Weekly Health Bulletin and Updates

Volume 30 | October 30, 2020

FNHMA Health Bulletin: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Welcome to your weekly dose of the FNHMA Health and Wellness Bulletin. Each issue, we do our best to provide relevant information, resources and supports to help you and your team navigate through COVID-19.

In this week's edition, we are highlighting:

FNHMA Virtual Celebration Guest and Speaker Announcement!
FNHMA Virtual Town Hall returns November 12, 2020
Total Number of Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 ISC is aware of as of October 29, 2020
"Toronto's first stationary Indigenous-led COVID-19 testing centre opens"
"Marion Crowe brings expertise in First Nations health to Ottawa Hospital Research Institute Board"
"COVID-19 in Indigenous communities: new and active cases increase"
"How these 3 Manitoba First Nations are working together to fight COVID-19, keep spirits up this Halloween"
"Opioid crisis sees First Nations deaths double during pandemic"

Scroll down for these stories and more!

FNHMA 2020 Virtual Celebration

and

Weekly Virtual Town Hall Update

FNHMA 2020 Virtual Celebration Welcome

The Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde invites you to join us all in thanking, honouring and celebrating all health workers and new Certified First Nations Health Managers on November 4, 2020 @1pm ET!

Click the link for the full video!

2020 Virtual Celebration Guests and Speakers Announced!

We have an incredible line up of guest speakers and musical guests who will be joining us during the course of our Virtual Celebration on November 4, 2020 @1pm ET.

Carey Price - Montreal Canadiens Goalie

Paul Brandt - Canadian Country Music Star

National Chief Perry Bellegarde - Assembly of First Nations

Ovide Mercredi - Nishnawbe Aski Nation

Jagmeet Singh - Leader of the NDP

Brian Mulroney - 18th Prime Minister of Canada

Minister Carolyn Bennett - Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Minister Marc Miller - Indigenous Services Canada

Jeremy Dutcher - 2018 Polaris Music Prize Winner

Tom Wilson – Canadian Rock Musician

Crystal Shawanda – Canadian Blues Music Artist

Logan Staats – Canadian singer-songwriter and musician

Joe Clark – 16^th Prime Minister of Canada

Erin O’Toole – Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada

Justin Trudeau – 23^rd Prime Minister of Canada

***We hope to see you there!***

Assembly of First Nations

National Chief Perry Bellegarde

Prime Minister of Canada

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau

Nishnawbe Aski Nation

Ovide Mercredi

18th Prime Minister of Canada

The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney

Leader of the New Democratic Party

Jagmeet Singh

16th Prime Minister of Canada

The Right Honourable Joe Clark

Tom Wilson

Canadian Rock Musician

Crystal Shawanda

Canadian Blues Music Artist

Jeremy Dutcher

2018 Polaris Music Prize Winner

Paul Brandt

Canadian Country Music Star

Logan Staats

Canadian singer-songwriter, musician and winner of CTV's first season of The Launch.

Minister Marc Miller

Indigenous Services Canada

Minister Carolyn Bennett

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Erin O'Toole

Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada

Carey Price

Montreal Canadiens

2020 FNHMA Virtual Celebration

The FNHMA is producing a dynamic 3-hour celebration, including powerful guest speakers from across the country all in the name of honouring and recognizing health care workers and certified First Nations Health Managers!

The celebration will also include moving tributes, exciting musical guests, the presentation of the CFHI Leadership Award "Leading Through Difficult Times", all this culminating in a ceremony honouring our 2020 graduates.

We will also acknowledge the contribution of individuals and organizations who recognize the importance of celebrating ALL health workers across the country for their tremendous contributions during these difficult times.

We want to hear from you! Send us a shout out!

Is there someone in your community who is making a difference during these difficult times?

Do you want to simply acknowledge and thank your community's local front line health care workers for working so hard and keeping us all safe?

If so, prepare a brief video (15 seconds) by yourself or gather a group of colleagues / friends and tell us about this person or simply share your special message for health care workers. Remember to introduce yourself and where you're from!

Send us your video before October 30, 2020 and it could be chosen to air on November 4!

Is your team or organization interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities for our event?

Add your voice to this powerful group by becoming a sponsor today!

For more information on becoming a sponsor please contact George Rogerson at [email protected]

The FNHMA Virtual Town Hall returns November 12, 2020

Please note that we will be taking November 5, 2020 off from hosting our Town Hall. Instead, we will host our Annual General Meeting on the same date.

What: FNHMA AGM

Date: November 5, 2020

Time: 1pm ET

That means you can watch the next edition of our Town Hall live on November 12, 2020 @ 1pm ET.

