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ADVOCACY PROGRAM
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:
- To ensure that Aboriginal people have access
to culturally appropriate health care services and programs.
- To promote the empowerment of Aboriginal
people in determining their own needs.
- To assist Aboriginal people in the areas
of education, income, employment/training, housing and life
skills.
- To provide patient advocacy services in
area hospitals to address language barriers, ensure patient
and family understand diagnosis and treatment and accommodate
cultural and traditional barriers.
ON BEHALF OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLE
- Lobby mainstream organizations to ensure
Aboriginal representation on health related decision-making
bodies, policy committees and boards.
- Report incidents of discrimination to appropriate
authorities.
- Lobby upper tier levels of government (or
join lobbying forces) to ensure that the voice of the Aboriginal
community is heard with respect to health policy decisions.
- Encourage mainstream organizations serving
significant Aboriginal populations to hire Aboriginal staff
that is familiar with the customs and traditions.
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SERVICES
- Assistance on a one to one basis in areas
of housing, financial issues, employment/training, education
and life skills.
- Referrals to health service and social
service providers to receive the health care that the client
requires.
- Hospital visits & support.
- Client support and follow-up contacts.
- Advocate between client and attending health
care provider/social service agency.
- Report incidents of discrimination to appropriate
authorities.
- Providing information regarding health
coverage, OHIP and First Nations & Inuit Health Benefits
(Health Canada).
- Provide legal information and resources
(i.e. Appeals - disability, housing, living wills).
- Cultural sensitivity training services
and presentation to mainstream health care and social service
providers.
- Bi-weekly identification & advocacy
clinics(Ever other Monday at the Brantford site & every
other Wednesday in Hamilton).
- Workshops and clinics (i.e. First Nations
& Inuit Health Benefits, Medic Alert days, Legal Information
sessions).
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Message From The Desk Of Tara Williams
- Advocacy Program Coordinator
 Greetings,
Everyone! Things have been very busy for the Advocacy Program since
the Fall 2001. With one-to-one assistance from newborn babies, children,
youth, adults, elderly, single parent families. Also, assisting in
the areas of housing, employment & training, education, income,
life skills issues, i.e.: Budgeting, etc. Helping individuals with
forms for Ontario Disability Support Programs, Ontario Works and appeals
process have been a growing concern within the community members.
It has been a full year that the
program has offered the "Identification and Advocacy Information
Clinics" here in Hamilton and has been successful and continues
to be very beneficial and helpful for our clients, patients and
community members with process, procedures information and forms
for the Birth Certificates, Social Insurance Number, Indian Status
Cards and Ontario Health Cards, etc. As for the Brantford site clinics,
it has been since 2001 and also continues to grow.
For clarification for individuals,
at the clinics - we do not do the actual process of Identification
cards. (For example: Indian status cards, SIN, Birth Certificates
and Health Cards.) The clinic is meant for explanation for the various
forms and process time for the Identification and for First Nations
& Inuit Health Benefits, Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support
Program - Issues and Advocacy resource material is readily available
for everyone.
If you or someone you know are having
difficulties accessing various programs within the communities of
Hamilton and Brantford areas, please contact myself at the Hamilton
site (905) 544-4320 for more information and for the Brantford site
(519) 752-4340, please leave a message with Marcy - Receptionist.
The appropriate referrals can be made to suit your needs.
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Presentations
In the past months the program coordinators
have been coordinating presentations to mainstream organizations
and health service providers.
One of the larger presentations that we were
given the opportunity to facilitate was a workshop on "Aboriginal
Health" at the 2nd Annual Nurse to Nurse Conference.
The areas of focus were
*Tradional Healing *Health
* Health Promotion & Education * Overview of the Health
Center and Advocacy services within area hospitals
Thanks to my co-workers, Cindy Mutch -Health
Promotion & Education Program Coordinator, Laura Williams
-Outreach Program Coordinator and Janet Hill - Traditional
Healing Program Coordination for an excellent job and memorable
conference.
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