‘Reconciliation is everyone’s responsibility:’ Niagara Health social worker deepens commitment to Indigenous health – Niagara Health
May 12, 2025
When Carrie Vanderform started her co-op placement with the Indigenous Health Services and Reconciliation team, she wasn’t just completing a requirement for her Master of Social Work (MSW) – she was answering a personal calling.
“Change has to happen in healthcare for Indigenous people,” says Vanderform, who joined Niagara Health’s Labour and Delivery, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Children’s Health units as a social worker in 2023. “Being part of the Indigenous Health Services and Reconciliation team gave me the opportunity to deepen my understanding of how change is already happening – and the path that still has to be travelled.”
Vanderform’s placement, which concluded earlier this year, provided a unique opportunity to see firsthand how Niagara Health is putting its commitment to Truth and Reconciliation into action. Working alongside the Indigenous Health Services and Reconciliation team, she participated in community events, researched hospital policies and supported patients on units ranging from mental health and addictions to the Emergency Department.
