In August, we shared the news that the Aunt Leah’s Resource Centre had partnered with the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA). Now that the partnership is underway, we wanted to share more about why having an FNHA health-care team at the Resource Centre matters to the youth and moms we serve.
About half of Aunt Leah’s participants have Indigenous backgrounds. Each Wednesday and Thursday, they can connect with a Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nurse, Mental Health Clinician, and Medical Office Assistant right here at the Resource Centre.
For the youth and moms in our programs, having health care available in a place they already know can make a meaningful difference. They can connect with a health-care professional while accessing other supports at Aunt Leah’s, without some of the barriers and expenses that can make health care difficult to reach.
What does culturally safe care look like?
We spoke with Richard Tatomir, FNHA Practice Lead, and Oliver Wang, the team’s Mental Health Clinician, about their work at Aunt Leah’s and what culturally safe care can mean in practice.
Richard explained that culturally safe care can include bringing together Western medicine with Indigenous approaches to health and well-being. Some health-care teams consult with Elders and Knowledge Keepers and include their perspectives in the way care is provided. This can support a more holistic approach that recognizes physical, psychological, social and spiritual well-being.
“Part of how the FNHA initiative was developed was with the idea of delivering culturally safe health care to Indigenous people where they are,” says Richard. “That includes community, on reserve and urban centres through partner organizations like Aunt Leah’s.”
For Aunt Leah’s, having this care available at the Resource Centre is another way to reduce barriers to support. Participants do not have to navigate the health-care system on their own or travel somewhere unfamiliar to start a conversation.
More than one door into care
The FNHA team’s multidisciplinary approach also means that one conversation can lead to other supports.
A participant may first come to see the Nurse Practitioner, for example, and that conversation may open the door to counselling, social work or other health services. The team can also help connect participants with services in the wider health system, including culturally safe treatment.
Oliver has seen how important that connection can be, particularly when someone is dealing with complex circumstances.
One of the things he values about working at Aunt Leah’s is having the opportunity to focus on participants’ longer-term goals without the same limits on the number of counselling sessions that can exist in other settings. He also appreciates being able to stay connected with participants from their first contact with the team until they no longer need his support.
Katie, Aunt Leah’s Resource Center and Pre-Employment Coordinator, has also seen the difference the partnership is making at the Resource Centre.
“Having the FNHA nurses here has been a positive addition to the Resource Centre. Participants have appreciated having health-care support available in a familiar, low-barrier environment, and it provides an opportunity to ask questions or seek support that they may otherwise put off. It also helps normalize conversations about health and well-being and makes health care feel like a more accessible part of the overall support available at Aunt Leah’s.”
Health is closely connected to the other areas of life that affect stability, including housing, education, employment, food security and overall well-being. For Aunt Leah’s, the FNHA partnership adds another important layer of support for Indigenous youth and mothers who already connect with the Resource Centre.
The partnership also reflects the spirit of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action on health, including the call to address gaps in health outcomes and ensure access to appropriate health services for Indigenous people.
Most of all, it means Aunt Leah’s participants can find health-care support in a place where they already feel comfortable, with a team that can help them take the next step when they are ready.
Learn more about the First Nations-led Primary Health Care Initiative
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