ABORIGINAL HEALTH FORUM

December 12, 2012

8:00

Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00

Elder's Opening Prayer and Welcoming Remarks from Insight Information

9:05

Co-Chairs' Opening Remarks

Malcolm King, PhD.
Scientific Director
CIHR Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health

9:15

Opening Keynote Address

Aboriginal Health and Ontario's Action Plan for Health Care

The Hon. Deb Matthews
Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
Government of Ontario

9:45

Intersectoral Partnerships for First Nations, Inuit and Metis Health Improvement Informed Through Research

Malcolm King, PhD.
Scientific Director
CIHR Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health

• Resolving the health issues faced by Indigenous peoples requires concerted action by health researchers, health workers, external agencies and communities themselves
• Research is needed not only to identify and evaluate good practice in improving Indigenous health, but also to implement and scale up interventions and programs that address First Nations, Inuit and Métis health inequities
• CIHR’s Pathways to Health Equity for Aboriginal Peoples is a coordinated health research initiative focused on four exemplar areas – suicide, obesity, tuberculosis, and oral health. Partners in this program include First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations, government agencies, health charities, and “non-traditional” partners including the financial and resource sectors

10:30

Networking Coffee Break

10:45

CASE STUDY

Centre of Excellence Model for First Nations and Northern Healthcare

David Murray
Chief Executive Officer & President
Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre

• Sharing our experiences
• Working with partners, both federal and provincial
• Improving processes to provide better access and outcomes for the people we serve
• Developing a "toolkit" so we can institute best practices and initiate lean healthcare concepts to improve our overall efficiencies

11:30

Innovation within Health Sciences Education: Social Media and Elders

Danielle N. Soucy, MA
Director & Program Coordinator
Aboriginal Students Health Sciences (ASHS)
Assistant Clinicial Professor (Adjunct)
Department, Family Medicine
McMaster University

• Health science programs need and want an increase in First Nations, Inuit & Métis content on traditional health, healing and medicines
• Create access to traditional knowledge holders for future practitioners who will be able to engage in collaborative epistemologies on health and healing and for educators who will challenge and change the system
• Preserving Indigenous knowledge (IK) / medical knowledge
• Remove the elitism of accessing medical education and breaking down barriers to information

12:15

Networking Luncheon

1:30

Keynote Luncheon Address

Health Care Transformation: Widening the Circle

Anna Reid, MD, CCFP-EM
President
Canadian Medical Association

2:15

Special Address:

Alvin Fiddler
Deputy Grand Chief
Nishnawbe Aski Nation

3:00

Networking Refreshment Break

3:15

CASE STUDY

First Nations & Metis Cancer Screening Project

Audrey Logan
First Nations & Métis Cancer Screening Project Coordinator
Windsor Regional Hospital
Erie/St. Clair Regional Cancer Centre

• Delivered in partnership between the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre, the University of Windsor & 12 First Nations & Metis communities
• Providing cancer education & awareness to an under/never screened population
• Promoting Cancer Screening through the delivery of community based workshops

4:00

Building Cultural Competency within the Toronto Central LHIN to Improve the Quality of Care for Aboriginal Peoples

Todd Ross
Senior Consultant, Community Engagement
Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network

In Toronto Central LHIN, and throughout the GTA, Aboriginal peoples have a wide variety of options for services in healthcare, including services that are Aboriginal specific. In order to address the unique needs of the Aboriginal population, core cultural competency training is key to improving quality of care and outcomes for Aboriginal peoples. The Toronto Central LHIN has developed an Aboriginal Cultural Competency Training Strategy that will:

• Increase cultural competency across the healthcare sectors and services will support better health outcomes for Aboriginal peoples
• Reduce utilization of emergency and acute services
• Strengthen connections to primary care, community supports
• Improve Aboriginal client experience with health services
• Improve quality of care

4:45

Co-Chair's Summation and Conference Adjourns for the Day

December 13, 2012

8:30

Continental Breakfast

9:00

Remarks from Insight Information

9:05

Co-Chairs' Opening Remarks

Chief Bryan LaForme 
Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation

9:15

First Nation Community Based Screening to Improve Kidney Health and Prevent Dialysis

Caroline Chartrand
Executive Director
Diabetes Integration Project Inc.

Dr. Paul Komenda
Nephrologist
Manitoba Renal Program

Dr. Barry Lavallee
Program Medical Consultant, DIP
Diabetes Integration Project Inc.

The Diabetes Integration Project Model of Care is a product of the declaration of diabetes as an epidemic in 1997 by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. Utilizing a grassroots approach to type 2 diabetes care and treatment, the evidence indicates a high prevalence of chronic kidney disease which resulted in a partnership with the Manitoba Renal Program. This initiative seeks to demonstrate that in high risk populations such as Manitoba First Nations, active community based screening programs conducted by mobile screening teams using modern and efficient risk assessment tools are feasible, affordable, and lead to improved kidney care.

