores, which are in keeping with Anishinaabe teachings: spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental (or intellectual) scores. Results of the assessment offer new mechanisms to talk about wellness, initiate strengths-based conversations, and expedite connections to local supports.

This recognition confirms that the ACHWM app has successfully met the rigorous standards of the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s (MHCC) Assessment Framework for Mental Health Apps.

A collaboration between the CHEO Research Institute, ORCHA (The Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps), and MHCC, this achievement affirms ACHWM’s commitment to delivering safe, culturally respectful, and effective digital mental health support to Indigenous children and youth across Canada.

“This initiative is the result of long-standing collaborations with Indigenous communities beginning in Wikwemikong,” said Dr. Nancy Young, Senior Scientist at the CHEO Research Institute. “The Aaniish Naa Gegii team is privileged to continue to share this knowledge across Turtle Island.”

The app met national standards across five key domains:

• Data Privacy: Ensuring the highest standards of confidentiality and protection of sensitive user information.
• Data Sovereignty: Respecting Indigenous Peoples’ inherent rights to govern, access, and own their community’s data.
• Cultural Safety: Upholding OCAP principles and creating inclusive, representative digital spaces that reflect Indigenous languages, values, and traditions.
• Clinical Evidence: Enabling early identification of health needs and promoting access to trusted supports.
• Usability and Accessibility: Offering an intuitive platform designed with and for Indigenous communities.

“It is a great honour that the Aaniish Naa Gegii team has earned the MHCC Compliance Badge. This milestone further reflects the CHEO Research Institute’s commitment to research excellence and recognizes this leading work in developing culturally grounded, secure, and accessible digital health solutions for Indigenous children and communities,” said Dr. Jason Berman, CEO and Scientific Director of the CHEO Research Institute and Vice President of Research at CHEO.