Pan-Canadian Health Human Resource Strategy: 2005-2006 Annual Report

Amount/ Duration

$139,700 2005/06

Recipient

Inuit Tapirit Kanatami (ITK). ITK is the representative organization for Inuit nationally. The Health Secretariat of the ITK is the key link to the Inuit Health Regional authorities.

Objectives

Increased capacity for ITK to engage in HHR planning and development of HHR strategies.

Activities

Provide perspectives of Inuit to the HHR work and liaise with Inuit in all regions of Canada to provide input into HHR planning and strategies to ensure Inuit needs, ways, and priorities are included.

Continue to link with work underway as a result of the Pan-Canadian HHR Strategy, link with F/P/T governments.

Disseminate information regarding HHR to Inuit and collaborate with the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) to disseminate research inventory.

Update HHR-related content on the ITK web site and further develop priority areas of the HHR Strategy.

Support ongoing research in Inuit-specific HHR initiatives and strategies and the development of an Inuit-specific HHR social marketing strategy to encourage Inuit individuals in accessing health careers.

Anticipated Results Output

Community engagement through Inuit Regional Health Authorities regarding HHR issues to national HHR work and to ITK strategies/plans.

Updated HHR material on ITK web site. Build partnerships and collaboration with other Aboriginal organizations such as the NAHO and the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation (NAAF).

Input into Inuit Health in the Classroom module developed by NAAF.

Inuit students informed of access to Health Careers studies and supports such as the national Aboriginal Health Careers Bursaries and Scholarships Program.

Contact Information

Onalee Randell, Health Director | Inuit Tapiirit Kanatami | 170 Laurier Avenue W., Suite 510 | Ottawa, ON | K1P 5V5 | Telephone: (613) 238-8181

Amount/ Duration

$250,000 2005/06

Recipient

National Indian and Inuit Community Health Representatives Organization (NIICHRO). NIICHRO is a national not-for-profit non-governmental organization representing Aboriginal Community Health Representatives (CHRs).

Objectives

To upgrade the quality of health care of First Nation and Inuit people to the standard of health enjoyed by the rest of the population of Canada.

To provide a forum for CHRs to communicate and exchange information with each other on various community health initiatives and on the improvement of the CHR program at a national level.

To create and promote awareness and understanding of the CHR program in Canada.

To provide a mechanism and a means for advising First Nations and Inuit communities, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), Health Canada and others on all matters pertaining to CHRs

Activities

Identify, via consultations with stakeholders, and assess the best means to develop competency-based occupational standards for CHRs.

Develop and initiate a communications strategy for a broad base of support with the CHRs and Aboriginal community for occupational standards and accreditation.

Formulate and implement a data collection strategy to gather, organize and analyze information.

Anticipated Results Output

Competency-based occupational standards for CHRs.

Establish partnerships involved in the work on competency-based standards.

Engage other paraprofessionals in developing competency-based standards.

Identify next steps towards competency-based standards.

Contact Information

Debbie Dedam Montour, Executive Director | National Indian and Inuit Community Health Representative Organization | P.O. Box 1019 | Kahnawake, QC | J0L 1B0 | Telephone: (450) 632-0892

Amount/ Duration

$150,000 2005/06

Recipient

National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation. The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation (NAAF) is a nationally registered non-profit organization devoted to excellence and providing the educational tools necessary for Aboriginal youth to achieve brighter futures. NAAF promotes the development and education of Aboriginal peoples and their professional advancement in Canadian society through various initiatives such as Industry in the Classroom.

The Industry in the Classroom is an initiative comprising of interactive educational modules designed to encourage youth to stay in school and to educate them in the wide variety of career opportunities. The Health in the Classroom is one module that highlights five health professions as well as identifying other health careers working within the health care team.

Objectives

Implement the Health in the Classroom module in First Nations community schools and urban centre schools with a high enrolment of Aboriginal students.

Activities

Engage a youth-oriented facilitator to bring Health in the Classroom to Aboriginal students in schools.

Promote the module and communicate with schools to arrange Health in the Classroom sessions.

Promote the module to other organizations and governments.

