Northern Alberta’s pristine lakes, mighty rivers, boreal forests and
abundant wildlife are the backdrop for an outdoor adventure of a lifetime.

With so many opportunities it’s easy to find the perfect place where your skills can make a difference.

ADVANTAGES

• excellent wages & benefits
• urban & rural opportunities
• diverse workforce
• opportunities to realize your potential

WE ARE ONE

Find out more at: www.albertahealthservices.ca/careers
or email: recruit@albertahealthservices.ca

AHS values the diversity of the people and communities we serve, and is committed to attracting, engaging and developing a diverse and inclusive workforce.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Full Time Position

Poundmaker’s Lodge requires a full time employee who will assume the responsibility as the Addictions Counselor.  The overall objective is to provide support to the Young Adults between the ages of 18-24 years.  The responsibilities include providing education, prevention, and treatment services within a residential treatment centre environment.  This also includes the   integration of cultural and spiritual practices of First Nations cultures as well as the 12 step abstinence based recovery in this practice.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Candidate will provide addiction related assessments and referrals, counseling, group facilitation and leadership, case management and consultations in a professional and therapeutic environment.   Furthermore, the successful candidate will assist in planning workshops, group activities and develop programs geared towards family growth and self actualization.  The individual must have the ability to work within a team environment.

Qualification Criteria:

1)    Completion of a Bachelor of Social Work Degree and experience in social services delivery and/or Nechi Training an asset
2)    Work within a First Nations environment

Knowledge and Skills Required:

1)    Maintaining confidentiality is essential.
2)    Effective group facilitation skill and conflict resolution skills
3)    Excellent verbal and written communication skills and computer literacy skills an asset

Other:

1)    Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation for work related duties.
2)    Criminal Records Check Mandatory.
3)    Demonstration of a healthy lifestyle will be an asset

Random drug testing may be administered.

Start date for this position is no later than June 5, 2012.  Starting wage will be set according to education, skills and experience.  For consideration, interested parties should submit a resume along with a cover letter and 3 references by May 28, 2012 to:

April Derhousoff
Fax:  (780)459-1876
Email:  april-derhousoff@poundmaker.org

Launched on May 15 at 11 a.m. on nfb.ca/hereathome, the Canada-wide, bilingual project trains its lens on the reality of homelessness in Moncton, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver. It does so by tracking participants of the At Home study, a research initiative led by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and the health professionals who work with homeless populations daily. On an ongoing basis, the filmmakers will chronicle the Housing First approach—namely, giving people a home and then focusing on treatment. What are the social, human and financial consequences of providing a roof and services to those who, struggling with mental illness, live on the streets?

Read More >>

Source: Nation Talk

Birthing Options Research Network (B.O.R.N.) has been pushing government for integrated midwifery services in the province, pointing out that P.E.I. is the only province without midwifery legislation or funding. The group, made up of doulas, midwives and others interested in this issue, makes some compelling points.

According to Sherri MacWilliams, co-chair of the group, midwifery services help women during labour and in the pre-natal and post-natal stages, and complement the work of obstetricians and family physicians in other jurisdictions. “They are part of the health-care teams and it is an option elsewhere, so it needs to be an option for families here on P.E.I.” As well, she said, midwifery is a proven method of cost savings.

So what is the province’s position? A task force was struck by former health minister Carolyn Bertram to examine the issue, and although both she and current minister, Doug Currie, have been receptive to discussion, no action has been taken. A Department of Health official says government plans to move ahead with legislation in the fall to address midwifery and other unregulated health-care professions.

While that’s encouraging, it’s hardly a commitment. The recent rally at Province House was good strategy to remind government that midwifery expertise is available in the province and that it makes sense to integrate it with the health-care system. At a time when it’s looking to cut costs, government should be particularly interested in hearing how integrating midwifery services into the health-care system would do that.

Read More >>

Source: The Guardian

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq and Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan offered resources to the struggling First Nation in a letter to Chief Harvey Alphonse on Tuesday, promising “our top priority is to work with your health team to identify resources to help respond as quickly as possible.”

“Health Canada can assist in making mental health professionals available to help in situations such as this,” the letter said, adding a top B.C. bureaucrat will be on hand to help in any way possible.

Cowichan Tribes Chief Alphonse asked for help Monday from the federal and provincial governments after four suicides involving aboriginal males this year.

He said a pervasive sense of hopelessness that hangs over much of the Cowichan nation has also led to 52 suicide alerts in his east coast Vancouver Island community this year.