Check our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages for the live streams!

To view our archived Virtual Town Halls, prior to our return, Click Here.

National and First Nation COVID-19 News

Total Number Of Confirmed Cases Of COVID-19 ISC Is Aware Of As Of October 29, 2020

As of October 29, 2020, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) records indicate that there are 1360 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on First Nations reserves, in six provinces. There are also 74 hospitalizations, 997 recovered cases, and 15 deaths.

For more information on these numbers and for more information on how to keep your family safe, please click here.

Click Here to see the full ISC Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outbreak update page.

Toronto's First Stationary Indigenous-led COVID-19 Testing Centre Opens

"Toronto’s first stationary, Indigenous-led COVID-19 assessment and testing centre is now open.

While there is an Indigenous mobile testing site already in operation, this is the first permanent site.

Named Auduze Mino Nesewinong, which in the Anishinaabe language means, “Place of Healthy Breathing,” the centre is located in the previously-vacant building at Na-Me-Res aboriginal men’s shelter in midtown Toronto.

Steve Teekens, the executive director of Na-Me-Res says since Indigenous people can be disproportionately impacted by infectious diseases such as COVID-19. He says they are more likely to experience barriers in accessing services, including systemic racism in healthcare, and the testing site is one of the ways to respond to those factors.

“We feel that with Indigenous health care providers is the best way to provide services to Indigenous people,” said Teekens. “One of the really good features that we’re doing with the COVID testing center is we’ve hired Indigenous COVID outreach workers. When it comes to doing contact tracing, we’re in the best position to do so.”

Click here to read the full article.

Marion Crowe Brings Expertise In First Nations Health To Ottawa Hospital Research Institute Board

"The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute’s Board of Directors is delighted to welcome Marion Crowe as Vice-Chair of the Board and the first Indigenous Board Member.

Ms. Crowe, a proud member of the Piapot First Nation in Saskatchewan, was the founding Executive Director, now Chief Executive Officer of the First Nations Health Managers Association (FNHMA). She is also a member of The Ottawa Hospital Board of Governors.

Ms. Crowe has established FNHMA as a leader in health management by developing and promoting quality standards, practices, research, certification, and professional development to expand capacity for members and First Nations organizations. Her hard work has gained national recognition and has been acknowledged in many different ways, including blanket ceremonies, nominations, and leadership awards."

Click here to read the full article.

COVID-19 In Indigenous Communities: New And Active Cases Increase

"In the last week, 214 new cases of COVID-19 were reported on First Nations reserves, according to data from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC).

The majority of new cases occurred in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, where a surge of cases has been reported since the beginning of the second wave of the pandemic. Most recently, the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority in Saskatchewan reported an outbreak in Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation.

There are a total of 362 active cases of COVID-19 on First Nations reserves across Canada as of Oct. 26 according to ISC, and there have been a total of 1,254 cases on-reserve since the pandemic started."

Click here to read the full article.

How These 3 Manitoba First Nations Are Working Together To Fight COVID-19, Keep Spirits Up This Halloween

"Peguis and Fisher River First Nations were among earliest First Nations to see COVID-19 in Manitoba

Chiefs of some of the First Nations in Manitoba that were among the earliest to see cases of COVID-19 say collaboration is key in the face of rising cases, as the communities implement stricter measures to curb spread and seek safe ways to boost spirits.

"Jointly, the communities have a good discussion on how we can work together to limit the spread of COVID in our communities," said Chief David Crate of Fisher River Cree Nation, about 175 kilometres north of Winnipeg, between nearby Peguis and Kinonjeoshtegon First Nations.

"The end goal, of course, is to try and stop the spread of COVID [within] our communities."

Fisher River and Peguis, about 20 kilometres south, saw their first cases of COVID-19 in September. As of Monday, Fisher River had 12 active cases and 21 recoveries, for a total of 33 cases in the community, Crate said."

Click here to read the full article.

Opioid Crisis Sees First Nations Deaths Double During Pandemic

"Canada’s top doctor said she’s concerned about the rising number of opioid related deaths in what she is calling a major consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Theresa Tam, the country’s chief medical health officer, recently released her report on the state of public health in Canada for 2020 which describes the worsening of the opioid crisis.

Tam said the reason for the rising deaths related to the crisis is partially due to more fentanyl in illegal drugs now.

This year, extreme concentrations of fentanyl were detected in 14 per cent of opioid deaths compared to only eight per cent last year.