Anticipated Results Output

Provide sessions, up to 50 schools in 2005-06.

Increase youth awareness and interest in health careers.

Increase interest in further production of additional Health in the Classroom modules highlighting other health careers.

Contact Information

Wendy Johnson, Director of Taking Pulse | National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation | 70 Yorkville Avenue, Suite 33A Toronto, ON | M5R 1B9 | Telephone: (416) 926-0775

Amount/ Duration

$130,000 2005/06

Recipient

Association of Faculties of Medicine (AFMC). The AFMC is the representative organization for the Canadian medical schools. The objective of AFMC, as outlined in the constitution, is to promote the advancement of academic medicine in Canada through the: review and development of standards for medical education in Canada; development of national policies appropriate to the aims and purposes of Canadian faculties of medicine; fostering of research into major areas of interest for Canadian faculties of medicine; and representation of the Canadian faculties of medicine to key agencies.

Within the AFMC is a Social Accountability Task Group and within this group is a sub committee "The Aboriginal Task Group" which focuses on Aboriginal issues such as increasing Aboriginal enrolment in medical schools.

Objectives

Provide information on Canadian programs and policies to increase the number of Aboriginal medical students; discuss issues and strategies related to preadmissions programs; the admissions process and student support for Aboriginal medical students; and provide opportunities for networking and information exchange among medical schools.

Formulate and implement a data collection strategy to gather, organize and analyze the elements necessary for the development.

Activities

Bring together and engage key stakeholders (Aboriginal and Medical School representatives) to formulate a national process to develop a national framework for Aboriginal health curricula.

Provide a forum for networking of stakeholders who can provide leadership in development and implementation of a national Aboriginal health curricula intended to improve the cultural competency of health care professionals providing health care in Aboriginal communities.

Organize and hold a meeting inviting Deans of Admission and Aboriginal Support Programs for the Faculties of Medicine, Aboriginal representatives, and key informants, to a two day session to discuss strategies to increase the numbers of Aboriginal medical students.

Anticipated Results Output

Increase impetus for individual Faculties of Medicine to initiate programs within their respective medical schools.

Provide access to resource material from the Forum, recommendations on implementing changes to admissions and student support policies and programs, meeting report, participants list, record of decisions, recommendations concerning the development of a national framework for Aboriginal health curricula and next steps.

Contact Information

Susan Maskill, Director of Administration | Association of Faculties of Medicine | 774 Echo Drive | Ottawa, ON | K1S 5P2 | Telephone: (613) 730-0687

Amount/ Duration

$25,000 2005/06

Recipient

National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO)

Objectives

Identify next steps in the development of a multi-year plan to promote Aboriginal midwifery and traditional birthing practices including expansion of Aboriginal Midwifery Education Programs.

Activities

Conduct a one day meeting (as part of the Aboriginal Women's Health Roundtable) to discuss with roundtable participants the linkages of education, employment, care models, roles and opportunities and practises regarding midwifery, and to identify priorities for action.

Anticipated Results Output

Final report outlining the issues, recommendations including priorities for action.

Contact Information

National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) | Ste 1200, 220 Laurier Ave. W | Ottawa, ON | K1P 5Z9 Telephone: (613) 237-9462 | Toll-Free Telephone: 1 (877) 602-4445

Amount/ Duration

$75,000 2005/2006

Recipient

Organization for the Advancement of Aboriginal People's Health

Objectives

Develop a comprehensive Framework on Aboriginal Health Human Resources (AHHR) Indicators and management.

Activities

Complete a literature review and synthesis on AHHR.

Organize a roundtable discussion on AHHR.

Process Framework document and background discussion paper.

Anticipated Results Output

Final report of the outcomes for implementation in the comprehensive framework on AHHR indicators for AHHR management .

Synthesis report on current AHHR, gaps and indicators.

Final Report on Aboriginal Health Human Resources in Canada.

Contact Information

Danielle Soucy, Senior Policy Analyst | National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) | Suite 1200, 220 Laurier Ave. W. | Ottawa, ON | K1P 5Z9 | Telephone: (613) 237-9462 | Toll-free Telephone: 1 (877) 602-4445

Amount/ Duration

$50,000 2005/2006

Recipient

National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation (NAAF).

