The First Nations Health Authority, in partnership with Island Health, has established three Nurse Navigator positions based in First Nations communities on Vancouver Island. The Nurse Navigators will work to remove barriers and improve health outcomes by facilitating coordinated, culturally safe access to support, services and resources for First Nations. 

With triple the capacity for navigation services in the region, FNHA will be able to expand the service to additional First Nations populations including Elders. These new positions will provide health and social systems navigation services based within the three cultural families of Vancouver Island – the Coast Salish, Kwakwaka'wakw and Nuu-chah-nulth Nations.

Read the full scoop here! 

Above: Partners from the communities of Skidegate and Old Massett, First Nations Health Authority, Northern Health, the local Medical Advisory Committee, the Midwives Association of BC and midwives Celina Laursen and Shannon Greenwood celebrated the launch of a two midwife model to practice and support pregnancies and birth for all women on Haida Gwaii in February 2016.

The journey of bringing birth closer to home and into the hands of women has resulted in a two midwife model of care supporting perinatal services in Haida Gwaii. On February 18, 2016 at Haida House in Tlell, partners celebrated the ceremonial signing of two alternative payment plan contracts allowing two midwives to practice and support pregnancies and birth in a rural and remote environment, enhancing maternal and child health programs and services for all women on Haida Gwaii.

Read the full story here! 

In winter, maintaining wellness and a healthy lifestyle can be difficult, but youth workers from the Friendship House Association of Prince Rupert were up for the challenge as a part of the FNHA Winter Wellness grants​.

Organizers at the Friendship House offered opportunities for youth that are sometimes not easily available or accessible. This included access to the Prince Rupert Recreation Centre and all of its facilities.  Access to the pool meant that youth stayed active during the colder months, had access to programs and struck up friendships with other youth. Even now, the group still attend AquaFit classes. The gym, trail hiking and ice skating were also offered to the youth. These activities were very popular and noticed by many of the other patrons and community members who use the recreation centre.

Read the full scoop here! 

As part of the FNHA Winter Wellness grants, Splatsin Health Services ​provided an opportunity for the people in their community to travel to Larch Hills and participate in snowshoeing. Larch Hills is very close and part of the Splatsin traditional territory, yet many of the participants had not been there.

This was a great opportunity for all involved. Only one of the participants had ever been to Larch Hills. All of the participants were trying snowshoeing for the first time. The mood on the day was very positive and the event was a great way for community to socialise with health services staff. Participants took part in activities for over two hours. Not even the rain was able to dampen spirits!

Read more here! 

Gathering Our Voices (GOV), the National First Nations and Aboriginal Youth Conference will kick off March 21-24 in Victoria. FNHA is a proud health and wellness sponsor of GOV and will be hosting several wellness workshops including: Tobacco Time-Out Photovoice Project, Sex Signals with Dr. Evan Adams, Women's Sacred Journey, 20-Year-Old Self Elders Video Project, QENON SW Living Well in the Digital Age, Drop That Fry Bread and others. 

Health screening and wellness assessments will also be on hand so be sure to get your screening in, ask a dietician, check your blood sugar and more.

Stay tuned to all the action on social media and visit the GOV website here.

FNHA would like to share a fact sheet for First Nations communities, "Lead and Copper in Drinking Water". The most common source of lead and copper in drinking water is through corrosion of plumbing materials that were made with lead and copper. Lead and copper in drinking water can be a concern with schools, particularly those built before the 1989 revision of the BC Plumbing Code restricting the use of lead in potable water lines.

How does lead and copper get into drinking water? What are the effects of lead? What is being done? What can you do?

Read it here.

As you may be aware, the second Annual First Nations Health Leadership Challenge, Step Up 2.0 wrapped up last spring. During the course of the initiative we collectively walked over one billion steps together as BC First Nations! This movement was a catalyst for many of us to live more active lifestyles for the long-term, and we hope you are keeping up with your steps.

Beyond the term of the Challenge itself, we were able to continue a FitBit subsidy program for almost a full additional year, and have recently brought this element of the initiative to a close. Though the Challenge and FitBit subsidy program have concluded, the leaderboard is still up and active! So please do keep logging your steps and anticipate some upcoming mini challenges with prize winnings! We will reach out to you through the FitBit leaderboard so please stay connected.

Anyone with a FitBit that is not already a part of our leaderboard – please sign up! For instructions on joining our leaderboard or if you have a success story you would like to share regarding your challenge or FitBit journey, please reach out to active@fnha.ca we would love to hear from you!

The First Nations Health Authority, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Regional Health Authorities, is pleased to share two reports that are now posted on the FNHA’s website.

1. Promising Practices in First Nations and Aboriginal Maternal and Child Health Programs: Community Perspective on What Works; 
2. Nurse-Family Partnership: Is it a Fit for First Nations Communities in BC?

