First Nations and Aboriginal Primary Care Network resources

VCH supports the First Nations and Aboriginal Primary Care Network which consists of eight members. The eight members are dedicated Indigenous primary care clinics in Greater Vancouver and Sunshine Coast areas:

• Musqueam Indian Band Health Department: Primary care clinic (MIB)
• Kal’númet primary care clinic Squamish Nation Yúustway Health Services Department
• Helping House primary care clinic Tsleil-Waututh Nation Health Department
• Lu ’ma Medical Centre (Lu ’ma)
• Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA): Native Youth Health & Wellness Centre
• Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society (VAHS)
• Kilala Lelum Health Centre (KLHC)

 The strength of this network: The vast range of services alongside primary care.

The members of the First Nations and Aboriginal Primary Care Network provide much more than primary care services and programs to their clients and communities.

This provides significant advantages to the patients and their families and to the Network as a whole as there is a wealth of knowledge and experience among the member organizations. The host Nations for instance are funded to provide (or have self-funded) a range of other health programs and services for their communities apart from primary care clinics, including:

• Health Promotion, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention (education, resources and cultural development) – largely public health focuses on maternal child health + injury prevention + chronic disease prevention through Community Health Nurses and Community Health Representatives (CHRs)
• Mental Wellness and Substance services (counseling individual and group; cultural interventions; art therapy)
• Home and Community Care (assessments by home care nurses and home care workers with some incoming rehabilitation services and Elders care
• Navigation and advocacy for First Nations Health Benefits such as medical transportation, medical supplies and equipment
• Navigation and advocacy for accessing local health professionals and hospital services
• Naturopathic medicine (including traditional healing in keeping with the holistic philosophy and natural treatments

In addition each Nation has access to programs offered by other parts of the Nation’s infrastructure such as education, child and family services, recreation, housing and social assistance among others.

The three urban Aboriginal clinics also provide or have access to other services and programs such as (list not exhaustive):

• Elders programs (VNHS)
• Aboriginal youth programs (UNYA)
• Cancer Care program (VNHS)
• Dental services (VNHS)
• Early childhood and infant development programs (VNHS)
• Midwifery services (UNYA)
• Children’s Village and Aboriginal Patient Lodge (Lu ’ma)
• Men’s programs (VNHS)
• Youth addiction treatment and counselling (UNYA)
• Aboriginal Housing and homelessness programs (Lu ’ma)
• Community Voicemail (Lu ‘ma)