“There are indications that the street drug supply of opioids has grown more unpredictable and toxic due to the pre pandemic supply chains being disrupted by travel restrictions and border measures,” Tam said.

To read the full article, click here:

Flu And COVID-19 #StopTheSpread

There are many similarities between influenza (flu) and COVID-19. Both are contagious respiratory diseases, and certain populations including older adults, Black and Hispanic persons, and individuals with chronic health conditions are at high-risk for complications from both diseases.

Many of the steps that help stop the spread of COVID-19 can also help protect against flu, but the best way to help prevent flu is to get vaccinated every year. Flu vaccination is especially important this year to help protect individuals and prevent additional strain on an already overburdened healthcare system. Check with your local community health nurse to see when the flu vaccine will be available to you.

Launch of Canadian Contact Tracing Training

The Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada are pleased to announce the release of the three new courses to support training of Canadian contact tracers:

1) Introduction to Contact Tracing

This introductory course looks at the who, what, when, why, and how of contact tracing. This course is intended for public health volunteers and professionals who will support contact tracing activities and who have no previous training in contact tracing.

Estimated time to complete: 60-90 minutes

2) Introduction to Case Interviewing

This course provides a general introduction to interviewing best practices and aims to leave participants comfortable with conducting public health interviews.

Estimated time to complete: 60-90 minutes

3) Introduction to Public Health in Canada

This module provides an overview of public health in Canada, including key roles and functions, history, scope, and jurisdictional considerations. The course may be used to provide public health context for training on other topics.

Estimated time to complete: 40 minutes

To register for any of these courses as part of the Contract Tracing Learning Path, please visit https://training-formation.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ and click on “Health Emergency Management”.

COVID Alert App

The COVID Alert app is an exposure notification app that tells people if they may have been exposed to COVID-19. By letting people know of possible exposures before any symptoms appear we can take care of ourselves and protect our community.

The app is available for free to Canadians and can be downloaded on the App Store and on GooglePlay.

Canadians can be confident in the knowledge that the app is secure. It does not collect any personally identifiable data about you and no information is shared without your consent.

The more Canadians who install the COVID Alert app on their phones, the better we can limit the spread of COVID-19.

Accessing Additional Funding

Canadian Institutes Of Health Research(CIHR) Announces New Funding Opportunity On Harm Reduction

"On October 9, CIHR launched a new funding opportunity:

Operating Grant- Evaluation of Harm Reduction Approaches to Address the Opioid Crisis in the Context of COVID-19.

This evaluation-focused funding opportunity aims to address harm reduction approaches to the opioid crisis and to better understand its compounding intersection with the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on two key components: Safe Supply Pilot Projects (SSPPs) and supervised consumption site (SCS).

CIHR is accepting applications until November 12, 2020, with funding set to begin by January 1, 2021."

Click here to review the funding opportunity details.

Call For Proposals: Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities Project (Heritage Canada)

The application period for Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities Projects is now open through Heritage Canada.

The deadline to apply for Stream 1 Funding is November 20, 2020.

Sport for social development is defined as the use of sport for social development for the purpose of achieving targeted social outcomes.

Click here to see more information

Indigenous Peoples And COVID-19 Knowledge Synthesis, Evaluation And Assessment Grants Rapid Research Funding Opportunity Is Now Live!

This funding opportunity will support projects relevant to one or more of the following research areas:

Indigenous Peoples’ Understanding and Experience with Respect to COVID-19, including cultural responses grounded in Indigenous Knowledges and self-determination; intersections with, and impact on, on-going health, social, economic and climate crises; and/or perspectives of (or participation in) vaccine research, sero-surveillance studies, and clinical trials.
Delivering COVID-19 Testing, Contact Tracing, Self-Isolation and Other Management Practices, and Policies Related to Indigenous Peoples and the COVID-19 Pandemic, including culturally safe approaches and challenges.
Culturally Safe COVID-19 Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Recovery for Indigenous Peoples, including design and delivery of programs and services that are grounded in Indigenous Knowledges, self-determination, and local community context.

For more information and to apply, please click here.

First Nations Webinars

A number of Partner and National Indigenous Organizations are and have been producing webinars in order to continue supporting First Nations in a changing landscape.

To view more please follow the links below and be directed to that organization's webinar page.

Supports & Regularly Updated Resources

FIRST NATIONS PANDEMIC PLANNING TOOL from FNHMA

FNHMA is pleased to announce the Pandemic Planning Tool for First Nations Communities. This tool is available to all First Nations communities, free of charge, in order to help them create their very own pandemic plan efficiently and effectively.

Click here to access your free copy.