Ontario’s Investment in Indigenous Health Includes Significant Expansion of Indigenous-Centred Primary Health Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ontario’s Investment in Indigenous Health Includes Significant Expansion of Indigenous-Centred Primary Health Care

THUNDER BAY, ON, May 25, 2016 – Today, at Anishnawbe Mushkiki Aboriginal Health Access Centre in Thunder Bay, Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Dr. Eric Hoskins, alongside his colleagues David Zimmer, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development and Mines, and Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day, made a ground-breaking announcement of the largest investment in Indigenous health care in Ontario’s history. This investment includes the establishment of up to 10 new or expanded Indigenous-centred primary health care teams that include traditional healing to serve Indigenous communities across the province, similar to the existing network of 10 Aboriginal Health Access Centres (AHACs).

“AHACs and Aboriginal Community Health Centres (CHCs) are rooted in the interconnectedness of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of Indigenous people, families and communities,” said Gertie Mai Muise, Director of AHAC Strategy and Transformation at the Association of Ontario Health Centres, following the announcement. “By investing in an Indigenous-led model that understands how culture is treatment, the provincial government is showing its commitment to our inter-professional teams, including healers, that are delivering evidence-based results among Aboriginal communities.”

Gloria Daybutch, Executive Director of Maamwesying North Shore Community Health Services, which serves First Nations communities along the North Shore of Lake Huron and the indigenous population of the City of Sault Sainte Marie, said the announcement is a welcomed and well-timed vote of confidence in Indigenous-centred care. “The government’s growth of inter-professional health care teams includes Indigenous healers, incorporates Indigenous ways of knowing and being, and ensures culturally safe primary care and community health promotion programs. This expansion demonstrates the positive impact that community governance and ownership of Indigenous health care administration is already having for Indigenous communities,” Daybutch said.

Unique in Canada and made in Ontario, AHACs are Indigenous community-led primary health care organizations that embed Indigenous cultural practices and teachings at the heart of everything they do. They provide a comprehensive array of health and social services to Indigenous communities across Ontario. These services include primary care, traditional healing, mental wellness, addictions services, cultural programs, health promotion programs, early years programs, oral health care, community development initiatives, home and community care and social support services. Importantly, they work on healing the impacts of intergenerational trauma. Being community-governed, AHACs are able to respond to the specific geographic, socioeconomic and cultural needs of the diverse Indigenous communities they serve.

“Our model of primary health care is designed to adapt to culturally specific needs across the diverse languages, backgrounds, and barriers to health that our community members live with,” said Angela Recollet, Executive Director of Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre in Sudbury. “With over two decades of experience to draw from, we are thrilled that the province has decided to leverage the incredible expertise we offer in improving Indigenous health outcomes in Ontario. There is so much need for more AHAC services to fill the gaps within our fast-growing communities, both in urban areas and on First Nations, and we look forward to working with the province and our Indigenous leadership to address those needs.”

For further details, see the MOHLTC “Backgrounder” below.

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CONTACT INFO:

To arrange an interview with Gertie Mai Muise, or others quoted in this release, please contact:

Jason Rehel Association of Ontario Health Centres 416-817-9518 jason.rehel@aohc.org

 

  

 Indigenous Health Investments to Focus on Four Priority Areas  

May 25, 2016 11:45 A.M.

 

Ontario's First Nations Health Action Plan will target investments in four key areas: primary care, public health and health promotion, seniors care and hospital services, and life promotion and crisis support.  

While focused on the North, the plan also includes opportunities for investments in Indigenous health care across Ontario. The province will continue to work with Indigenous partners on key areas such as home and community care, primary care and diabetes prevention and management to ensure that investments are appropriate and effective.

Primary Care

• Investing $72.2 million over three years and $37.4 million ongoing.
• Increase physician services by 2,641 days for the 28 First Nations communities in the Sioux Lookout region.
• Establish a new, culturally appropriate primary health care team in the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA).
• Work with partners to establish up to 10 new or expanded primary care teams that include traditional healing, serving Indigenous communities across Ontario.
• Deliver Indigenous cultural competency training to front-line health care workers who work with First Nation communities.

Public Health and Health Promotion

• Investing $44.1 million over three years and $21.3 million ongoing.
• Support the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority's "Approaches to Community Wellbeing" public health model. This includes:
• The appointment of an Associate Medical Officer of Health dedicated to Indigenous health in the SLFNHA region.
• Increasing public health nursing, planning and service capacity to SLFNHA and surrounding communities to support an integrated, sustainable and community-owned approach to well-being.
• Supporting communities to develop more robust community health assessments and monitoring and improve the collection of population health data across Northern Ontario to ensure public health services are targeted to specific needs.
• Expand the current Northern Fruit and Vegetable Program to four additional public health regions to provide access to fresh fruits and vegetables for approximately 13,000 more Indigenous children in northern and remote communities.
• Work with Indigenous partners to review and address gaps in diabetes services, to focus on better prevention and management across Ontario.

Seniors Care and Hospital Services

• Investing $45.3 million over three years and $20.8 million ongoing.
• $1 million for hospital beds for seniors at the Meno Ya Win Health Centre to help deliver seniors care closer to home and a capital planning grant to support the development of a senior's care plan in the North. 
• Funding to the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority for capital planning and a commitment from the province to help this hospital establish long term financial stability.
• Designated funding to work with Indigenous partners to expand home and community care services for Indigenous communities across the province, including on-reserve.    

Life Promotion and Crisis Support

• Investing $60.0 million over three years and $25.0 million ongoing.
• Expand supports, including trauma response teams, suicide prevention training, youth recreation/cultural programs and mental health workers in schools, to help communities prevent crisis or manage a crisis should they experience one.
• Expand access to telemedicine to help connect individuals in crisis with appropriate clinical supports.

 LEARN MORE

• Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care