Indigenous Health Partners Program
The Indigenous Health Partners Program (IHPP) supports the development of culturally appropriate health care solutions in Canada’s remote and underserved Indigenous communities. IHPP partners with Indigenous organizations and leadership to address a variety of health challenges, while developing and evaluating solutions based on local knowledge and global best practices. Together, they collaborate to find innovative solutions, build sustainable health systems and increase access to health services for Indigenous communities in Canada through education, research and knowledge translation.
IHPP is involved in a variety of programs and areas of work, which are summarized below. For more information, please contact dfcm.ihpp@utoronto.ca.
Diabetes Treatment and Care
Indigenous peoples living in Canada are among the highest-risk populations for diabetes and related complications. IHPP has partnered with Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA) to provide diabetes treatment and care to First Nations communities in Northern Ontario.
Community Health Worker Diabetes Program
Through the Community Health Worker (CHW) Diabetes Program, SLFNHA and IHPP train and mentor CHWs in diabetes management and support using customized and culturally appropriate training tools. An education, research and knowledge translation model is utilized to build the capacity of CHWs and develop an approach to diabetes care that can be applied across the region.
Regional Diabetes Strategy for Sioux Lookout
SLFNHA and IHPP are undertaking an expanded approach to diabetes care in the Sioux Lookout Area by developing a comprehensive Regional Diabetes Strategy that includes the integration and transition of programs and services under First Nations governance and management to effectively address diabetes prevention and control in the region.
Community Wellness through Traditional Healing
IHPP is working with SLFNHA to develop a component of their Anishinabe Health Plan – an integrated community wellness program that reflects a holistic view of health using Anishinabe traditions, language and ways of knowing. Together, they are they are exploring and designing a Traditional Healing Program that can be adapted for individual community needs.
Tuberculosis Prevention, Treatment and Care
IHPP is collaborating with a Canadian NGO and Inuit communities in Nunavut to improve tuberculosis (TB) outcomes through community empowerment and the utilization of CHW’s in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of TB. IHPP is conducting monitoring and evaluation of the CHW Program, which will allow lessons learned during project implementation to be integrated into program planning and activities.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Care
To increase the capacity of substance use treatment and care in their community, IHPP has collaborated with a First Nations community on Lake Huron to identify the gaps and strengths of local services to develop a comprehensive, family-focused treatment model for substance use disorder in the community.
HIV Prevention and Care
In continuation of IHPP’s Indigenous HIV Prevention and Care Project – an initiative to determine the potential for expanding IHPP support for HIV prevention and care for First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples – IHPP is exploring organizational and community partnerships to transition the knowledge acquired throughout the project into relevant programming for Indigenous communities in Canada.