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Recruitment: Northern Nominations for the First Nations Health Authority Board of Directors
The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is currently recruiting Board members. The FNHA is non-profit society based out of West Vancouver, BC and provides health and wellness programs and services to First Nations province-wide. The 9-member Board will include 5 Board members selected from the Regions (Fraser; Interior; North; Vancouver Coastal; and, Vancouver Island); and, 4 Board members chosen at large. The terms of the Board will be staggered; the five regionally-representative positions will be effective April 1, 2014 and will expire March 31st, 2017. The four current at-large Board members terms will expire on March 31, 2015.
Qualifying factors
• Qualified BC First Nations individuals preferred; non-First Nations applicants bring a high degree of cultural competency and knowledge of BC First Nations communities.
• Qualities of intelligence, strategic thinking, perceptiveness, good judgment and common sense, maturity, ethics, integrity, and fairness.
• Time, energy, interest and willingness to serve as a Director of the FNHA.
• Prior Board experience with a positive record of accomplishment, including solid understanding of Board legal and fiduciary responsibilities.
• Experience in building and maintaining successful partnerships with governments and other organizations, and managing competing priorities amongst diverse partners and stakeholders.
• Experience in strategic planning, health planning, financial planning, and community development.
• Desirable qualifications include CA or similar designation, MBA or comparable university degree, degree of a designated health care professional (or equivalent experience).
• Board members should reflect healthy living – emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally.
Eligibility
• Have no conflict of interest or legal impediment that would interfere with the exercise of the Director’s independent judgment (including that one cannot be a Chief or Councillor, an FNHC or FNHDA member, a health director, or an elected federal, provincial, or municipal official).
Regional applicants will be shortlisted and nominated by a regional committee; the ultimate selection of FNHA Board members will be conducted by FNHA members collectively to ensure that the Board as whole reflects a broad range of skills and experience.
If you, or somebody you know has the base qualifications noted above and is interested in receiving more information about the FNHA and its Board responsibilities and competencies, please contact Brian Mairs by Email () or by phone (250-917-8569). The application deadline is May 15, 2013.
Full board recruitment posting here: FNHA Board recruitment posting PDF (600 kb)
COAST SALISH TERRITORY (Vancouver, BC) – The Northern Regional Health Caucus, interim First Nations Health Authority and Northern Health have announced signing of the historic Northern Partnership Accord that opens new doors for cooperation and planning to improve health outcomes for Northern First Nations. The Accord lays the groundwork for innovations in health service delivery and the creation of a more integrated, culturally appropriate, safe, and effective health system.
“The Northern Partnership Accord is a forward-thinking document that we will see in the future as a turning point in the creation of a more effective health service delivery system for First Nations in Northern BC,” said Warner Adam of the Northern Regional Health Caucus. “The mutual cooperation and willingness to work together between partners with the goal of improving the lives of our First Nations communities made this Accord a success.”
Included in the agreement is the development of a joint Northern Health and Northern First Nations Health and Wellness Committee and Plan that will identify the health needs of First Nations in the North, find solutions, and use measurable indicators to track its success. The Northern Partnership Accord acknowledges the right of self-governance for each First Nation, and the partnership between Northern Health, the interim First Nations Health Authority and the North Regional Health Caucus to close the gaps and remove barriers to accessing and improving services.
First Nations in Northern BC face distinct health service challenges with many remote communities spread out over a vast area of land. The North includes almost two-thirds of BC’s land base and has the highest proportion of Aboriginal people in any region of the province. Statistics have shown that health indicator gaps are larger for First Nations in the North than the rest of the province, along with facing unique issues related to social determinants of health in areas such as housing, education and economic factors.
“Northern Health has a commitment to high quality services and a population health approach,” said Cathy Ulrich, CEO of Northern Health. “Working with the interim First Nations Health Authority in ensuring those principles to lead us to better outcomes for all people is a vision we both share.”
Partners will work to increase understanding of First Nations traditions, customs and protocols in the entire Northern Health system including incorporating a Cultural Responsiveness Strategy. Other joint initiatives include coordination and alignment of planning and service delivery, additional recruitment and retention of health professionals in the North, and improving coordination of primary care services, access to services in remote communities and communications.
“Our Northern Caucus has come together as one voice representing all viewpoints and in close collaboration with Northern Health created this Accord that will prove to offer concrete outcomes to Northern First Nations and positively impact all residents of the North,” said Marjorie McCrae, Northern Regional Health Caucus Representative. “First Nations in Northern BC face some very unique challenges in the health care system, but this Accord is a great example of the positive working relationship we have and the bright future ahead.”
This Accord builds on several key provincial and regional documents including the Transformative Change Accord: First Nations Health Plan, Tripartite First Nations Health Plan, Consensus Paper: British Columbia First Nations Perspectives on a new Health Governance Arrangement, British Columbia Tripartite Framework Agreement on First Nation Health Governance, and Regional Summary of Governance Discussions 2011: Summary of feedback from Northern Regional Caucus and Health Partnerships Workbook 2011.
“Northern Health is committed to providing integrated and accessible health services to all people in Northern BC,” said Charles Jago, Chair of the Northern Health Board of Directors. “This relationship provides the framework for us to work in partnership with First Nations on long-term solutions to health care needs.”
Northern Health is divided into three Health Service Delivery Areas of the Northeast, Northern Interior, and Northwest, similar to the three sub-regions the Northern Caucus has organized around. Northern Health provides health services to 300,000 people over an area of 600,000 square kilometers in the province of British Columbia with over 7,000 employees.
