The FNHA is pleased to announce the coming release of our “Smokestack Sandra” tobacco cessation podcast series that shares the personal journey of a respected northern First Nations leader as she commits to quitting commercial cigarettes.

The candid and humorous three-part podcast “Smokestack Sandra” tracks Sandra Teegee, Deputy Chief of Takla Lake First Nation, over a series of weeks with personal stories and a number of guest speakers.

The formal premiere of “Smokestack Sandra” is Nov. 24 on the FNHA website at www.fnha.ca/respectingtobacco. The series debuts on Canada’s First Nations Radio show Journeys at 6 pm on Nov. 24, 25 and 26 and airing again on December 7, 9 and 11.

Read more here and listen to the podcast on our website on Nov. 24! 

Coast Salish Territory (Vancouver, BC) - The First Nations Health Authority is excited to announce the selection of Dr. Becky Palmer as its new Chief Nursing Officer (CNO). Dr. Palmer has held senior leadership positions with the BC Children's Hospital and BC Women's Hospital over the past eight years and will assume her new role on December 14, 2015.

Read more here.

This year, FNHA is joining the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse in observing National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW). NAAW highlights issues and solutions to help address alcohol and other substance-related harm. It provides an opportunity for us to learn more about substance abuse prevention, talk about treatment and recovery and bring forward solutions for change.

In recognizing NAAW we would like to share an article on behalf of FNHA's Ch​ief Medical Officer Dr. Evan Adams on Trauma-Informed Approaches for Substance-Use Treatment.

Read Dr. Evan Adams article here!

Download this Respecting Tobacco poster here! 

World Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD) Day is an annual event organized by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease on November 18 to improve awareness and care of COPD around the world. The world COPD Day 2015 theme was "It's Not Too Late."

Starting your quit journey? Remember!

• Never Give Up ​- It generally takes at least three serious attempts at quitting before a person becomes a lifetime non-smoker, and for many people it can take six or more tries.
• Weave personal support networks while you plan your quit journey.
• QuitNow is BC's free tobacco quitting service. Visit Quitnow.ca or call them toll-free at (1-877-455-2233).

Find information specifically for First Nations and Respecting Tobacco on our website here.

FNHA has heard from communities and Nations that creating and communicating an accurate picture of community health and wellness is an important part of building responsive health and wellness plans​​.

​The Regional Health Survey (RHS) addresses a comprehensive range of health status, wellness and health determinant measures for First Nations communities at-home/on-reserve and is broken down into three parts: adult, youth and child. When combined, these parts provide comparability to other Canadian surveys while addressing First Nations priorities within a cultural and holistic framework.

Read all about it here.

Every big journey begins with a single first step.

On December 1 take the Tobacco Timeout Challenge and quit commercial tobacco for 24hrs. Making the decision to try is the first step on the journey to becoming tobacco-free.

You don’t have to quit forever – just 24 hrs. And you don’t have to do this on your own – there will be hundreds of other people joining with you from across BC.

Find out more here.

Harm reduction aims to meet people where they are at with open arms, acceptance, and compassion - not judgment or shame. Harm reduction recognizes that every life is valuable and that substance use and addiction are complex and challenging.

Take Home Naloxone is a provincial program run through the BC Centre for Disease Control that aims to expand access to naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal drug that prevents overdose death.

For more information and to view the FNHA UBC Learning Circle on Harm Reduction and Take Home Naloxone in First Nations Communities visit our website here.

Deadline for applications is December 3rd, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.

The FNHA envisions healthy, self-determining and vibrant BC First Nations children, families and communities playing an active role in decision-making regarding their personal and collective wellness.

Organizations, schools and agencies that are engaged in direct health service delivery to BC First Nations and/or Aboriginal people may be eligible for funding to host a Community-Driven Winter Wellness Event or initiative.

Find out more here!

Watch a presentation from the 2015 BC Health Leaders Conference titled: Innovative Collaboration - The Evolution of the First Nations Health Authority in BC.

The plenary was presented on October 21 by Joe Gallagher - CEO First Nations Health Authority, Arlene Paton - Assistant Deputy Minister Population and Public Health with BC Ministry of Health, and Sony Perron - Senior Assistant Deputy Minister with First Nations and Inuit Health Branch Health Canada, and moderated by Goldie Luong - Director Special Projects in Acute Care with Vancouver Coastal Health.

Watch it here. 

Around the Kitchen Table (ATKT) is a fun, successful, traditional model for HIV, Hepatitis and sexual health education that uses humour and focuses on training teams of women in First Nations and Aboriginal communities to run ATKT sessions in their communities.

Chee Mamuk, Aboriginal Program, BC Centre for Disease Control invites your community to submit an application to ATKT to participate in a 4-day training. All participant travel and accommodation are provided. 

Application Deadline - Dec 10, 2015
Training Dates - February 23-26, 2016, Vancouver BC

Watch the ATKT Video here!

Contact: Jessica Chenery - 604-707-5647
jessica.chenery@bccdc.ca

Request for Qualifications: Supply of IT Hardware and Related Services

Submissions must be received before 16:00 hours (4:00 pm) Pacific Time on: December 3rd , 2015​

​Refer to the document for a full list of key dates

Request for Expression of Interest: Project Lead - Health Benefits

Submissions must be received before 16:00 hours (4:00 pm) Pacific Time on: November 23rd , 2015​

​Refer to the document for a full list of key dates.​

Request for Proposal: Dental Consultant

Submissions must be received before 16:00 hours (4:00 pm) Pacific Time on: November 23rd , 2015​

Refer to the document for a full list of key dates.​

Board of Director Interior Representative
Location(s): Interior Region
Deadline: Dec 18, 2015 by 4:30 PM
Job description

Reporting Analyst
Location(s): Vancouver
Deadline: Dec 1, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Manager, Funding Arrangements and Financial Analysis
Location(s): West Vancouver
Deadline: Nov 30, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Senior Policy Analyst
Location(s): West Vancouver
Deadline: Nov 27, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Wellness Navigators - Fraser Region
Location(s): Fraser Region
Deadline: Nov 27, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Clinical TB Nurse Educator
Location(s): Vancouver BC
Deadline: Nov 23, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Home Care Nurse Advisor
Location(s): Vancouver BC
Deadline: Nov 23, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Community Engagement Coordinator - Dakelh Dene Nation
Location(s): Williams Lake BC
Deadline: Nov 20, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Regional Advisor - Fraser
Location(s): Fraser Region BC
Deadline: Nov 20, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Regional Planner - Fraser
Location(s): Fraser Region
Deadline: Nov 20, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Health Director
Organization: Katzie First Nation
Location(s): Pitt Meadows BC
Deadline: Dec 4, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Clinician - Aboriginal Child and Youth Mental Health
Organization: Denisiqi Service Society
Location(s): Williams Lake BC
Deadline: Nov 27, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Resolution Health Support Worker
Organization: Indian Residential School Survivors Society
Location(s): Vancouver
Deadline: Nov 23, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Home and Community Care Nurse
Organization: Inter Tribal Health Authority
Location(s): Penelakut Island
Deadline: Nov 26, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Executive Director
Organization: Nenan Dane Zaa Deh Zona Family Services Society
Location(s): Fort St. John BC
Job description