Collaborative Projects

INITIATIVE PURPOSE DURATION OF PROJECT FUNDING SOURCE
Putting the Power of Information Into Local Hands: Health Information Project, 2014-2015 Support Unama’ki First Nations in preparing to become health information custodians under Nova Scotia’s new Personal Health Information Act (PHIA); enhance Unama’ki health centres’ access to reliable information on diabetes management/self-care in order to provide improved diabetes care; enhance health information capacity in First Nations communities in NS. Oct 2014 – Mar 2016 Health Canada, FNIHB
Telehealth 2014-2015 To support the increased use of clinical telehealth services in NS First Nations by carrying out a current state assessment and facilitating the development of an action plan. Oct 2014 – Mar 2015 Health Canada, FNIHB
Regional Stakeholders Meeting on Atlantic Centre of Excellence for First Nation Health Information To host a meeting of regional stakeholders aimed at further developing/refining the CoE concept, identifying partners, and identifying steps and strategies for moving the concept forward. Feb, 2014 -Mar 2016 Atlantic Aboriginal Health Research Program
Strength in Numbers To improve Nova Scotia First Nations access to quality, reliable and timely population health information which communities can use in their own health planning.  The project is: 1) exploring the feasibility of expanding the Unama’ki Client Registry (UCR’s) to include interested mainland Bands, 2) improving the client registry creation process, 3) linking the registry with provincial data sets. Oct 2012 – Mar 2016 Health Canada’s Health Services Integration Fund
Mi’kmaq Interpreter – Cape Breton Regional Hospital Through the provision of translation and interpretation services, enhance communication and support the relationship between Mi’kmaq speaking clients and non-Mi’kmaq speaking health care providers at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. On-going Unama’ki Bands
Unama’ki Residential School Survivor Project To establish a collaborative team of Clinical Therapists, Resolution Health Support Workers and a Cultural Support Worker who can assist Residential School Survivors and their families navigate through the IAP and TRC processes. Apr, 2011-Mar, 2016 Health Canada – FNIHB HQ
Give Us Wings Project Give Us Wings is an integration project with 13 First Nation communities in Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Health Authority, and First Nation and Inuit Health. It is about Mental Health and Addictions and the integration of the provincial system and the First Nations community services. Oct 2012 – Mar 2016 Health Canada’s Health Services Integration Fund
Putting the Power of Information into Local Hands: HIM Project, 2013-2014 To improve health information management, enhance community health planning (through health indicator development, health data collection & analysis, and health status reporting) and support use of EMRs in capturing, storing and analyzing health information. Oct 2013 – Mar 2014 Health Canada, FNIH
Increasing Telehealth Utilization in Unama’ki One-day gathering aimed at identifying ways to increase telehealth utilization among health service providers who rarely or never use videoconferencing. Jan-Mar 2012 Health Canada
Health Information Management and Community Health Planning Project To identify gaps in health information; to develop population health indicators and data sets to support them; to strengthen health information partnerships between First Nations and various government health organizations; and to build health information capacity in First Nations communities in NS. April 2012 – March 2013 Health Canada, FNIH
Psycho-Educational Services Needs Assessment for Children Ages 0-18 To assess and prioritize the types of psycho-educational assessment, diagnostic, and intervention services that are needed by children ages 0-18 in Unama’ki.  To work with District, IWK and Provincial partners to develop a service provision plan to meet identified service needs. On-going NS Dept. of Health
Mental Wellness Team Demonstration Project To create a multi-disciplinary team approach that will fill gaps in the continuum of care and increase access to comprehensive, client-centred, culturally-safe, community-based mental health and addictions services in the five Cape Breton Tui’kn communities. Oct 2009 – Sept 2012 FNIHB
Unama’ki Maternal Child Health Project To enhance the provision of early intervention services and maternal child health services in all 5 bands.  The project employed one full-time  MCH Coordinator and a number of part-time Home Visitors in each community. Apr 2005  – Mar 2012 FNIHN
Case Management To implement a case management model in the Unama’ki communities which will facilitate and support interagency coordination of services at the client level, provide a formal opportunity and forum through which service gaps and duplications can be addressed, and provide streamlined, expedient and coordinated treatment options for clients. Apr 2009 – Mar 2011 Cost shared by FNIHB, INAC, CBDHA
Unama’ki Chronic Disease Surveillance Project To develop a chronic disease surveillance monitoring system for the aboriginal members of the Unama’ki communities. 24 months Public Health Agency of Canada
Building Relationships to Explore Options for Anonymous HIV Testing and Support To develop a plan for improving access to HIV testing and support services for on-reserve First Nations people from Unama’ki. Sep 2010 -Mar 2011 Health Canada, FNIHB