Alphonse said he wanted Duncan to visit Cowichan to view first-hand the threats to his community’s primary asset, the youth.

B.C.’s aboriginal relations and reconciliation minister Mary Polak said the province has also been in contact with Cowichan Tribes with an offer of help.

Polak said one of her deputy ministers is meeting Friday with Cowichan Chief Harvey Alphonse and some members of his council and staff.

“It’s deeply concerning, but we need to remember that along with our deep concern for Cowichan Tribes, there is an over-arching problem for First Nations. . . and that is that the rate of suicides in First Nations is extremely high,” said Polak.

Cowichan Tribes acting health director Jennifer Jones confirmed the First Nation has been contacted by officials from the province and Ottawa.

Read More >>

Source: Chronicle Herald

“This feels like a dream, I don’t even know what to say right now. I just want to thank everybody who voted for us and supported us, it’s an amazing feeling,” said Brandon Courchene.

“Their heart and soul was on display,” said host Dina Pugliese.

The live results show began at 7 p.m. on Citytv and featured performances by Hedley and America’s Got Talent finalist Jackie Evancho.

The finalists took to the stage Sunday in the last push for votes. During the show, judges Stephan Moccio, Measha Brueggergosman and Martin Short said Canada would have a hard time voting for a winner.

The diverse performers, including Toronto circus performer Aygul Memet and Mississauga-based Bollywood troupe Broken Dance, competed for a grand prize that includes $100,000 in cash, a Nissan GT-R sports car worth $105,000, a Las Vegas show and an appearance at the Citytv New Year’s Eve bash.

While about six per cent of women with a genetic link to South Asia will develop diabetes during pregnancy, a stunning eight to 18 per cent of aboriginal women will do so. The rate for Canadians as a whole is about three per cent. The rising rates in North America are also a key reason behind the increasing number big babies who weigh close to 10 pounds at birth (4,500 grams), significantly above the average of about  7 pounds eight ounces or 3,400 grams.

Gestational diabetes – excessively high blood sugar during pregnancy –  creates a cycle of ill health. Mothers who have it are more likely to develop diabetes later in life – and so are their children. Diabetes can cause kidney damage, heart problems and poor circulation that can eventually lead to foot amputation.

The federal government has an Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative that offers information and suggestions on reducing those high rates through diet and exercise.

While we’re all getting fatter, aboriginal and South Asian people are  getting sicker because of a genetic predisposition to store fat in times of famine. Not an advantage any more in a world of cheap, high-calorie fast food. Too much time in front of the TV or computer are adding to the problem.

Congratulations to the groups out there trying to do more like the Vancouver Native Health Society.

It’s a big job.

Source: Vancouver Sun

The Cowichan Tribes — with 4,500 members, the largest aboriginal community in B.C. — have been deeply impacted by the suicides and their counselling staff are overwhelmed, Alphonse said.

“There’s a three-week waiting period for people waiting for assistance,” said Alphonse, adding that wait is longer for some when urgent cases are pushed to the front.

The long wait to talk to trained counsellors “adds fuel to the fire and there’s a sense of hopelessness,” he said.

The tribes, located in and around the Cowichan Valley and Duncan, are calling for help from the federal and provincial governments to fund additional counsellors and other professionals to address the spike in suicides.

The root causes of suicide on reserve include poverty where, in one case, 19 people are living in a three-bedroom house, Alphonse said. Aboriginal students drop out of school because they feel marginalized, and then their lack of education means they can’t find work.

Band members have an unemployment rate of 85 per cent, Alphonse said.

A sad history that includes sexual abuse at residential schools makes turning things around even more challenging, he added.

Nanaimo-Cowichan NDP MP Jean Crowder, speaking by phone from Ottawa, said she is well aware of the suicide problem and attributes the cause in part to “unbelievable” poverty: “It’s pretty hopeless when you look around and realize you don’t have the education to get jobs.

“Then you’ve got an Indian Act that continues to be paternalistic, saying Father knows best. It’s not a surprise that the suicide rates are so high. What is a surprise is the lack of action.”

Read more >>

Source: Vancouver Sun

“In some ways, Canadians eat better than ever before,” said Daniel Munro, Principal Research Associate. “But despite the small improvements, Canadians are exposed to unnecessary risk because we continue to eat too much harmful fats, sodium, and sugar, and not enough fruits, vegetables, and fibre. It’s also very troubling that children’s eating habits are poor and getting worse.

“We need to take action to improve dietary patterns—especially among children—in order to reduce the future health, economic, and social burden of chronic diseases.”

