News Release
1999-06
January 15, 1999
Rock and McLellan announce funds for community health projects for Alberta
OTTAWA - Health Minister Allan Rock and Anne McLellan, Justice Minister and Attorney General, today announced federal funding for four community health care and research projects in Alberta, as part of the federal government's commitment to build and maintain a strong health care system for Canadians.
The four projects will allow health care providers and community organizations to better deliver health and home care services and programs aimed at newly born infants, children, fathers, cancer patients and their physicians, and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
"Canadians want a modern health care system that reflects the reality that care and services are no longer simply delivered in hospitals, but also in the home, the community and a variety of other facilities," said Mr. Rock. "By meeting the health care needs of Canadians, we will strengthen their confidence in the ability of the system to deliver the best quality of care when and where they need it. Projects like the ones I am announcing today will help revitalize and modernize health care in Canada."
"Alberta residents, like all Canadians, are concerned about the health care system," said Minister McLellan. "These projects will allow Albertans to test innovative concepts and approaches in health care that can preserve and strengthen the health care system for the benefit of Canadians today, and in the future."
Today's federal funding announcement of more than $250,000 complements the $1.6 million the federal government is contributing to six health-related information technology projects in Alberta, under the Health Infostructure Support Program (HISP). The HISP funds were announced on January 13, 1999.
The Government of Canada has introduced a number of innovative programs and initiatives to promote good health at all stages of life and to strengthen health research. The following summaries describe the program areas for the four projects:
The Community Action Program for Children (CAPC)
The Community Action Program for Children (CAPC) provides long-term funding to community groups to establish and deliver services that respond to the developmental needs of children from birth to six years of age, who are living in conditions of risk. CAPC-funded prevention and early intervention activities help children get a better start in life, prepare them for school and improve their chances of growing into healthy adults. CAPC has an annual budget of $59.5 million. There are close to 400 projects in existence across the country.
The Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP)
The Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) is a Red Book initiative announced in July 1994. Funded by the federal government and co-managed with the provinces and territories, the CPNP helps communities develop or enhance programs for at-risk pregnant women in order to improve birth outcomes. CPNP-funded projects offer food supplementation, nutrition counselling, support, education, as well as referral and counselling on such lifestyle issues as alcohol abuse, stress and family violence. CPNP has a total budget of $24.9 million, with more than $7 million targeted for programs for First Nations women living on reserves.
The Health Transition Fund
The Health Transition Fund was established by the federal government in 1997 in response to a recommendation by the National Forum on Health. It is designed to generate information and evidence on the organization, funding and delivery of health services in four priority areas -- home care, pharmacare, primary care and integrated service delivery. The fund provides $30 million to national level projects and $120 million to provincial and territorial projects on a per capita basis. In April 1998, the Alberta Primary Health Care Project received $11 million under the Health Transition Fund.
The Population Health Fund
Health Canada has adopted a population health approach to further its continuing mandate to maintain and improve the health of Canadians. This approach recognizes that many factors, in addition to the health care system, have a strong influence on health, for example: nutrition, physical activity, or education. The approach promotes prevention and positive action on determinants which affect the health of the population as a whole, or that of specific population groups. The goal of the Population Health Fund, which has an annual budget of $14 million, is to increase community capacity for action on the determinants of health. To achieve this goal, projects that facilitate intersectoral planning and coordinated actions among voluntary organizations, service providers, governments and the private sector are supported.
The Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS
In May 1998, the Minister of Health launched a new approach to address the HIV epidemic in Canada, and committed ongoing annual funding of $42.2 million to the initiative. The Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS has a set of clear goals: prevent the spread of HIV infection in Canada; find a cure; find effective vaccines, drugs and therapies; ensure effective care, treatment and support for Canadians living with HIV/AIDS, and for their families, friends and caregivers; minimize the impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals and communities; and counter the social and economic factors that increase individual and collective risk of HIV infection.
The federal government will continue to support a health care system that is flexible, that maintains the fundamental principles of Medicare, is integrated, encourages community action, and is based on sound information.
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