Objectives

Provide Aboriginal youth with a forum where they are exposed to a variety of educational and employment-related information specific to health.

Increase awareness of employment opportunities and associated training requirements in the health sector of the Canadian workforce.

Activities

Plan, organize and deliver two career fairs in Winnipeg in November 2005 and Vancouver in January 2006:

Recruit speakers to deliver presentations to youth.

Organize Aboriginal youth from across the host city and province to attend the career fairs.

Coordinate the logistics for the career fairs.

Develop and distribute information in order to promote the career fairs.

Coordinate the registration of speakers, booth participants and speakers.

Anticipated Results Output

Two career fairs (November 2005 and January 2006) that will raise awareness among youth of education and engagement opportunities within the health care sector.

Contact Information

National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation | Suite 33A, 70 Yorkville Avenue | Toronto, ON | M5R 1B9 | Telephone: 1 (800) 329-9780

Amount/ Duration

$144,435 2005/06

Recipient

Assembly of First Nations (AFN). AFN is the representative organization for First Nations nationally. The Health Secretariat of the AFN is the key link to the First Nations regional First Nations communities' health directors and program/services.

Objectives

Increase capacity for First Nations (FN) to engage in HHR planning and development of HHR strategies. Provide perspectives of First Nations to the HHR work.

Activities

Develop a strategy for FN HHR focusing on FN community level priorities.

Identify HHR issues in each community health program area and propose strategies.

Provide support and collaboration with Aboriginal professional organizations as they seek to develop their capacity in HHR.

Develop recommendations and identify means to implement data collection options for FN HHR research/monitoring/and planning.

Input from communities through Regional Health Technicians regarding HHR issues - outline of their priorities.

Initiate the development of a framework for FN institution-building the area of HHR education as a long-term goal to supporting recruitment of FN in HHR.

Anticipated Results Output

Relationships developed and formalized with National Indian and Inuit Community Health Representatives Organizations, Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (ANAC), Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC), VON, and Aboriginal Pharmacists Association of Canada (APAC) for future collaborattion.

FN input and advice into NAHO's database development.

Discussion Paper "First Nations Primary Health Care Training Institutes".

Contact Information

Valerie Gideon, Director or Tracy Lavallee, HHR Manager | Health and Social Services | Assembly of First Nations | Trebla Bldg - 473 Albert St | Ottawa, ON | K1R 5B4 | Telephone: (613) 241-6789

Amount/ Duration

$50,000 2005-06

Recipient

Northern Ontario School of Medicine. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) consists of the Faculty of Medicine of Laurentian University (Sudbury) and Lakehead University (Thunder Bay). NOSM has a mission to contribute to improving the health of the people and communities of northern Ontario by advancing the highest quality of medical practice, learning, teaching, research, and professionalism. With main campuses in Thunder Bay and Sudbury, NOSM has multiple teaching and research sites distributed across northern Ontario which ideally position NOSM to address health care disparities and manpower workforce shortages in Aboriginal communities both rural and urban.

Objectives

Encourage and support Aboriginal participation in educational opportunities leading to professional careers in the health field.

Provide a learning environment designed to overcome cultural barriers that inhibit the Aboriginal students' educational achievement.

Activities

Unsuccessful Candidate Review

Build the applicant pool of competitive Aboriginal applicants, in particular First Nations applicants for medical schools across Canada by interviewing unsuccessful candidates in order to have a better understanding of the factors preventing them from being accepted into medical school as well as what is required for future success.

Piloting of Cultural Immersion

Organize visits to First Nations communities for first year medical students in order to increase their cultural awareness and knowledge of First Nations people and traditional ceremonies.

Anticipated Results Output

Increased number of Aboriginal people choosing medicine as a career.

Contact Information

Dr. Dan Hunt, Vice-Dean Northern Ontario School of Medicine | West Campus | 955 Oliver Road, 6th Floor | Thunder Bay | Ontario P7B 5E1 | Telephone: (807) 766-7391