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First Nations Health Authority Launches Cannabis Awareness Campaign

The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) has launched a public health campaign aimed at reducing cannabis use among Indigenous children and youth by reminding them that their culture and traditional values give them the strength and ability to make the right choices for themselves. Some of the ads are aimed specifically at women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

The campaign includes digital advertising on multiple social media platforms, radio spots, and transit shelter ads at strategically selected locations that will direct people to a cannabis web portal for information and resources.

Read the media release here!

New Canning Guide Offers Info on a Favourite Food Preservation Method

Canning is one of the ways Indigenous people preserve foods such as berries, vegetables, fish and meat. Now the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is helping to promote this efficient and inexpensive process with the publication of a guide called Canning Foods – Your Guide to Successful Canning.

For the FNHA's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Evan Adams, the canning guide supports an Indigenous tradition that helps families eat together, stay together and stay healthy together. "Canning food helps promote good nutrition," he said. "When the activity is done with others, it adds love along with the other ingredients – and that promotes quality of life as well as food quality!"

Learn more and download the guide here!

National Addictions Awareness Week - Stigma: What does it look like? How does it affect health care? What can we do to change that?

​​​​National Addictions Awareness Week Series​ from the FNHA

A message from Andrea Medley, FNHA Indigenous Wellness Educator

For National Addictions Awareness Week this year, the main goal is to “help reduce the stigmas and stereotypes associated with addiction and recovery.” It is timely to reflect on the impacts of stigma on our lives as Indigenous people and communities, no matter what stage we are at in our healing journeys. Whether we abstain from substance use, use substances ourselves, or are in a supportive role to friends or family who use substances, it’s important for us to consider how stigma impacts us and them – and what we can do about it.

Read the message here.

NAAW - Addiction Recovery Approaches and Options

National Addictions Awareness Week Series​ from the FNHA

A message from Dr. Nel Wieman, Senior Medical Officer, and Paul Perry, MN, First Nations Addictions Care Partnership Manager, FNHA Office of the Chief Medical Officer (OCMO)

Recovering from drug addiction can be thought of as a return to a state of health, mind, spirit and strength. While the end goal of recovery is to reduce or quit substance use in order to achieve an optimal quality of life or a low-risk lifestyle, we need to be compassionate and non-judgmental towards people who struggle with addictions and are not yet ready for this step.

Read the message here.

NAAW - Tips for Safer Partying in the Holiday Season: Keeping Ourselves and Our Friends Safer

National Addictions Awareness Week Series​ from the FNHA

A message from Andrea Medley, FNHA Indigenous Wellness Educator

‘Tis the season to be jolly – and that, of course, includes getting together for parties! Whether they’re friends’ house parties, bush parties, or get-togethers around a fire, parties often involve alcohol, cannabis and possibly other substances. So, there is one very important thing we should all keep in mind beyond bringing our dancing shoes – partying safely and getting home safely when the party’s over! In this message, I’ll share some good ideas for doing that.

Read the message here.

NAAW - Looking for help with addiction for yourself or a loved one? Get started here

National Addictions Awareness Week Series​ from the FNHA

First Nations people of all ages and genders living in BC can receive treatment for addiction in a group or family setting at one of ten First Nations Health Authority (FNHA)-funded treatment centres. The FNHA funds a total of 239 residential treatment beds in these treatment centres, whose programs are developed specifically for First Nations and offer a variety of cultural and clinical interventions and support for people struggling with addiction.

Read more here.

World AIDS Day: Know Your Status

December 1 was the 30th annual World AIDS Day. 

A message from Dr. Evan Adams, FNHA Chief Medical Officer

"The issue of barriers to accessing HIV testing is especially important to our community, as Indigenous people not only continue to experience greater barriers to accessing health care in general, but to be disproportionately represented in BC's HIV epidemic. Indigenous people comprise 21.2 percent of new HIV diagnoses despite comprising approximately five percent of the total provincial population, according to the BC Communicable Disease Centre's 2016 HIV Report."

Read the full message here.

Interior Leadership come together in ceremony and dialogue to improve health outcomes for Interior Nations

From November 14-16, 2018, political and health leadership from the seven Interior Nations—Dãkelh Dené, Ktunaxa, Nlaka'pamux, Secwepemc, St'át'imc, Syilx and Tsilhqot'in—gathered for the 2018 Interior Regional Caucus in Syilx Territory (Kelowna, BC). The dialogue on day one was co-chaired by First Nations Health Council (FNHC) representative Allan Louis and First Nations Health Directors Association representative Jackie McPherson. Days two and three were co-chaired by Allan Louis and FNHC representative Charlene Belleau.

Read the overview here!

First Nations Health Authority Dental Therapists receive continued recognition by the College of Dental Surgeons of BC

The Dental Therapy program currently serves over 3,000 clients in 53 communities across the province.

Dental Therapy services will continue to be offered in First Nations communities across the province thanks to a partnership between the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), College of Dental Surgeons of BC (CDSBC) and Ministry of Health. The Dental Therapy program ensures that oral health services are brought closer to home, directly into communities.

“We are pleased with the steps our partners are taking to ensure a range of oral health services can continue to be supported in the communities we serve,” says John Mah, VP, Health Benefits. “Through working in collaboration with our partners, we will continue to evolve the FNHA’s oral health program and pave the way for enhancing the range and number of services available in community.”

Read the full post here!

FNHA Job Opportunities

Nurse Manager, Panorama Program Corporate Office
Location: Vancouver
Deadline: December 9, 2018 at 4:00 pm

Epidemiologist
Location: Vancouver
Deadline: December 10, 2018 at 4:00pm

Health Benefits Assessor
Location: Vancouver
Deadline: December 13, 2018 at 4:00 pm

Project Analyst, Health Benefits
Location: Vancouver
Deadline: December 16, 2018 at 4:00 pm

General Services Clerk
Location: Westbank
Deadline: December 17, 2018 @ 4:00pm

Procurement Specialist
Location: Vancouver
Deadline: December 18, 2018 at 4:00pm

Project Developer, Mental Wellness (Term)
Location: Interior 
Deadline: December 18, 2018 at 4:00PM

Environmental Health Officer
Location: Fort St John
Deadline: December 19, 2018 at 4:00pm

Find all job postings on our website.

BC First Nations and Aboriginal Health Job Opportunities

IPAC Events Coordinator
Organization: Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada
Location(s): Vancouver
Deadline: Dec 13, 2018 by 11:55 PM
Job description

Community Health Nurse – Registered Nurse
Organization: Xeni Gwet'in
Location(s): Nemiah Valley
Deadline: Dec 31, 2018 by 11:55 PM
Job description

Aboriginal Patient Liaison
Organization: Carrier Sekani Family Services
Location(s): Prince George
Deadline: Open until filled
Job description

Community Health Nurse/Home and Community Care Nurse (CHN)
Organization: Inter Tribal Health Authority
Location(s): Penelakut First Nation
Deadline: Open until filled
Job description