A New Way of Looking at Best Practices in Aboriginal Communities

Introducing the Canadian Best Practice Initiative’s framework for including

“Tried and True” Aboriginal ways to promote health and prevent disease

Welcome! Bienvenue!

Kolipaîo (Abenaki)

Mino pijan (Algonquin)

Miropeicak (Atikamekw)

Ekudeh (Cree)

ilaali / Ullukkut / Ai (Inuit)

Kwe Kwe (Wendat)

Hadih (Carrier)

Minatakushini (Innu)

Weltasualulnog (Micmac)

IÓh (Mohawk)

Nimiwaitan

Takuasenen (Naskapi)

Qalxalulhmts (Bella Coola)

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Learning objectives Better understanding of:

• The rationale and wholistic model behind the framework

• Good practice from an Aboriginal perspective

• The screening and assessment process used to identify and evaluate interventions for inclusion

• The Canadian Best Practices Portal

• Public health interventions that have demonstrated success in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Welcome from the Public Health Agency - Nina Jetha, Manager, Canadian Best Practices Initiative

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

www.cbpp-pcpe.phac-aspc.gc.ca

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Key Goals of the Ways Tried and True Project

• “Develop a wholistic and flexible approach for that will

provide the scaffolding to guide the identification and

assessment of Aboriginal public health interventions for

inclusion in the CBPP”

• Document the best available evidence on successful

public health interventions in Aboriginal communities

• Identify First Nations, Inuit and Métis public health

interventions on 3 key topic areas:

» Strong healthy bodies

» Mental wellness

» Maternal and child health

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Key organisations involved

• HC and PHAC

• Johnston Research Inc.

• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

• National Association of Friendship Centres

• National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health

• Six Nations Grand River Territory

• Mental Health Commission of Canada

• Government of Nunavut

• Six Nations Grand River Territory

• Federation of SK Indian Nations

• Monoquonuwick-Neoteetgj Mosigisig Inc

• Kishk Anaquot Health Research

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Other key organisations

• Aboriginal Healing Foundation

• Indigenous Physicians Associations of Canada

• Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada

• University of Regina

• McGill University

• Research and Health Promotion Institute, CIHR

• Native Women’s Associations of Canada

• Ryerson University

• Laval University

• University of Waterloo

• First Nations Health Managers Association

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Rationale for the Project

• Health disparities between Aboriginal and non-

Aboriginal Canadians are well-documented

• Yet information on how best to address these

inequities and improve health and well-being is

conspicuously difficult to find.

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Methodology and Approach

• Input from expert working

group

• Interviews with Aboriginal

community practitioners

and researchers

• Review of the literature

• Expertise of the JRI project

team

• Three phases

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Understanding “Best” Practices from an

Aboriginal Perspective

• The idea of replication is at odds with common

Indigenous knowledge.

• Interventions recognized as best practice may receive

funding without regard for the context and locally driven

solutions.

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

The Wholistic Model of Aboriginal Health

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Rubric Screening Criteria

• Allows for: the inclusion of Aboriginal-specific constructs

such as traditional knowledge and wholistic approaches.

• Screens based on:

» Impact

» Community Involvement

» Quality of Evidence

» Source

» Focus

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Key elements used by the Aboriginal Ways

Tried and True Framework to assess

interventions and evidence:

• Community-based: high level of buy-in helps to increase vested

interest.

• Wholistic : “An integrative approach- that seeks to balance the mind,

body, and spirit with community and environment” (NAHO, 2011)

• Integrates Indigenous Cultural Knowledge

» Addresses and incorporates values, culture, shared experiences

» Not static, but changing and growing

» Responds to new ideas and challenges

• Building on Community Strengths and Needs

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Key elements – Cont’d

• Partnership and collaboration

» Importance of recognizing, valuing and integrating

multiple ways of knowing

» Become integrated through a process of partnership

and collaboration

• Effectiveness

» Based on reported outcomes

» Degree to which the intervention had the desired

outcomes

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Achievements to Date

• Highly collaborative approach

• Interest by CIHR’s Pathways project to use our

framework and rubric for funders and applicants

• Over 30 community based will be shared on the

site by 2015

• A new Ways Tried and True Section of the

Portal

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Tour of the Canadian Best Practices

Portal

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

http://cbpp-pcpe.phac-aspc.gc.ca

The Canadian Best Practices Portal

• Provides resources to plan programs for

promoting health and preventing diseases

• Consolidates multiple sources of credible and

trusted information in one place.

• Offers a “one stop shop” for busy health

professionals and decision-makers

“To help public health decision-makers

make better decisions.”

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Guiding Principles for Enhancing the Portal

• Work within P/T Public Health Frameworks and

federal public health role

• Audience - public health professionals

• Increase public health capacity by providing

access to evidence-based information

• Link to existing resources rather than creating

new information.

