Health Liaison Program

The Health Liaison Program staff actively participates in meetings to address health issues and policies that have impacts on MKO First Nation membership. The MKO Health staff continues to receive complaints from patients and deal with the appropriate organization to address the problems. One of the policies include the Client Consent Form which creates serious concern to our First Nations people, regionally and nationally.

MKO Health has been participating in the Personal Care Home issue. MKO was directly involved in advocating for the deadline extension to be extended for the MKO First Nation Personal Care Homes.

MKO Health Liaison Program hosted a Northern Conference on FAS/E for the MKO First Nations in March, 18 & 19, 2003. The conference was a success with more than 140 participants in attendance.

The Health Liaison Program keeps ongoing contact with health personnel at AMC & SCO, Tribal Councils, individual First Nations, and other organizations. to identify health issues that have / will impact their respective communities. On August 9, 2002, and November 2002 the MKO Health Liaison Program met with Tribal Council technicians to discuss health issues and to review the Health Framework document. The Health technicians provided input and direction on what approach should be taken.

The MKO Health has been meeting with the Burntwood Regional Health Authority and several other organizations in discussions regarding the establishment of the Northern Aboriginal / Population Health & Wellness Institute. Three Letters of Intent were signed by the MKO Grand Chief and the President of the Burntwood Regional Health Authority and forwarded to the Primary Health Transition Fund for proposal development funding.

Health Framework Agreement Initiative

Glen Sanderson was hired in July 2002 - September 2002 to compile the information gathered to date and prepare a concept paper on the MKO Health Framework Agreement Initiative. The concept paper would include the table of contents, organizational charts, research and information gathering, resolution, recommendations, level of services provided to MKO First Nations, the Provincial, Federal and local structures, identifying the model and the process of MKO. The MKO Health Directors from the Tribal Councils and Independent First Nations met twice to provide direction and input into the concept paper. The MKO met with Regional Director on January 24, 2003 to discuss the HFA and other health issues. The Regional Director was informed the MKO needs additional support to complete more work in regards to the HFA Initiative.

Primary Care Skills

The Faculty of Nursing, University of Manitoba, in collaboration with; the J.A. Hildes Northern Medical Unit - Faculty of Medicine ; Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO); and First Nations Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB); offers the Primary Care Skills and Community Health Nursing courses. The courses address the scope of practice for nurses working in nursing stations. Community Health Nursing courses are offered for non-baccalaureate prepared nurses employed in both health centres and nursing stations.

Nurses currently employed in band transferred agencies and/or by First Nations Inuit Health Branch are eligible for enrolment. Currently, applications are made through the Zone Nursing Officers of the FNIHB. Applications are sent to the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Manitoba for approval. The admission criteria is established and in general nurses recommended by MKO and FNIHB will be eligible to apply for Community Health Nursing and Primary Care.

The Contribution Agreement or the Primary Care Skills Program expired August 31, 2003. To date we are in the process of negotiating to continue the program. Correspondence dated June 13, 2003, from W .D . Rutherford, Director of Operations, FNIHB that the University was very concerned about payments not received from MKO as committed. He informed me in the letter that he expected to hear from the University as to their willingness to enter into an Agreement with MKO after the present Agreement expires. If the University will not enter into an Agreement with MKO, FNIHB will enter into a direct contract with the University so as to ensure continuation of the Primary Care Skills Program.

Aboriginal Education for Health & Human Services Portfolio

In March of 2001, a directive from First Nations and Inuit Health Branch was issued for AEHHS and MCWWG to amalgamate their training programs. Joint training strategy meetings began between representatives of both training groups. The analysis found both training programs valuable to the First Nations health and human service workers. One of the recommendations is for representatives of both groups to develop a terms of reference for an amalgamated management body to monitor both training programs. This work was compiled into a capacity building strategy report which was submitted to Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and First Nations Inuit Health Branch in May of 2003. Subsequently, a resolution was passed at this time calling for an integrated mandate for both AEHHS and MCWWG and to support a shared management board for both the training programs. By obtaining the approval of Manitoba Chiefs, the joint working group can now began the implementation process of the Capacity Building Strategy for First Nations Health and Human Service workers. This is still on- going.

In October of 2002, AEHHS achieved accreditation status with Assiniboine Community College. The accreditation had lapsed in 1999 when AEHHS curriculum was being revised and updated. This accreditation was reached by clustering AEHHS curriculum with the Fundamentals of Human Services course that Assiniboine Community College was offering. These courses are fully transferable to other courses at ACC. AEHHS curriculum was also granted 2 + 2 status with Brandon University's First Nation Aboriginal Counselling Degree program.

Finally, AEHHS is still seeking funding sources to be made available so that our First Nations Health and Human Service Workers can participate in this very important training to enhance our awareness and skills.

Northern Healing Strategy

The mandate of the Northern Healing Strategy was given by the MKO Chiefs in Assembly and Executive Council of Chiefs. The project proposes to support the creation of a regional network to offer better coordination of healing services dealing with the Legacy of Residential School system in Northern Manitoba. The project staff has successfully completed Year 1 of a 3 Year work plan. Activities include:

• Focus Groups with Residential School Survivors, Inter-generational impacted, and Community Based Service Providers for the creation of a Draft Healing Strategy, which is in the final stages of completion.
• Providing technical support in proposal development and submission to provide funding for healing programs with the Aboriginal Healing Foundation.
• Identifying and training of Community Based Implementation Teams to enhance or develop services for the delivery of Safe Healing approaches for Residential School Survivors and Inter-Generational Impacts
• Creation and support of a Northern Regional Network with existing Aboriginal Healing Foundation funded projects
• Promotion of Residential School Survivor healing programs, activities and projects in the MKO region through newsletter publication and MKO Radio Show with NCI.

Currently the Northern Healing Strategy is working to coordinate a Service Providers Conference in Thompson Manitoba scheduled for February 2004, and will keep working to implement the long term goals of the project, and provide support for healing initiatives in the MKO communities.