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| FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR |
Over the past few months, there have been some minor changes at SOAHAC and there will also be future changes coming about. Most recently, SOAHAC has entered into an agreement with the Community Organizational Health Incorporated (COHI), to become an accredited health service organization. “Accreditation” is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented. The target date for our review will be between December 2011 and March 2012. We are presently going through a self assessment based on the Building Healthier Organization (BHO) framework. As our BHO work plan develops and progresses you can expect to receive updates from our BHO Leads – Theresa Goulais (staff) and Diane Sullivan (Board of Directors).
The Board of Directors have contracted with CESO to do an organizational and reporting structure review. As SOAHAC has grown, programs and services require greater coordination along with the need to develop a new strategic plan beyond 2011. The review along with recommendations is to be complete by the end of June 2010.
Brian Dokis
Executive Director |
| Health Canada Scraps "Health Consent Forms" |
| Health Canada announced on February 4, 2004 that it will be scrapping it's mandate to force near 750,000 status Indians to sign controversial consent forms for uninterrupted service for claims for Health coverage, prescription services, eye glasses, short-term crisis intervention counselling, etc. The initial March 1, 2004 deadline to sign client consent forms in order to recieve health services no longer applies. Phil Fontaine, leader for the Assembly of First Nations said the February 4th announcement "is a major victory in terms of protecting our entitlement to health services." Health Canada initiated the Non-Insured Health Benefits Client Consent in 2000 but suddenly announced just days before the consent deadline date that it has changed it's mandate. No longer will they attempt to gather a signed consent form from every status Indian in Canada but they will "in a few instances, where client safety or inappropriate use of the system may be a concern, the Non-Insured Health Benefits program will seek the express consent of clients to share their personal information with health care providers." |
| New 1-800 Line Established For Aboriginal People with Disabilities |
| Information and referral services will be provided to First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people, both on and off reserve, who are living with a disability in Canada about any benefits or government services that may be available to them. The BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS) has been awarded a contract for a pilot project that will enable Aboriginal people from across Canada to phone a 1-800 line for Advocacy and Referral Services. Mike Touchie, president of BCANDS welcomes the challenge. He states, "This new initiative will allow all disabled Aboriginal people with disabilities from across Canada an avenue to meet their needs. We have many of our People who have nowhere to turn in times of crisis." Jim Franklin, BCANDS Information and Referral 1-800 Operator, provides information and makes referrals with respect to accessing health services, medical equipment, employment, and general information on disabilities and other health related issues. The new Advocacy and Referral Service toll free number is: 1-888-381-7303, TTY Accessible. |
| More Chronic Illness Among Off-Reserve Aboriginals |
| According to Statistics Canada's 2001 Aboriginal People's Survey released in September 2003, aboriginal people living off-reserve have increasing levels of chronic illness and crowded living conditions. Nearly 45 percent of adult aboriginal people living off-reserve reported at least one chronic health problem. The most common problems reported were arthritis, rheumatism, high blood pressure and asthma. Diabetes was the fifth-most prevalent health problem. "Diabetes is being diagnosed at younger ages, is more severe when diagnosed and has high rates of complications," the report says. While 56 percent rated their health as good or excellent, diabetes seems more prevalent in older aboriginal women. |
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