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

The Result

• Expanded content on a platform (2012),

compliant with new standards and mobile

access

• Easy access to credible information on

chronic disease prevention policies, resources,

data, guidelines, standards and systematic

reviews of the literature

• A comprehensive listing of public health RSS

feeds, email updates and list serves

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

http://cbpp-pcpe.phac-aspc.gc.ca

Resources on the CBPP

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Portal-Public Health Topics

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

What is a “Best Practice”?

An intervention, program/service, strategy,

or policy that has, through multiple

implementations, demonstrated high impact,

high adaptability and a high quality of evidence.

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Tour of Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

• INSERT SCREEN SHOT

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Tour of Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

• Search and browse for interventions

• Trusted and credible information

• TBD

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Maternal and Child Health Interventions

• 30 new interventions

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Intervention Name Focus

Kanistenhsera Teiakotihsnies Breastfeeding Promotion and Support

Promoting Iron Nutrition Infant Nutrition

Maskwacis Life Skills Training Child and Youth Life Skills

Immunization Reminder Calendar (AUS) Immunization Promotion

Nunavut Health Information System Surveillance

Kwanlin Dun Healthy Families Project

Parenting Kids First

Triple P Parenting Program (AUS)

Strong Healthy Bodies Interventions

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Intervention Name Focus

Sandy Lake Diabetes Prevention Program

Diabetes Prevention Kahnawake School Diabetes Prevention Program

Okichitaw (Indigenous Combat) Physical Activity Promotion (Urban)

The Nunavik Childcare Centre Nutrition Project

Nutrition/Country Food Promotion

Kainai High School Ever Active School Project

Physical Activity Promotion

Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre North Physical Activity and Youth Leadership

Promotion Take a Kid Trapping Program

Drop the Pop School-based Nutrition Promotion

Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation Green House and Farm

Nutrition Promotion

Mental Wellness Interventions

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Intervention Name Focus

Makimautiksat Youth Wellness and Empowerment Camp

Wholistic Mental Wellness Promotion

Journey to Wellness School-based Suicide Prevention Program for Youth (12-18 years)

Caring for the Circle Within: Jackson Lake Land Based Healing Program

Intergenerational Trauma among Adults

Reclaiming our Ancestral Footsteps Land based Mental Wellness Program for Youth (16-18)

Projet Pair-Aidants Suicide Prevention Training

Hobbema Community Cadet Corps Program RCMP-led Mental Wellness Promotion (at-risk youth)

Bii Zin Da-De-Dah (US) Substance Abuse Prevention (family-centred)

Nimi Icinohabi Program Substance Abuse Prevention (School-based)

Makimautiksat Youth Wellness and Empowerment

Camp

• Location/Lead: Nunavut / Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre

• Program Components:

» Youth aged 13-18

» 10 day land based camp

• Program Goals:

» Create preventative child/youth health & wellness interventions based on

northern and community-based ways of understanding

• Results:

» Increased self esteem, wellness, coping and pride

» Enhanced peer networks

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Journey to Wellness (J2W)

• Location/Lead: Saskatchewan/Battlefords Tribal Council Indian Health

Services

• Program Components:

» School based

» Youth aged 12 and 18

• Program Goals:

» Improve school relationships, problem solving, learn how to seek help for suicide

ideation

• Results:

» Improved problem solving, help seeking behaviour, confidence and view of

“future self”

» Enhanced connections within the community

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Sandy Lake Diabetes Prevention Project

• Location: Sandy Lake First Nation Ontario/ John Hopkins Bloomberg

School of Public Health

• Program Components:

» School based diabetes curriculum

» Diabetes radio show

» Retail based strategies

• Program Goals:

» Understand prevalence

» Increase awareness of diabetes

» Prevent diabetes

• Results:

» Increased nutritional awareness and confidence

» Increased fibre intake

» Decreased screen time among children

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Okichitaw (Indigenous Combat)

• Location/Lead: Toronto, Ontario/Native Canadian Centre of Toronto

• Program Components:

» Weekly martial arts program based in Cree culture

» Est. in 1997

• Program Goals:

» Build physical and mental strength

» Foster direction and focus

» Empowerment

• Results:

» Community connections, cohesion, and decrease in feelings of isolation and

displacement

» Increased understanding and interest in Aboriginal identity and culture

» Stress relief, patience

» Weight loss, self defense capacity, building strength

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Being recognized as an Aboriginal Way Tried and True is

confirmation that our project has reached its ultimate goal

of making a meaningful difference for Aboriginal children

and youth under community Elders' traditional guidance.

This recognition is also a testament to our project's

commitment to authentically honour Indigenous culture and

traditions in the context of a community-university

partnership.

~ Melissa Tremblay, Maskwacis Life Skills Training

Program

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Feedback and Questions

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True

Thank you! To learn more please contact Nina Jetha,

Manager - Canadian Best Practices Initiative

at nina.i.jetha@phac-aspc.gc.ca or visit the

portal at http://cbpp-pcpe.phac-aspc.gc.ca/.

Aboriginal Ways Tried and True