Background
For decades, First Nations Health Directors in BC have been working to develop a common voice. The Tripartite First Nations Health Plan calls for “An association of health directors and other health professionals will create and implement a comprehensive capacity development plan for the management and delivery of community-based services and support First Nations and their mandated health organizations in training, program development and knowledge transfer.”
-From the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan
HEALTH DIRECTORS FORM ASSOCIATION
BC First Nations Health Directors have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the development of a First Nations Health Directors Association. 91 health directors cast their ballots November 5th at the Gathering Wisdom Forum, 79 in favour of the Association and 12 opposed. NEWS RELEASE Health Directors Form Association | pdf download |
Gathering Wisdom III
{ November 5th, 2009 - Day 3 - HEALTH DIRECTORS }
The third day of the 2009 Gathering Wisdom Forum was dedicated to First Nations Health Directors. In September of 2008, Health Directors held a two-day forum to begin dialogue towards the development of a First Nations Health Directors Association, one of four governance components in the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan. This Forum laid the groundwork for a Health Directors survey administered this spring. The feedback from both the forum and the survey led to the development of a draft structure for the Association. Discussions during Day 3 included:
• An update on work of the AFN toward the development of a National Health Directors Association.
• A presentation from the First Nations Health Directors Subcommittee on both the 2008 BC Health Directors Forum and the Health Directors survey results
• Presentation of a proposed model for a BC First Nations Health Directors Association
• Professional development workshops on eHealth, Strategic Planning, Community Best Practices, and Freedom of Information.
Presentations
First Nations Health Managers Association
Health Directions Association - What will it look like?
Health_Directors Association Survey Results
Strategic Planning Workshop
Strategic Planning Guide
Health Directors Survey Results 2009 | pdf download |
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A First Nations Health Directors Association is one four elements of the future health governance structure for BC First Nations.
Health Directors Forum 2008
The Health Council hosted a two day First Nations Health Directors Forum September 31- October 1st 2008 at the Coast Hotel. At the Forum, Health Directors held discussions towards establishing the Roles & Responsibilities, and Membership & Governing Structure of the association. The 121 health directors in attendance, also spent time strategizing on Human Resource Development, NIHB, Policy and Elder Care.
DOCUMENTS
Health Directors Forum 2008 Agenda
Travel Claim Form
Presentations
Forum Background (Louisa Willie & Lauren Brown)
Health Canada Presentation: Accreditation
Day One Facilitators Summary
Health Directors Association Next Steps
Advocacy Workshop on Disease
Evan Adams Keynote
In June 2008, the Health Council put out a general call to establish a planning committee for this forum. A committee was established representing health directors from a mix of rural, remote, transferred and integrated First Nations. The committee consisted of: Aileen Prince (Nak’azdli), Lauren Brown (Skidegate), Kim Brooks (Squamish), Laura Jameson (Little Shuswap), Carolyne Neufeld (Seabird Island), Louisa Willie (Heiltsuk), Shelley Henderson (KDC), Laurette Bloomquist (Sliammon), and Leyla Johnny (Tl’etinqox-T’in). The committee held a number of meetings over the summer and set the direction for this forum.
Feedback from previous discussions with health directors indicates that The role of the Association may include:
• Provide support to Health Directors
• Standardize training for Health Directors
• Maintaining competencies for Health Professionals
• Knowledge, credentials and standards such as cultural competencies
• Code of ethics
• Information and Knowledge Sharing
• Opportunity to share resources and technology
• Collective Strength
• Recruitment/Retention
• Political avenue to inform leadership
• Agents of change
• Provides for a collective voice
• Creating a new relationship and working together to develop new relationships with Provincial and Federal Government
The governing structure of the Association may include:
• Elected board from membership
• Formal legal entity
• Open to all First Nations Health Directors
• Non-Profit
• Grassroots membership