Health Programs

Environmental Public Health

Program Objectives:

  • The Environmental Public Health program is a specialized field of public health focused on ensuring the health and safety of communities through inspection, education, and intervention via recommendations to Chief and Council
  • The goal is to assist people who provide services to the community and give them the knowledge and power to control health factors in their local environment. This is done in order to prevent illness, promote health, and prolong life on a population level
  • Some responsibilities under this program include: the delivery of safe drinking water; solid waste and wastewater management; healthy housing; food safety; facilities such as pools, daycares, and salons; communicable disease control; and emergency preparedness

Client Navigation & Utilization

Program Objectives:

  • Work cooperatively with care providers to develop best standards and practices around processes and quality improvement for the discharge planning program
  • Working closely with our First Nations people to create a better form of healing post-discharge using holistic and traditional practices

Health Care System Planning

Health Care System Planning aims for reconciliation through health. Their work will:

  • Run parallel and overlap with the planning of the All Nations Hospital and the All Nations Health System, while driving physician recruitment and cross-border access
  • Integrate and collaborate amongst area agencies to deliver culturally appropriate, patient-centred, equitable care for people in First Nations communities, unincorporated areas and municipalities through strong partnerships with First Nations and Métis
  • Create efficiencies and improve population health to allow realignment of funds away from high-cost transportation, emergency & judicial services, and towards improved primary care and preventative programs

Cancer Care Project

The focus of this multi-year, multi-partnership project is to assess, evaluate, reconfigure, create and implement a complete and seamless pathway in the cancer journey for the KCA communities. The goal of improving the continuum of the cancer care journey from first suspicion to survivorship (whether it be palliative care, end-of-life care or ongoing health promotion/education, monitoring and support) is achievable only in partnership working with and for communities most affected by the high burden of illness together with those involved in policy and delivery of cancer care.

Kenora Chiefs Advisory Presents: Silent Enemy (Ojibwe Version)

Kenora Chiefs Advisory Presents: Silent Enemy (English Version)

Long Term Care

Program Objectives:

  • Community based Homemaker & Home Support Service
  • Designed to provide in-home service to the Elderly and disabled as well as prenatal, postnatal and post surgical care
  • Assist individuals to remain in their homes instead of in long-term care facilities or hospital settings

Primary Care

The goal of the KCA primary care initiative is to expand and further coordinate wholistic, patient-centred, culturally appropriate primary care services for First Nations communities

This includes expanding physician and other interdisciplinary primary care services to:

  • Increase equitable access to primary care providers in First Nations Communities
  • Promote overall wellbeing and improved health outcomes
  • Create a more robust primary care system within communities

Climate Change Adapt

Adapting to Climate Change in Anishinaabe Communities

The Aakozi’ma’gut “Mother Earth is Sick” Project is a First Nations owned and lead program by Kenora Chiefs Advisory that examines the impact of environmental change on Anishinaabe communities. The project ensures that we prioritize Traditional views and traditional knowledge throughout the project. We also ensure that the environment within our project is appropriate and inclusive for all ages and identities, as we value their experiences and knowledge towards the ongoing issue with Climate Change. We hold a series of sessions revolving around concept mapping to identify these issues within each respective community, and all reporting and data collected throughout these sessions are all owned and reviewed by each community respectively.

The Mother Earth is Sick Project has four main goals:

Anishinaabe Diabetes Education Program – OGIMAAWABIITONG

The Anishinaabe Diabetes Education Program (ADEP) at Kenora Chiefs Advisory addresses the concerning prevalence and incidence of diabetes in the Indigenous population. Our program consists of a registered practical nurse and registered dietitian with services often being offered in collaboration with other organizations and professions.

ADEP strives to provide practical and useful skills and knowledge to promote health and optimal diabetes management to reduce the risk of developing diabetes and diabetes related complications.  Manaa siizabaakotaapinetaa  (let us reduce the risk of getting diabetes).

A variety of initiatives are available, including public health fairs, community workshops, cooking classes, resource development and presentations all encouraging Mino-Bimaadiziwin (living a good life).  Some examples of ADEP education and activities are:

  • Health and wellbeing
  • Booths at Health Fairs and events
  • Nutrition and cooking skills for all ages
  • Awareness about healthy lifestyles choices
  • Promotion or facilitation of physical activity. Maa Maa Chi Da (from stationary to physically active)
  • Diabetes screening and blood pressure checks
  • Early identification and referral to clinical and support services
  • Prevention and management of Diabetes related complications
  • Gestational diabetes
  • Child and youth health
  • Gitige (gardening)

ADEP will work:

  • directly with community programs to identify priorities and provide support to address the identified priorities
  • to support community gardens, food security and advocate for accessible food
  • in collaboration with community partners, members and schools to ensure that diabetes prevention and maintenance initiatives reach all groups in Indigenous communities
  • to build effective partnerships and networks

Call for information or to schedule an activity!

