Projects addressing anti-Indigenous racism in health systems

Newly established Indigenous Dental Association of Canada bringing together Indigenous dental professionals to improve oral health

Through its Indigenous Oral Health Knowledge Transfer Project, Indigenous Dental Association of Canada will create tools and resources for communities to improve oral health. This will include a multimedia project aimed at raising awareness about oral health care and services in Indigenous communities. The project will also seek to bridge cultural understanding and combat racial biases in receiving oral health care.

New $11 million investment to strengthen National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy

Launched by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) in 2016, the National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy is an Inuit-led, evidence-based, and globally informed approach to reducing suicide among Inuit in Inuit Nunangat. Its 6 priority areas for action include:

• creating social equity
• creating cultural continuity
• nurturing healthy Inuit children
• ensuring access to a continuum of mental wellness services for Inuit
• healing unresolved trauma and grief
• mobilizing Inuit knowledge for resilience and suicide prevention

Government of Canada announces recruitment and retention allowances to triple through to 2025 for Indigenous Services Canada nurses in remote and isolated communities

Nurses working in remote and isolated communities are some of the most resourceful and resilient health care professionals across Canada. An agreement was reached to increase the existing recruitment and retention allowances for Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) nurses working in these locations.

Moving forward, the agreement provides the following:

• triple the initial recruitment allowance, from $2,250 to $6,750
• triple the allowance provided after twelve months of employment, from $3,250 to $9,750
• triple the annual retention allowance, from $5,500 to $16,500

This agreement applies to the 50 remote and isolated communities where ISC nurses are located: Ontario (24), Manitoba (21), Alberta (4) and Quebec (1).

Menstrual equity in Yukon

This project allows for the purchase and availability of menstrual products in schools across the Yukon that will allow students to access a variety of menstrual products free of charge. Leaders in the Yukon on this project will determine the product needs for Yukon First Nations people, followed by the procurement and warehousing of the menstrual products. This means that First Nations students will have the products they need when they need them.

First Yukon First Nations Birth Worker Program

This new program will bring together Yukon First Nations to share and reclaim traditional birthing practices and develop culturally relevant Yukon First Nations prenatal resources. Part of this initiative will include the creation of 2 Council of Yukon First Nations positions to support families with funding for eligible training opportunities and for all 14 Yukon First Nations to participate in training.

Grand opening of new Migisi treatment facility

The Migisi Alcohol and Drug Treatment Centre (Migisi) has announced a newly renovated and expanded treatment facility. The expansion and renovation of the treatment centre supports culturally safe spaces where community members will get quality care that meets their needs.

Indigenous Services Canada supported the construction of Migisi's new treatment facility with $3,429,202 in funding, which was provided in fiscal years 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021. A commitment to value and use Indigenous healing practices in the treatment of Indigenous patients, when desired by patients, responds to Call to Action 22 of the Final Report of Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

The First Nations Health Managers Association to launch "RISE Against Racism" campaign

Focusing on hospitals, health care providers, health authorities and medical schools, this campaign will work to change problematic biases and perceptions by promoting mutual respect, understanding and empathy toward Indigenous Peoples seeking health services. After its official launch later this year, the campaign will include print marketing, a series of television interviews, radio interviews and commercials, as well as public service messaging to communities informing them of available resources.

National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health's Hearts-based Education and Anti-colonial Learning project

This project seeks to develop, implement and evaluate interactive, arts-based, open-sourced, heart-focused and publicly available "anti-oppression curriculums" for use in any healthcare education program across Canada, including:

• schools of nursing
• pharmacy programs
• faculties of medicine and dentistry
• social work programs
• allied healthcare professional programs (midwifery, homeopathy, etc.)

University of Northern British Columbia institutes working to increase safety and respect for Indigenous Peoples in Canada's health systems

The Hearts-based Education and Anticolonial Learning (HEAL) health care project, which is a joint initiative between the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (NCCIH) and Health Arts Research Centre (HARC), is anchored in training and education focused on health care students and professionals to create better health outcomes for Indigenous people. The 2-year project will promote cultural safety and recognize Indigenous knowledge and anti-colonial approaches in health service provision, central to achieving the goal of eliminating anti-Indigenous racism in health systems.

Transfer of Environmental Public Health Services to Fort Frances Tribal Area Health Services

The transfer of Environmental Public Health Services (EPHS) puts decision-making power in the hands of Indigenous governments and organizations, who can then make their own choices about how to deliver programs and services in their communities. Fort Frances Tribal Area Health Services has assumed responsibility for food safety, safe drinking water, healthy housing, public facility inspections, waste and wastewater management, communicable disease control and emergency preparedness.

Indigenous Dental Therapy program launching at University of Saskatchewan

This initiative will focus on the recruitment of Indigenous students and provide opportunities for students to learn where they live by offering multiple campuses, which will be key to supporting the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action to increase the number of Indigenous professionals in Canada's health systems. The program is also responsive to the unique needs of students, allowing flexibility for breaks in their studies, should they be required, by letting students complete the program in steps. Additionally, the dental therapy program will enable Indigenous communities and organizations to sponsor Indigenous students as a way to promote working in Indigenous communities.

Safer health systems through the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies and Sturgeon Lake First Nation

Construction of a standalone birthing centre at Sturgeon Lake First Nation, to expand the community's existing Indigenous midwifery demonstration project. Construction will cost $2 million over several years. In a separate initiative, funding will be provided to the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies to support the expansion of the Indigenous Practical Nursing Diploma for Rural and Remote Locations. This ground-breaking program marks the first dedicated Indigenous Practical Nursing program in Canada.

Traditional births in First Nation communities within Atlantic Canada

Support announced for Indigenous midwifery and doula initiatives, as well as strengthening funding for national Indigenous women's organizations and regional and grassroots organizations. The creation of doula collectives, in collaboration between First Nations communities and provincial midwifery services, will help bring birthing back to the communities in Atlantic Canada, and support engagement in Mi'kmaq communities in the process of finalizing midwifery legislation.

Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada leadership capacity funding

As national leaders in anti-Indigenous racism in healthcare, the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada receives funding to have capacity for:

• engaging on national level events
• participating in federally led meetings to address anti-Indigenous racism in health systems
• supporting Indigenous health professionals in their advocacy against racism

Ka Ni Kanichihk Cultural and Wellness Centre expansion

Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc. will receive $1.8 million to support the construction of the Ka Ni Kanichihk Cultural and Wellness Centre. This investment is made available through the Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples funding stream. This expansion project will double the number of people who can access wellness, education and training programs each year and will create unique spaces and new opportunities for people to heal, learn and train for jobs, all centred in culture.

Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations First Nations Health Ombudsperson Office

The Ombudsperson Office's team of advocates work with individuals and their families to bring systemic concerns to the attention of federal and provincial health organizations for resolution. The office also helps determine options to resolve conflicts or concerns for overall system change improvements.

First Nations health transformation for Mi'kmaw health and wellness

With this funding announcement, 5 federally funded health transformation initiatives are now underway in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. Tajikeimɨk is leading the health transformation process for the Mi'kmaq of Nova Scotia to eventually take control of the design and delivery of health and wellness services, ensuring a high-quality, culturally safe and holistic approach to programs and services. The shared goal by all partners is to improve health outcomes and the well-being of the Mi'kmaq of Nova Scotia.