Agassiz Aboriginal Nursing Project Receives Funding

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
2007HEALTH0152-001575
Dec. 5, 2007

Ministry of Health

AGASSIZ – Chehalis Health and Family Services has received $41,471 as part of the government’s Aboriginal Nursing Strategies, a provincewide initiative that this year will provide $500,000 in funding to promote Aboriginal nursing in B.C., Maple Ridge-Mission MLA Randy Hawes announced today.“This is a great project that will provide a number of exciting benefits for the Aboriginal community of this riding,” said Hawes at the cheque presentation ceremony. “We are pleased that this funding will allow Chehalis Health and Family Services to deliver services that meet the distinct needs of the region.”

Chehalis Health and Family Services will use this funding to develop culturally sensitive chronic disease journals that patients can use to track their successes and achievements. These journals will also support clients in making healthy lifestyle choices.

Aboriginal nursing projects receiving funding through the Ministry of Health’s Nursing Directorate must focus on at least one of four main goals:

· Encouraging Aboriginal students to consider nursing as a career and supporting Aboriginal students currently enrolled in nursing programs;

· Recruiting and retaining Aboriginal nurses;

· Supporting nursing in Aboriginal communities in B.C.; and

· Developing health promotion and disease prevention materials for B.C.’s Aboriginal communities.

Since 2001, the Province has invested $174 million towards B.C.’s Nursing Strategy, an initiative that focuses on educating, recruiting and retaining qualified nurses.

“This funding will give us the opportunity to examine a variety of ways in which we can improve the health of our people,” said Virginia Peters, director of Chehalis Health and Family Services. “We also want to provide current student nurses and those who are thinking about nursing as a career with the chance to experience nursing in a First Nations community and to see first-hand how Aboriginal nursing can truly benefit the community.”

In June 2007, the Ministry of Health issued a request for proposals for Aboriginal nursing projects for 2007/2008. A total of $500,000 was available to Aboriginal groups, post-secondary institutions, nursing associations and other organizations. All funded projects must be completed by March 31, 2008 and the lead of each project is required to submit a final evaluation report to the Ministry of Health by April 15, 2008.

For more information about Aboriginal Nursing Strategies, please visit www.health.gov.bc.ca/ndirect/.

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Media contact:

Marisa Adair
Communications Director
Ministry of Health
250 952-1889
250 920-8500 (cell)