What’s new? 

The Health and Cultural Support workforce funded through Indigenous Services Canada has operated under multiple names in its nearly thirty years since inception. Workers have long supported healing of Indian Residential School (IRS) survivors and strengthening of Indigenous institutions, which were called for in the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) in the 1990s. Today, workers provide culturally relevant healing support to communities throughout the Alberta region, addressing psycho-social, emotional, and cultural needs stemming from colonization. More than 80% of this workforce is over 60 years of age, with much of their work reaching community members with significant mistrust in all manner of service systems. 

This work was a collaboration between members of the IPHCPR and the workforce to profile efforts to strengthen Indigenous health systems, including with intentions to address the overdose crisis and adapt to emerging support needs across all generations. It was funded by the Alberta First Nations Health Co-Management Committee (HCoM) as part of their Alberta Region Opioids Task Force.

Recommendations advocate for sustainable funding to support workforce coordination and training, alongside fostering collaborative initiatives with government and non-profit organizations to integrate services effectively and ensure community-driven program development. The report and a webinar release of key findings are available on the IPHCPR Knowledge Platform. Link here.

Congratulations to IPHCPR network Principal Investigators for receiving the Ninth Annual Editors’ Choice Award for their publication on Indigenous Mentorship in the Health Sciences: Actions and Approaches of Mentors!

External Opportunities

1) Request for Proposals – Healthy Living & Chronic Disease Prevention Gathering

The HCoM Prevention Programs Subcommittee seeks proposals to host a Healthy Living & Chronic Disease Prevention Gathering.

Details: In January 2024, the Prevention Programs Subcommittee identified gaps in education and training opportunities for non-clinical staff working in the Healthy Living programs. Needs identified include education and training opportunities on carrying out health promotion initiatives and on chronic disease risk factors (specifically: nutrition, physical activity, non-traditional tobacco use, alcohol overuse, injury prevention). The Sub-Committee recommended convening a Healthy Living & Chronic Disease Prevention gathering for non-clinical First Nations staff, to share best practices, address gaps in education and ensure staff are supported in delivering Healthy Living programs in their communities. Up to $250,000 are set aside for eligible organizations to convene such an event.

Submission Deadline: Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Please directly email the Community Health Promotion team at ab.chp@sac-isc.gc.ca  for further information on this opportunity, such as eligibility and how to present a proposal.

2) Request for Proposals – Diabetes Eye Program Evaluation & Assessment of the Retinal Screening Landscape in Alberta

Details: The Indigenous Services Canada, Alberta Region (ISC-AB), Diabetes Eye Program, was established in 2010 and provides retinal eye screening in First Nations across Alberta. The program was paused in February 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and services have been slow to resume to pre-pandemic levels. The vision and diabetes eye care landscape in Alberta is vast, with various pathways available for accessing services. The Prevention Programs Subcommittee at HCoM has identified need to evaluate the ISC-AB Diabetes Eye Program (DEP) and an assessment of the retinal screening landscape in Alberta. Up to $125,000 are set aside for the evaluation of the ISC-AB Diabetes Eye Program as well as assessment of the retinal screening landscape in Alberta.

Submission Deadline: Tuesday, August 6, 2024

Please directly email the Community Health Promotion team at ab.chp@sac-isc.gc.ca for further information on this opportunity.

1) 2024 National Summit on Indigenous Mental Wellness – Call for Presentations 

A third National Summit on Indigenous Mental Wellness will be held Wednesday, October 16th and Thursday, October 17th, 2024 in Calgary, Alberta. General registration is expected to open in early September 2024.

Submission Deadline: Please complete the form below and submit directly to enregistrementausnmema-nsimwregistration@sac-isc.gc.ca by August 9th, 2024.

Form link: https://forms.office.com/r/Pv8Gbb4mF9

2) Indigenous Wellness Core Seed Grant Competition 2025/26

The Indigenous Wellness Core of Alberta Health Services is excited to share a funding preannouncement for two (2) 1-year health system research projects ($30,000 each) that will support researchers and community organizations in projects that work towards improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples living in Alberta. The projects will meet the Goals and Actions identified in the Indigenous Health Commitments.

Submission Deadline: September 13th, 2024

For more information and the application form, please directly contact IWC.innovation.research@ahs.ca and submit your completed PDF application to Dr. Richard Oster [Scientific Director, Indigenous Wellness Core, Alberta Health Services] at Richard.Oster@albertahealthservices.ca.

Job Opportunities

Neat Initiatives in the Region

Dr. Patrick McLane, a sociologist with expertise in health systems research, program and policy evaluation, and health equity at the University of Alberta is leading an initiative addressing current issues impacting emergency departments (EDs), while drawing insights from ED data on health services issues including anti-Indigenous racism, support for persons who use opioids, and systemic healthcare inequities. This important project focuses on working with First Nations organizations and one emergency department (ED) in each Treaty Area (3 total) to improve First Nations patients’ ED experiences and outcomes.

The project includes four activities:

1) Build and strengthen partnerships between First Nations organizations and EDs

2) Train ED staff in anti-racism and equity-oriented care

3) Make structural changes to department policies and processes to support ED providers to offer equity-oriented care and to address barriers to follow up care

4) Collaboratively document and advocate around health systems issues that impact First Nations members’ emergency care, but that are outside ED control.

A Vision for Better Health – Meno Ya Win – Indigenous Kidney Health Series

An incredible resource for Indigenous people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), their caregivers and healthcare providers, the Meno Ya Win – Indigenous Kidney Health Series was co-created by the Can-SOLVE CKD Network “Improving Indigenous Patient Knowledge about Treatment Options for Failing Kidneys” research team led by Dr. Carol Bullin, Knowledge Keeper George Laliberte and Dr. Joanne Kappel.

The goal is to assist Indigenous people and their caregivers learn about CKD and help them with decision-making about treatment choices available to them when kidneys may stop function.

The video series consists of both informational and actual patient journeys with kidney disease that include: nine (9) Learning Modules, describing kidneys and their function, what happens when kidneys do not work well, and treatment choices available. Ten (10) videos depict Indigenous peoples’ journeys with kidney disease, including individual treatment choices such as dialysis, kidney transplant, and conservative care.

Are you up to interesting things in Indigenous Primary Healthcare or do you know people who are? We would love to feature your news and share knowledge, please reach out directly to IPHCPR@ucalgary.ca.