First Nations and Inuit Home and Community Care Program - Biannual Report 2000-2002

A Look Ahead: 2002/03

For 2002/03, stakeholders including First Nations and Inuit partner organizations, communities, Tribal Councils, Regional and National program staff, and health care professionals will continue to work together to enhance service delivery in communities already at this stage. Stakeholders will also work steadfastly with the remaining communities, which represent approximately one-half of the communities in the country, to move into service delivery mode so program services can begin for community members and their families.

While the years 2000/01 and 2001/02 saw significant funding earmarked for training and capital plans, Regions and their First Nations and Inuit partners will now need to look for funding within the Regional allocation, as no specific funding is allocated for these two areas in 2002/03. To date, the program has helped establish facilities, supplies, and equipment, as well as train hundreds of workers, most notably personal care workers. These efforts will need to continue as other communities move into service delivery and as gaps remaining in training and capital requirements are identified.

At the end of 2001/02, just over one-half of the First Nations and Inuit communities funded for the First Nations and Inuit Home and Community Care (FNIHCC) Program had reached service delivery. These communities represented 282,000 First Nations and Inuit people, almost two-thirds of the total target population for the program.

For the remaining communities working toward service delivery, many face challenges such as community size, resources, and isolation. However, most of these communities have already submitted plans and are actively working with program partners to meet these challenge and, ultimately, to provide home and community care services essential for the people in these communities.