The Intergovernmental Committee on First Nation Health

1
The Inter-governmental Committee on First Nation
Health

• Overview of A Manitoba Tripartite Initiative In
  First Nation Health (formerly Romanow Joint
  Working Group)

2
Context

• In November 2002, Roy Romanow released the Final
  Commissioned Report,Building on Values The
  Future of Health Care in Canada with 47
  Recommendations.
• Chapter 10, A New Approach to Aboriginal Health,
  concluded with 2 Recommendations proposing new
  funding and institutional arrangements.

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The Romanow Report

• Recommendation 42 Current funding for
  Aboriginal health services provided by the
  federal, provincial and territorial governments
  and Aboriginal organizations should be pooled
  into single consolidated budgets to be used to
  integrate health care services, improve access
  and provide adequate, stable and predictable
  funding.

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Recommendations Continued...

• Recommendation 43 The consolidated budgets
  should be used to fund new Aboriginal Health
  Partnerships that would be responsible for
  developing policies, providing services and
  improving the health of of Aboriginal people.
  These partnerships can take many forms and should
  reflect the needs, characteristics and
  circumstances of the population served.

5
Romanows Three Options

• Maintain the status quo in which Health Canada
  would continue to negotiate individual
  arrangements with communities for the transfer of
  funds and service delivery or
• The approach recommended by RCAP that would tie
  the delivery of health services to larger
  objectives of expanding Aboriginal
  self-government models or
• Integrating Aboriginal health services into
  provincial health care systems and become the
  responsibility of the provincial government.

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Background of the Joint Process

• Romanow Report released November 2002.
• Meeting between Grand Chief White Bird (AMC),
  Grand Chief Flett (MKO) and representatives of
  Grand Chief Swan (SCO) with the Provincial
  Ministers Dave Chomiak Oscar Lathlin February
  2003.
• Invitations extended to the Federal Ministers of
  Health Canada and Indian and Northern Affairs
  Canada in June 2003.
• Inter-governmental Committee on First Nation
  Health (formerly RJWG) formalized their
  partnership with the Terms of Reference approved
  August 2003.

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ICFNH Structure

• Membership Provincial Deputy Ministers (Manitoba
  Health Aboriginal Northern Affairs), Senior
  Federal Government Officials (Health Canada
  INAC), First Nation Executive Directors (AMC,
  MKIO, SCO).
• Chairperson Co-Chairs from AMC and Health
  Canada.
• Secretariat Project Coordinator and
  Administrative support person.
• Contractors Independent project specific.

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ICFNH Organizational Chart
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Purpose of the ICFNH

• Explore innovative solutions to improve the
  efficiencies in Manitobas current health care
  delivery models and develop recommendations to
  improve the health status of First Nations
  people by means of
• Analyzing the current health services and
  evidence-based research available
• Exploring the jurisdictional issues affecting
  program delivery
• Involving First Nation participants to assist in
  the development of recommendations and redesign
  models

10
Underlying Principles

• The ICFNH discussions will address common health
  issues specific to First Nations (not on an
  Aboriginal basis as a whole as recommended in the
  Romanow Report).
• Discussions will not impede or compromise any
  existing and/or future Manitoba First Nations
  initiatives in relation to health.
• Discussions will also include other issues not
  addressed in the Romanow Report.

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Also Guided by the Following Legislation Major
Reports

• The Constitution Act of 1982
• The Canada Health Act of 1984
• The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples
  (RCAP), 1996
• The Romanow Report, 2002
• The First Ministers Health Accord, 2003
• First Nation Self-Government Initiatives

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Project Goals

• Explore common decision making processes, gaps
  and duplication of services
• Identification of human and financial resources
• Produce a joint document to be used in Manitoba
  identifying partnership options and
• Advance recommendations to the Ministers and
  Grand Chiefs on better health outcomes for
  Manitoba First Nations.

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Key Projects

• Fiscal Analysis - Current federal and provincial
  health care expenditures on Manitoba First
  Nations - September 2005
• Environmental Scan - Gaps Duplication of
  Services - May 2005
• Health Human Resource Strategic Planning Meeting
  - February 24-25, 2005
• First Nation Primary Health Care Conference
  March 22-24, 2005

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National Health Councils Advice on Aboriginal
Health (2005)

• Develop an Aboriginal health work force that
  addresses linguistic and cultural barriers and
  provision of services closer to home
• Target education programs at Aboriginal youth for
  health careers
• Develop health profession training programs that
  recognize traditional healing practices and
  services in rural remote communities
• Development Primary Health Care Models to address
  broader determinants of health and that are
  relevant to Aboriginal communities and
• Accelerate the use of information technology.

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Current Tasks

• Finalizing Reports for dissemination
• HHR Strategy Development
• Primary Health Care Conference
• Environmental Scan Overview of Gaps in First
  Nation Health Social Services
• Comprehensive review roll-up of ICFNH 2004-05
  projects.
• Research management for Fiscal Analysis

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Next Steps...

• Awaiting approval of 2005-06 work plan and
  proposed projects.
• Recommendation development for Ministers and
  Grand Chiefs

FOR MORE INFO...

• Melanie MacKinnon - ICFNH Project Coordinator
• The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs - [phone]