AHS opens National Indigenous Month

Alberta Heath Services kicked off National Indigenous Month Thursday with virtual opening ceremonies.

Among the speakers was co-host Dr. Esther Tailfeathers, senior medical director of the Indigenous Wellness Core and Mauro Chies, CEO of AHS.

One focus of the ceremony was ensuring that Indigenous people get culturally safe service whenever and wherever they require health services.

“In the last six months for example, the Indigenous Wellness Core has been educating sites across the province on providing equitable access to Indigenous spiritual ceremonies. We’ve always supported on-site Indigenous ceremony but we learned this hasn’t been offered to all patients and families consistently. So with the help of multidisciplinary working group, the Indigenous Wellness Core, we’ve developed a policy that’s going to ensure Indigenous patients have consistency access to ceremony no matter what site they’re receiving treatment in,” said Chies.

“This policy is going to take effect, I’m happy to say, on June 21 on National Indigenous Peoples Day so sites have been working very very hard to implement it before then,” said Chies, who thanked those who worked on the development of the policy so quickly and the sites for supporting its implementation.

“Accommodating cultural adhering is one of the Truth and Reconciliation calls to action and this policy brings us to another step closer to achieving this,” added Chies.

The CEO said more will be heard about this and other program improvements taking place throughout AHS in June in virtual sessions that have been set up.

People will also learn how AHS is supporting the LGBTQ Two Spirit community and the expansion of the highly successful Indigenous support line. There will be sessions planned for addictions, treatment and recovery, improving virtual support, the Honoring Life program geared to suicide prevention in Indigenous youth, he said.

Every Monday in June at 9 a.m. an Elder will be teaching, he said.

This coming Monday a virtual event will focus on a day in the life of Indigenous Liaisons working in acute care. This runs from noon until 1 p.m.

On Tuesday the noon session will be on Neurodiversity: Autism while a session on Thursday, June 8 at noon will focus on perspectives on addictions and recovery for Indigenous people.

Information on a number of upcoming online programs being held throughout the month can be found at https://together4health.albertahealthservices.ca/2023nipm