In the wake of a number of reported overdoses, First Nations Health Authority Chief Medical Officer Dr. Evan Adams is warning First Nations about the dangers of fentanyl. “Fentanyl is impossible to detect - it is odourless, colourless, tasteless and can lead to overdose,” warns Dr. Adams. “Fentanyl related deaths are on the rise and both people who use recreationally or habitually are at risk. As First Nations we are not immune - we ask that you take care of one another out there and share the following information.”

Fentanyl is a painkiller. Fentanyl is found in pill and powder form and is being sold as oxycodone tablets, heroin or other substances. Fentanyl might also be mixed into other recreational drugs, including stimulants (uppers) such as cocaine and MDMA (Ecstasy), and even marijuana.

Read and download this updated communique here.

Please share this important message in your community. 

Right: Janine Stevenson from FNHA Health Protection with a Take Home Naloxone Kit.

International Overdose Awareness Day is a global event held on August 31st each year and aims to raise awareness of drug overdose and to reduce the stigma of a drug-related death. 

In 2014, BC experienced 355 deaths due to overdose and this number is on the rise. The majority of deaths involved opioids such as heroin, oxycodone, fentanyl, morphine, and methadone.

Wear silver on August 31 to raise awareness of drug overdose and to show your support.

Find out more here.

The FNHA is pleased to welcome Sonia Isaac-Mann as the new Executive Director of Community Health and Wellness Services. Sonia is originally from Listuguj Mi'gmaq First Nation in Quebec. As a member of the Policy, Planning and Community Services portfolio,​ working with the Chief Operating Officer, Sonia will lead FNHA Community Health and Wellness Services, supporting a community-oriented approach to the delivery of health services for BC First Nations.

This position will oversee FNHA programs and services in the areas of environmental public health, health protection, mental wellness, emergency health and wellness crises, and program support and surveillance. Sonia has worked in the area of First Nations health for over 20 years and brings extensive community, regional and national experience moving forward on culturally appropriate health policies that support higher quality health services for First Nations peoples.

Read more here. 

The challenge: quit for 24hrs, enter to win one of two $250 cash prizes each month.

Starting this fall, the FNHA is partnering with QuitNow BC to support a short term quit for all First Nations and Aboriginal people who use commercial tobacco. 

We know that most people who smoke or chew commercial tobacco want to quit, and we also know that the more people try to quit, the more likely they are to succeed. The trick is finding the motivation to commit to a date and go for it. Just like learning anything new, learning to be commercial tobacco-free takes time, it takes practice -- and it takes a little nudge sometimes. And that's what The Tobacco Timeout Challenge is all about: providing that spark to turn a wish into an action.

The challenge will take place every first Tuesday of the month -- the first one will be September 1st. Join quitters from across the province, and sign up at: TobaccoTimeout.ca.

The FNHA's Telehealth Expansion Project team (FNTEP) has had an eventful eight months since the last project update with many successes and ground-breaking events in telehealth expansion with First Nations communities in BC.

The first wave of expansion since January 2015 has brought telehealth to 18 additional remote First Nations communities in BC (increasing the total number of deployments to 23 since project inception) and engaged 70 new health care service providers – up from just three in January. The service provider network includes doctors, specialists as well as allied health care and family support professionals such as speech therapists, dieticians, physiotherapists, youth counselling and more.

The FNTEP team has also completed ‘needs and readiness assessments’ with 17 remote First Nations communities in the past eight months. The team works together with community to understand each Nation’s unique health care needs and technological readiness as it relates to telehealth.

Read the full update online here!

First Nation Water Monitor Training in Prince George

The FNHA northern team has been supporting many health-related events taking place in communities including community engagement meetings, wellness activities and health fairs. Regional and community-specific work is taking place across the north based on guidance and direction from leadership, health teams and First Nations citizenship from communities.

This communique features: Mobile Support Teams, 2015 FNHA Train-the-Trainer Programs, Northern Regional Table updates, First Nation Water Monitor Training in Prince George, and more. 

Read on about some of the great work taking place in the North! 

Additional travel allowances are available for remote communities this year.

The Aboriginal Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity Partners Council is pleased to announce that registration is open for the 2015 Regional Leader Training Sessions, offered through the Aboriginal Healthy Living Activities, in partnership with SportMedBC.

Workshops will be offered in Physical Literacy, Cancer Prevention, Healthy Pregnancies, Traditional Medicine, Grant Writing and more! Participants will learn from professionals in their areas, and develop the skills necessary to deliver their own healthy living community project. 