The human cost of kidney failure is enormous as patients are often uprooted from their communities, suffer multiple hospitalizations and have a reduced lifespan and quality of life. The societal cost is also staggering: for example, one dialysis patient will directly cost the health care system roughly $550K over their lifetime. Effective therapies do exist to prevent progression to dialysis, but require identification of kidney disease in its early stages. Currently, there is no funded screening program for kidney disease in Manitoba. Identification of affected individuals is therefore haphazard and dependent on physician or patient initiative. We believe that active screening of kidney disease in high risk populations can improve patient outcomes and reduce the downstream costs of dialysis.

10:15

Networking Coffee Break

10:30

CASE STUDY

Empowering Children Through Culturally Relevant Curriculum: Drop The Pop for Our Children, Their Health, Our Future

Melanie Ferris        
Kidney Health Coordinator
Kidney Foundation of Canada

• The case for preventing kidney disease amongst First Nations communities
• Promoting health in a fly-in community
• Best practices for working collaboratively with First Nations
• What we have learned from the children, teachers, community, and its leaders
• Importance of including culture in Manitoba curriculum

11:15

The Over-Representation of HIV/AIDS in Aboriginal Populations – Challenges and Strategies

Tamara (Tammy) Cascagnette
Regional Outreach/Support Services
Ontario Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Strategy (Oahas)

• Overview of the current situation: high incidence in Aboriginal peoples
• Discussion of key challenges facing Aboriginal communities and individuals at risk or otherwise affected by HIV/AIDS
• Addressing the issue: self-determination, culturally competent knowledge exchange and capacity building

12:00

Networking Luncheon

1:00

Keynote Luncheon Address

Changing Directions, Changing Lives: Working with First Nations, Inuit and Métis to Develop the Mental Health Strategy for Canada

Howard Chodos, PhD 
Special Advisor, Mental Health Strategy
Mental Health Commission of Canada

1:45

CASE STUDY

An Emerging Centre of Excellence for Culturally Integrated Healthcare in Northwestern Ontario

Barb Linkewich 
Vice President, Clinical Services and Research
Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre

Helen Cromarty 
Special Adviser for First Nations Health
Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre

• Cross cultural patient safety
  • Achieving cultural safety in health services
  • Understanding and responding to cultural factors
  • Numerous impediments from diversity in services and providers
• Continuum of care in prenatal services and education:
  • Centre of Excellence in Education for Maternal and Child Care for Nurses
  • Proposal of Hope for Opiate Addiction
  • Continuum of Care Project in partnership with a Tribal Council
  • Maternal Support Worker Program in partnership with an Aboriginal organization and a College

2:45

Networking Refreshment Break

3:00

A Sense of Belonging: Supporting Healthy Child Development in Aboriginal Families

Alison Kiawenniserathe Benedict, MSW
Aboriginal Health Promotion Consultant
Best Start Resource Centre

All people benefit from a sense of belonging, to their families, culture and communities. Especially important for parents is support by family, friends, community and service providers. Aboriginal people, through assimilation and discrimination, may not have this sense of belonging. This may impact health, sense of worth, feelings of despair and hopelessness. Service providers can foster a sense of belonging in Aboriginal families with young children, connecting parents to the information and supports that they need in a respectful and caring manner, and acknowledging their strengths.

3:45

Grief, Trauma, Family Violence and Unresolved Conflict in First Nation Communities

Catherine Lelievre 
Program Manager
Akwesasne Family Wellness Program

• Residential School policy and how this impacted communities and continues to impact communities
• 60's scoop - child welfare policies
• Grief and trauma and how this impacts our well-being
• Unresolved conflict - impact on our well-being
• Domestic violence - female and male perpetrators and lack of services for male victims • Best practises - where do we go from here

4:30

From Aboriginal and First Nations Communities:

• Health Directors
• Directors and Managers of Community and Social Services
• Chiefs, Community Leaders and Band Council Members

From Health Service Organizations:

• Health Directors and Managers of:
  • Aboriginal/Population Health
  • Population Health
  • Chronic Disease
  • Health Promotion
• Medical Practitioners, Nurse Practitioners

• Representatives from:

  • Health Canada
  • Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
  • Regional Health Authorities
  • Federal, Provincial and Municipal Governments
  • Health Focused Associations
  • Consulting Companies

Dear Colleague,

Insight Information's Annual Aboriginal Health Forum has been developed to provide timely information on recent developments in healthcare programs and services. We will explore the latest challenges, solutions and best practices in Aboriginal health care. Community-based and traditional approaches to healthcare that many health practitioners believe are essential to a successful health care delivery framework will be examined.

This program is designed to promote dialogue between the faculty and conference participants, who are encouraged to ask questions and join in on the information exchange regarding these important initiatives. Networking luncheons and informal breaks give you added opportunities for further discussion and to establish important contacts.

The expansion and improvement of health care services for Aboriginal communities is crucial in order to address health care disparities, reduce inequities and improve health outcomes. It is important that governments and First Nations work together on this agenda.

Don't miss this opportunity to hear about practical steps being taken to improve the health of Aboriginal communities. You will also to receive the conference materials prepared by the speakers, which will be a valuable resource for future reference and use.

We look forward to your attendance and seeing you there!

Dr. Malcolm King, PhD. 
Scientific Director
CIHR Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health

Chief Bryan LaForme 
Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation

Sponsor

Media Partners

Please note: Full payment is required in advance of conference dates. Please make all cheques payable to Insight Information.