The reports review evidence from key informant interviews and existing research to make recommendations for innovation and identify opportunities for service and health outcome improvements for maternal, child and family health for First Nations and Aboriginal families.

Read the introductory memo here. 

Find other resources on our Maternal, Child, and Family Health page here. 

Above: Ice fishing during the White Buffalo Aboriginal and Métis Health Society events. 

The 2016 First Nations Health Authority Winter Wellness grants had First Nations communities, organizations and schools from across the province apply to host events or initiatives having a focus on positive change or transformation in participant’s lifestyles and wellness.

The events ranged in scope and size but all fit into one or more of our FNHA wellness streams: Being Active, Eating Healthy, Nurturing Spirit or Respecting Tobacco. Overall, 79% of all of the events related to being active in some way or form. Popular methods of moving towards positive change included: walking, running, hiking, snowshoeing, swimming, biking, skating, skiing and horseback riding.

Read all about it here!

Above: Interior Nation representatives on the research ethics and traditional knowledge panel on March 9.

The FNHA-hosted Regional Data Governance Forums have been off the charts with informative presentations and dialogue among First Nations community and health leaders. 

Vancouver Coastal and Northern regions! Student scholarships are still available to attend your sessions.

Vancouver Coastal - March 22-23 - Deadline March 18 
North - March 30-31 - Deadline March 22

Are you thinking about one day having a career in health? Do you want to learn about how decisions are being made by First Nations health leaders to improve health services and programs and promote wellness in your community and be part of the process?

Please visit this link for all the details. 

First Nations Regional Early Childhood, Education and Employment Survey (FNREEES): the survey with the long name was completed in 2015 and the data is currently being carefully analyzed, respecting OCAP, ethics and with a BC First Nations lens.

Communities that participated in the FNREEES will now be provided with preliminary results of the survey in the form of a series of FNREEES Data Updates. These updates are to share our early analysis work until regional and provincial reports are completed, and will be sent out through email to each participating community on a monthly basis. This ensures that participating communities are aware of what is happening to their data at the provincial level and are engaged throughout the data analysis and reporting process.

The first update - FNREEES Data Update #1 – has been sent out on March 10. If your community has participated in the FNREEES but has yet to received the update, please contact the FNHA Survey team at fnreees@fnha.ca.

West Coast Environmental Law has collaborated with the University of Victoria to develop the RELAW (Revitalizing Indigenous for Land, Air and Water) initiative and is seeking Indigenous Nations to participate.

This project will be of particular interest to Nations who have previously undertaken Indigenous law research on land and resources using ILRU methodology (or other similar methodologies) and who wish to explore approaches for applying this research to environmental decision-making and land and resource management in their territories.

Find out more here! 

Deadline is March 21, 2016.

​​​Primary Travel Supplier – Corporate Travel and Event Specialist
Closing Date: March 30, 2016
More Information Here.

Marketing Strategy for Teen Tobacco Project​​
Closing Date: March 21, 2016
More Information Here.

Senior Business Analyst​
Closing Date: March 14th, 2016
More Information Here.

Board of Director – Director at Large
Location(s): Vancouver
Deadline: Mar 11, 2016 by 11:55 PM
Job description

Environmental Health Officer
Location(s): Kamloops
Deadline: March 11, 2016 at 4:00pm
Job description

Wellness Nurse Navigator
Location(s): Fraser (Multiple)
Deadline: Mar 18 2016, 4:00 pm
Job description

Director, eHealth
Location(s): Vancouver
Deadline: March 21, 2016 at 4:00pm
Job description

Mental Wellness Program Specialist
Location(s): Vancouver
Deadline: March 21, 2016 at 4:00pm
Job description

C&Y Mental Wellness Counsellor
Location(s): Ulkatcho First Nation
Deadline: March 21, 2016 at 4:00pm
Job description

UC (Network) Analyst
Location(s): Vancouver
Deadline: March 29, 2016 at 4:00pm
Job description

Community Health Nurse - Health Centre
Location(s): Lytton & Fort St. John
Job description

Community Health Nurse – Nursing Stations
Location(s): Various
Job description

Nurse in Charge-Nursing Station
Location(s): Various
Job description

Generalist Clinical Counsellor
Organization: Hailika’as Heiltsuk Health Centre Society
Location(s): Bella Bella
Deadline: Mar 22, 2016 by 12:00 AM
Job description

Community Health Nurse
Organization: Inter Tribal Health Authority
Location(s): Campbell River BC
Deadline: Mar 21, 2016 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Clinical Counsellor, Riverstone Home & Mobile Detox
Organization: Fraser Health
Location(s): Agassiz, Chilliwack and Hope
Job description

Home Care Nurse
Organization: Ulkatcho Health and Wellness Programs
Location(s): Anahim Lake
Job description

Research Associate
Organization: National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health
Location(s): Prince George, BC
Job description