Immunization Continuing Education To enhance the knowledge base and immunization competencies of Nurses working in the Unama’ki First Nations through delivery of an immunization education session tailored to their learning needs, and to strengthen the current partnership between the Unama’ki Bands and DHA’s 7 and 8 around immunization education. Sep 2010 – Mar 2011 Health Canada, FNIHB
Examining the Impact of Diabetes in Aboriginal Communities in NS To improve our ability to measure diabetes in aboriginal communities and to understand the impact of diabetes on the heath of aboriginal Canadians and its associated health care system impacts. 24 months Canadian Institutes for Health Research
Communicable Disease Control Health Emergency, 2009-2010 To support pandemic education activities in the Unama’ki communities. Apr 2009 – Mar 2010 FNIHB
Unama’ki Mental Health Forum To plan and implement a mental health forum aimed at 1) introducing the concept of case management and mental wellness teams to all community-based and external service provider stakeholders and senior managers; and 2) to facilitate the formation and implementation of the five Tui’kn community-based case management and mental wellness teams. Apr 2009 – Mar 2010 FNIHB ($35,000) CBDHA ($10,000)
Midwifery in Aboriginal Community Settings To explore the provision of midwifery services for First Nations Communities in Nova Scotia so expecting women and their families are offered a choice of birthing services that compliment and support  their personal beliefs and customs. 18 months (Jan 2008 – June 2009) AHTF, Pan-Canadian Envelope
Pandemic/Emergency Preparedness MOU Complete a Memorandum of Understanding between the 5 CB Bands the District Health Authorities, FNIH, and other partners regarding provision of services during a pandemic emergency. Apr 2008 – on-going FNIHB Atlantic
Panorama Preparation To facilitate the implementation of Pan Canadian Public Health Surveillance Management System – Panorama in First Nations Communities. 2 years (April 2008 – March 2010) Health Canada’s  AHTF, Integration Envelope
Telling Our Stories: Quantifying, Documenting and Articulating First Nations’ Health Needs To quantify, document and articulate the health needs of the Unama’ki communities based on the linkage and analysis of health data at the Band, provincial, and federal levels. Feb 2008 – Aug 2010 Health Canada’s AHTF, Integration Envelope
Telling Our Stories Project Expansion To complete a privacy impact assessment of our data linkage program; to develop a common set of privacy policies and procedures for the Unama’ki health centres; and to retain legal counsel to assist with the development of agreements between partners involved in the data linkage initiative. Sep 2009 -Aug 2010 Health Canada’s AHTF, Integration Envelope
The Path Less Traveled: Using Navigation Approaches to Improve the Capacity of Aboriginal Patients to Access the Health System To create and disseminate navigation tools for use by health workers to assist First Nations patients in accessing cancer care. 20 months (Aug 2008 – Aug 2010 Health Canada’s AHTF, Adaptation Envelope
Health Information Management and Community Health Planning Project To identify gaps in health information; to develop population health indicators and the data sets to support them; to strengthen health information partnerships between First Nations and various government health organizations; and to build health information capacity in First Nations communities in NS. Jan 2007 – Mar 2010 Health Canada, FNIHB – Atlantic
Educational Retreat for Primary Health Care Staff, 2008 To plan, organize and implement a training retreat for health centre staff and physicians from the 5 health centres aimed at enhancing capacities in the area of conflict resolution, building community relationships, and program planning and evaluation. Mar 2008 -Jun 2008 NS Dept of Health and CBDHA
Pandemic/Emergency Preparedness To conduct a  gap analysis between community-based, provincial and federal departments regarding Pandemic planning; carry out community and council table-top educational sessions; equip each community health centre with a one-time stock of pandemic supplies; establish an inventory and rotation program for replacement; provide all homes in each of the 5 communities with Red Cross 72-hour Emergency kits. 12 months (2007-2008) FNIH, Ottawa Branch
Cape Breton First Nations Telehealth Expansion  – Project Implementation (Phase 2) To develop and deliver health and education services via telehealth that support primary health care delivery. May 2007 – Feb 2008 Canada Health Infoway
Cape Breton First Nations Telehealth Expansion – Project Planning (Phase 1) To develop a plan to implement telehealth services for the Unama’ki communities. Jul 2006 – Apr 2007 Canada Health Infoway
Unama’ki Tui’kn Partnership Breast Cancer  Foundation Grant To Provide an educational, pampering experience and inspirational retreat to Unama’ki Breast Cancer survivors.  A DVD will also be made of this event.  Intent is to begin the foundation work for a breast cancer or cancer support group. Nov 2007 – Nov 2008 Breast Cancer Foundation
Tui’kn Initiative To achieve a model of primary health care that is holistic, multidisciplinary, comprehensive and helps to improve health and the quality of life in the five communities. Jan 2004 – Sep 2006 Health Canada’s Primary Health Care Transition Fund