Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation Announces New Direction In Community Based Wholistic Health Service Delivery.
Press Release: October 10, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation Announces New Direction In Community Based Wholistic Health Service Delivery.
The Chief and Council of Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation proudly reaffirms their right to autonomy as an Independent First Nation that is Indigenous to this Land. In recent months, the First Nation has taken increasing action to exercise its autonomy in social and health policy programming. This has meant taking an innovative and positive approach to forge direct partnerships with funding and service providers in order to address the community’s emerging social and health priorities of child and adult mental health, palliative care, chronic care, and illicit substance abuse. The First Nation will operate as a fully independent body in the planning and operating of these community initiatives.
Focused programming based on sovereign independent principles has already led to an increase in capacity and has directly facilitated the ongoing success of the Minweyaanigoziwin Health Services Integration Fund (HSIF) Project (www.minweyaanigoziwin.ca). This project has produced a number of promising protocols, which lists the final decision making ability of the First Nation as one of the fundamental contributions for the project’s continued accomplishments. These protocols not only emphasize the capacity and ability of Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation, but also focus on respecting the culture and authority of partnering First Nations. It is these programming insights which have intensely contributed to the overall success of this project and explicit recognition by the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB).
Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation has taken further steps to realize its full autonomy, following elections of a new Chief and Councillors in March 2014. The First Nation recognizes the need for a multifaceted approach to secure funding and multiple points of entry for service providers working in the community. As such, Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation unanimously identified a contradiction in priorities with the goals of the Kenora Chiefs Advisory (KCA) and has withdrawn from all agreements and contracts with the organization. This difficult decision was finalized in the interests of the First Nation and on the basis of the community’s fundamental mandate to secure the full cooperation and direct agreements with external funders.
To successfully manage the emerging capacity of the First Nation, Chief and Council have begun the process of securing transfer to a Block Funding Model. This is in addition to pursuing alternative service delivery models; an opportunity which arose after exciting discussions with the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNHIB). Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation is also in the process of establishing an incorporated health board / authority. It is anticipated that establishing a community based health board / authority will allow for more innovative programming and new opportunities, such as the current planning to implement a Boys and Girls Club in the community.
The success of the recent years has been dependent on fostering genuine and real relationships with key and strong partners. Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation recognizes the need to ensure these relationships are continued into a new chapter of practiced sovereignty. Primarily, the First Nation is committed to ensuring the sustainability of ongoing partnerships and agreements with neighbouring First Nations. This means maintaining the successful integration achieved as part of the Minweyaanigoziwin HSIF Project. Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation is also dedicated to strengthening existing partnerships with the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNHIB) Thunder Bay Zone, North West Local Health Integration Network (NW LHIN), Lake of the Woods Hospital, Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Kenora Branch’s Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACTT), and Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’lyewigamig Health Access Centre (WNHAC). All five of these organizations have been integral and significant partners in providing health services to citizens of Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation. In addition, Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation will be pursuing direct funding agreements with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC), Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS), Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS), Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs (MAA), Cancer Care Ontario, and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC).
Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation welcomes the opportunity to access funding and support from a variety of ministries, institutions, and foundations. The First Nation is diligently working to realize its goal of implementing alternative integrated service delivery models, which will focus on culturally appropriate programming to effectively and efficiently meet the health and social needs of its citizens.
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For more information contact:
Chief Fawn Wapioke, Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation
(807) 733-2560 fawnwapioke@iifn39.ca
Christina Mandamin, Health Director, Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation
(807) 733-3318 iskatewizaagegan@hotmail.com
Andrea Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Williams Consulting
(403) 949-5613 andrea@williamsconsulting.ca