The Northern Regional Health Caucus is composed and representative of Northern First Nations and serves as the regional planning and engagement forum for First Nations health in the region through the interim First Nations Health Authority.
PDF Download | Northern_Partnership_Accord_May_11,_2012.pdf
A high resolution photo is available upon request.
Background Documents:
The Transformative Change Accord: First Nations Health Plan (2006)
The Tripartite First Nations Health Plan (2007)
The Consensus Paper: British Columbia First Nations Perspectives on a new Health Governance Arrangement (2011)
British Columbia Tripartite Framework Agreement on First Nation Health Governance (2011)
Regional Summary of Governance Discussions 2011: Summary of feedback from Northern Regional Caucus and Health Partnerships Workbook (May 2011)
Connect with us:
First Nations Health Authority: http://www.fnhc.ca
Northern Health: http://www.northernhealth.ca
Media Contacts:
Trevor Kehoe
Communications
First Nations Health Authority
604-831-4898
Steve Raper
Director of Communications
Northern Health
250-565-2694
View this release as a PDF: FOR_IMMEDIATE_RELEASE_-_Northern_Partnership_Accord.pdf
Northern Regional Report
The First Nations Health Council (FNHC) launched a “Health Partnership Workbook” in January 2011, and made the Workbook available online and as the focus of a series of First Nations regional caucus sessions across the province. The Health Partnership Workbook summarized the discussions about health governance held at more than 100 First Nations regional caucus meetings over the past three years and asked First Nations Chiefs, leaders and senior health professionals in BC to confirm this summary of feedback gathered and share new thoughts and perspectives. The results will inform further discussions, negotiations and relationship building towards the establishment of a new health governance arrangement of First Nations health services in BC.
The feedback provided by First Nations through the regional caucus sessions and the Health Partnership Workbook has been rolled into 5 summary documents – one for each region in BC. The initial regional reports were provided to each region for review, discussion and further amendment in April 2011 and this revised version of the initial draft report was provided again to each region in May 2011.
Northern_Regional_Report | PDF Download |
Northern Region Health Council Members
Warner Adam - Northcentral Representative
Having previously served on the First Nations Interim Health Governance Committee, Warner Adam was recently selected to serve as a member of the First Nations Health Council by regional representatives from the Central sub-region of the Northern Regional Health Governance Caucus. The First Nations Health Council appointed Warner Deputy Chair for the newly restructured committee. The Health Council was restructured to a new regionally selected membership with three representatives from each of the five health regions for BC.
In his previous role as a member of the First Nations Interim Health Governance Committee, Mr. Adam was instrumental in organizing meetings in the Northern Region (Health Governance Caucus) and assisting in the transition from the previous configuration of the Health Council.
Warner Adam is the Executive Director of Carrier Sekani Family Services, which brings together eleven First Nations Governments in the north-western region of British Columbia. The mandate of this organization is to develop and deliver services for Children and Families, Health, and Legal/Justice. Mr. Adam holds a certificate in Public Administration of Aboriginal Governments from the University of Victoria and two years of Business Administration from the College of New Caledonia. He is a strong supporter of holistic healing using indigenous values and belief systems. He is committed to community capacity building for the positive growth of children, and autonomy of indigenous peoples.
Mr. Adam led the development of Carrier Sekani Family Services, seperate from the political entity of its parent organization, the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council. The organization started with a staff of three in 1989 to a staff of over 150 employees, the largest northern BC First Nations employer, with an annual budget of $14 million.
Charles Morven - North-west Representative
Charles Morven, is of Nisga’a ancestry and is a member of the Nisga’a Village of Gitwinksihlkw. He is the Deputy Chief Councillor as member of the Gitwinksihlkw Village Government and also represents the community on the Nisga’a Valley Health Authority (NVHA). In the last 7 years Charles has served in the NVHA in the capacity as Chair of the Board of Directors and currently chairs the Financial Committee of NVHA.
Charles has currently completed his 3rd year in First Nations Studies through the University of British Columbia in pursuit of achieving his Bachelor of Arts Degree. His immediate educational goal will be to achieve his Bachelors of Arts Degree in First Nations Studies. Charles’ ultimate goal in education will be to achieve his Masters in Business Administration.
Charles has obtained considerable experience in strategic planning, governance and leadership training through Canadian Professional Management Services (CPMS) in the area of Health.
Charles is the Northwest Sub Region appointment to the First Nations Health Council for the 2 year term beginning June 1, 2012 – May 31, 2014.
Tammy Watson- Northeast Representative
Tammy Lee Watson was recently elected to the Northern Regional Caucus’ North-east sub-region by the Treaty 8 Chiefs. An elected member of the Saulteau Nation Council, Ms. Watson joins the First Nations Health Council representing the north-east portion of the Northern Region (Treaty 8 Nations).
Ms. Watson has worked on numerous boards and committees in the region and has a good understanding of the issues and concerns the communities are facing. Among these are the Northern BC First Nations HIV/AIDS Coalition, the Medical Services Working Group and the Aboriginal Health Improvement Committee. She has a background in health and has enjoyed working with community, staff and leaders from Treaty 8 communities over the past 15 years.
During this time, I have established very respectable working relationships with the communities and this has encouraged a development of an earnest desire to continue working hard to ensure our voice is heard at all tables within the community, sub-regional, regional and provincial levels of government.
Ms. Watson will serve a two-year appointment to the First Nations Health Council and will play an important role in the Northern Regional Caucus.