Find more information here!

Thanks to those who have shared their stories and ideas for the coming Women's issue of Spirit Magazine. We are accepting content until August 31.

Heard about a successful community-based women’s health initiative? Know of a regional or provincial health program that’s making a positive difference? Interested in sharing the story of a woman in your life/community?

Send your article ideas, created or curated content, photos, Elders’ Wisdom and any questions to Spirit.Magazine@fnha.ca

A Class Action Lawsuit May Affect Your Rights

A Court has approved the Day Scholar lawsuit as a class action that includes anyone who attended at any Indian Residential School, for any times they attended as a "Day Scholar" (i.e. non-resident student), as well as their children and potentially the bands within communities that contained a Residential School. The Plaintiffs in the class action are suing the Government of Canada claiming that it is responsible for damages arising from attendance at the Schools.

Find out more online here: www.justicefordayscholars.com

BC Healthy Communities Society is facilitating a province-wide story-telling initiative to shape the narrative around the impact of healthy community leadership in British Columbia.

This fall, PlanH will be selecting five community stories from different areas of BC to be developed into short videos that demonstrate how collaboration between local governments, health authorities and community partners (e.g. non-profits) can lead to positive changes in health and well-being.

Story nominations due: September 11, 2015.

Learn how to nominate your community here.

The Community Action Initiative (CAI) is now accepting grant applications for the Call for Letters of Intent for Cycle 7: Service Integration for Youth Transitioning to Adulthood within Mental Health and Substance Use Sectors.

This funding opportunity is intended to facilitate coordination and integration of existing community services to better serve youth aged 17-24, vulnerable and/or experiencing early signs of mental health and/or substance use concerns, transitioning to adulthood. Thirty (30) convening grants, valued up to $15,000, will be awarded to support activities that address some facet of promoting community-based service integration for the aforementioned target population.

For more information and to download the Call for LOI, see the CAI website here.

RFEOI​ - Nursing Temp Help Services

The First Nations Health Authority is interested in receiving Expressions of Interest from organizations, for Nursing Temp Help Services.

Proposals must be received before 16:00 hours (4:00 pm) PST on September​ 9, 2015

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

Primary Data Centre Expansion

The First Nations Health Authority currently Manages our own data centre using a Nutanix hypervisor server infrastructure to support a majority of our electronic data systems and applications.

Proposals must be received before 16:00 hours (4:00 pm) PST on September​ 4, 2015

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

​Human Resource Services Assessment – Corporate Information Systems (CIS)

The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and the Corporate Information Systems (CIS) team require the services of an organization or individual to conduct an HR services assessment and to align current HR practices with new business strategies. The contract term is estimated to last 2 - 3 months with potential for extending as required.

Proposals must be received before 16:00 hours (4:00 pm) PST on September​ 4, 2015

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

​

Technical Writing / Business Process Consulting Services

The purpose of this RFQ is to pre-qualify respondents for the Technical Writing / Business Process Consulting Services for the FNHA. Appendix B is a list and details of the requirement of the FNHA. When the needs arise, successful proponents may be asked to submit costing for such services.

Proposals must be received before 16:00 hours (4:00 pm) PST on August​ 27, 2015

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

Find them all online here: www.fnha.ca/about/work-with-us/procurement

Data Collector 
Location(s): Multiple
Deadline: Sep 18, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Environmental Health Technician (Prince George)
Location(s): Prince George
Deadline: Sep 11, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Environmental Health Technician (Vancouver Island)
Location(s): Vancouver Island
Deadline: Sep 11, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Business Analyst
Location(s): Vancouver BC
Deadline: Sep 10, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Peoplesoft System Administrator
Location(s): Vancouver BC
Deadline: Sep 10, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Project Manager - Maternal Child and Family Health (Vancouver Island)
Location(s): Vancouver Island
Deadline: Sep 4, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Analyst
Location(s): West Vancouver
Deadline: Sep 4, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Dental Benefits Assessor
Location(s): BC
Deadline: Sep 4, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Engagement and Documentation Analyst
Location(s): West Vancouver
Deadline: Sep 4, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Oral Health Manager
Location(s): Vancouver
Deadline: Sep 4, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Provider Relations and Audit Manager
Location(s): Vancouver BC
Deadline: Aug 28, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Senior Administrative Coordinator
Location(s): Duncan BC
Deadline: Aug 28, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Senior Researcher
Location(s): West Vancouver BC
Deadline: Aug 28, 2015 by 4:00 PM
Job description