Diabetes and the Seven Grandfather Teachings

Minaadendamowin

Respect others and respect yourself.  The Creator has given us one body:  take care of your body.

Nbwaakaawin

Wisdom is taking small steps to make positive change in your life. Learn from your experiences as much as you can, and use that to improve your health and wellbeing.

Debwewin

When you learn, live, walk with and speak truth about diabetes daily, it may change the way you look at it. Speak the truth to yourself about managing your health every day.

Gwekwaadiziwin

Achieve honesty within yourself. Recognize and acknowledge the effects diabetes can have on your body and mental health. Be honest with yourself when you need to reach out for support and understanding.

Dibaadendiziwin

Use humility: Diabetes is an everchanging disease, that affects your body. It is important for you to see your diabetes team regularly to live well with diabetes and keep healthy.

Zoongide’ewin

Bravery is making changes that may not be easy, but that you know are needed. Many changes are difficult at first; they become easier to manage over time.

Zaagi’idiwin

Give unconditional love; when people are in need they require love. When it comes to your health, you must take care of yourself; show love for yourself.

Children’s Health Promotion

This is how the program can help support families:

Referrals and Advocacy

The Children’s Services Program helps clients and their families access prenatal care, parenting, cultural needs, harm reduction services and referrals for drug and alcohol treatment both on-and-off reserve.

Vision: to create conditions in which parental and infant health will flourish.

Goals: 1) to prevent FASD births, and 2) improve the knowledge, skills, and quality of life of FASD affected children , mothers, fathers and families.

Services:

  • Case Management for clients and families in Kenora and on-reserve
  • Prevention through community outreach and education on issues such as family planning, risks of alcohol and drugs during pregnancy
  • Training to community front line workers

Indigenous Child Nutrition

The Indigenous Child Nutrition Program provides child nutrition activities, workshops, & nutritional supports for healthy development of children & their extended families.

Healthy Babies, Healthy Children: First Nations Based Program Support

The Healthy Babies Health Children Program is a prevention and/or early intervention initiative designed to identify children/families at risk and to promote and support child health and development.

The program is voluntary and open to any Indigenous family with children between 0—4 years of age.  Urban Indigenous families may also access this program through the local public health unit or the Nechee Friendship Centre.

Program Goals:

  • Provide information and support to mothers, children and families to improve outcomes and chances of healthy child development.
  • Provide intervention and support to the family related to parenting skills, child development information and linkages to community services.

Client Based Services:

  • Intake and information gathering.
  • Family service planning.
  • Service coordination and referrals.

For more information, contact:
Jennifer Coulis, Children’s Health Promotion Program Coordinator
Jennifer.coulis@www.kenorachiefs.org

Provide programming on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and Indigenous Children’s Nutrition. We also support Healthy Babies, Healthy Children Workers and FASD and Maternal Health Workers in our 9 member First Nations:
Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek
Naotkamegwanning First Nation
Northwest Angle #33 First Nation
Animakee Wa Zhing #37 First Nation
Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation
Washagamis Bay First Nation
Shoal Lake #40 First Nation
Wabaseemoong Independent Nations
Wauzhushk Onigum First Nation

Gambling Awareness

Program Objective: The Gambling Addiction Awareness Program delivers wholistic approaches to address & reduce the harm associated with problem gambling in the 28 first nation communities in the Treaty 3 area in a culturally appropriate manner.

Tobacco Reduction

The Tobacco reduction program supports community members in increasing their access to traditional tobacco and in reducing their use of commercial tobacco.

Programming covers all aspects of commercial tobacco and, presentations can be requested on topics that include tobacco products and physical health, mental health, and environment health.

Asemaa seeds and growing knowledge are available to those who would like to cultivate their own, and those who are unable to grow their own can access dried leaves through the program.

Support for holding traditional teachings is available.

Support and resources are provided to those who wold like to reduce their use of commercial tobacco.

Community members may access support by telephone, in person or, on Facebook through the KCA commercial tobacco reduction group as well as through messenger.  Members post questions, photos and discuss their relationship with tobacco in it’s many forms.

For more information, contact:
Amanda Boucha, Program Coordinator
amanda.boucha@www.kenorachiefs.org