The Conference Board report, Improving Health Outcomes: The Role of Food in Addressing Chronic Disease, considers the food-related risk factors for three highly prevalent chronic diseases—cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. The report, published by the Centre for Food in Canada, also assesses how industry, governments, and consumers, are managing dietary risks, and proposes actions that could lead to improvements.

The report identifies aspects of Canadians’ diets that increase their risk of developing a chronic disease:

• Canadians’ average daily consumption of sodium—3,400 mg—is well above both the adequate daily intake level of 1,500 mg and the upper limit target of 2,300 mg per day. Canadian processed foods tend to contain more sodium than equivalent products sold in the United States, although, overall, Canadians consume less sodium daily than Americans (See Chart: Salt Consumption, Selected Countries).
• Seven in 10 Canadian men and five in 10 Canadian women eat more calories than they expend through activity. By 2008, 62 per cent of Canadians were overweight or obese—which is a key risk factor for many chronic diseases.
• Few children eat the recommended five or more servings of fruit and vegetables each day, and many children consume more calories than they burn – through their low and declining levels of physical activity. An alarming 8.6 per cent of children aged 6 to 17 are obese; one in four are overweight or obese.

Consumer knowledge has improved—aided in part by Canada’s Food Guide, Nutrition Facts tables, and public awareness campaigns. And the range of healthy food options—including the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables year-round—has increased (See Chart: Canadian Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables at Least Five Times Daily). However, the range of less healthy food options has also expanded and many consumers are still unwilling or unable to eat well.

The report identifies measures that industry, government, and consumers, should consider adopting to help reduce the dietary risks of chronic diseases:

• Use population-wide strategies to address sodium and trans-fat intake levels and other population-wide risks.
• Focus on high-risk subsets of the population with specific dietary problems, such as the seriously overweight and obese.
• Clarify nutritional content descriptions on labelling and packaging.
• Conduct further research on the social, economic, and psychological drivers of consumers’ food choices as the basis for designing policies that influence their behaviours.
• Provide information, expertise, funding, and programs to parents and schools to improve children’s food literacy, eating habits, and physical activity.

The report is one of 20 being prepared by the Conference Board’s Centre for Food in Canada. The principal goal of the Centre is to engage stakeholders from business, government, academia, associations, and communities in creating a Canadian Food Strategy—one that will meet the country’s need for a coordinated, long-term strategy on healthy and safe food, consumer security, industry viability, and sustainability.

Click for a video of Daniel Munro discussing the role of food in addressing chronic disease.

Source: Nation Talk

• Karyne Belanger, Ottawa, ON (Traditional Art and Craftwork among Métis Adults: Findings from the Aboriginal Peoples Survey, 2006).
• Lynn Barwin, La Pêche, QC (Traditional Medicine Use and Availability among Métis Adults: Findings from the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey).
• Irene Gonneau, Lake Country, BC (Depression among Métis adults: Findings from the 2006 Aboriginal People’s Survey).
• Daniel McKennitt, Edmonton, AB (Self-Rated Health of Métis Adults: Findings from the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey).
• Devonn Robinson, Ottawa, ON (Access to a Regular Medical Doctor or Family Doctor among Métis Adults: Findings from the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey).

Each of winners received a $1000 award. Contestants used the Métis Centre statistical database (www.metiscentreresearch.ca) to develop the fact sheets. Developed in collaboration with Statistics Canada, the database is the most comprehensive national database on Métis statistics in the country. It houses over 5000 sets of statistical tables and graphs (over 5000 tables and 10,000 graphs). Additionally, it has maps, e-learning tutorials and other supporting documents.

The contest was intended to (1) develop statistical capacity, (2) generate awareness of Métis health and well-being, and (3) partly address the paucity of Métis health and wellbeing research and literature. The paucity of Métis-related health research has been highlighted yet again by research conducted by Métis Centre researchers, which was published in the January/February, 2012 issue of the Canadian Journal of Public Health (Trends in Métis-related health research (1980-2009): Identification of research gaps).

Congratulations to the five winners!

For the past twelve years, the Métis Centre of NAHO has dedicated itself to improving the mental, physical, spiritual, emotional and social health of in Métis in Canada through public education, health promotion, research, and knowledge translation activities.

For more information about the Métis Centre or the National Aboriginal Health Organization, please visit www.naho.ca/metis.

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For media inquiries, contact:

Catherine Graham
Director, Métis Centre
Phone: 613-513-5606
Email: cgraham@naho.ca