Searching for Traditional Indigenous Healing And Wellness

Develops, provides, facilitates and/or coordinates a variety of community and culturally based programs geared to the prevention of individual abuse and family violence, including the following:

• Violence awareness and prevention education
• Programming for women survivors of abuse or violence
• Individual support, case management, advocacy
• Access to traditional healing practices/resources
• Coordination of a variety of workshops including but not limited to cooking, bannock making, health and nutrition, sewing, painting and self-defense techniques
• Referrals to required services such as police services, counselling, social and mental health services
• Opportunities to participate in community education campaigns and activities in local settings (such as schools) or at local community events such as powwows and health fairs

Provides services and support for individuals and families struggling with addiction issues

• Offers Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings when required
• Provides transportation to all meetings and workshops upon request

Prevention

• Provides public seminars/meetings to raise community awareness of alcohol, drug abuse and gambling addictions
• Holds educational sessions in schools
• Coordinates cultural and spiritual events

Intervention

• Facilitates recreational activities and social events
• Provides individual and group discussions
• Offers cultural and spiritual gatherings

Aftercare provided for preventing reoccurrence includes:

• Counselling, sharing circles and support groups
• Regular phone calls and home visits
• Referrals to band services, social services, detoxification and treatment centres and medical assistance

Plans, supervises and advertises cultural events, happenings and activities for all the communities of Nipissing First Nation

• Focus is to restore the language, culture and traditional knowledge of the Anishinaabe ways and values
• Coordinates the Annual Traditional Pow Wow
• Accepts and considers suggestions for future cultural activities

Traditional events and teachings include but are not limited to:

• Smudging ceremonies
• Feather and fire teaching
• Hand drum construction

Nipissing Cultural Youth GroupCoordinates activities for youth such as sports events, cultural gatherings and outdoor adventures

Provides services and support for individuals and families struggling with addiction issues

• Offers Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings when required
• Provides transportation to all meetings and workshops upon request

Prevention

• Provides public seminars/meetings to raise community awareness of alcohol, drug abuse, tobacco and gambling addictions
• Holds educational sessions in schools
• Coordinates cultural and spiritual events

Intervention

• Facilitates recreational activities and social events
• Provides individual and group discussions
• Offers cultural and spiritual gatherings

Aftercare provided for preventing reoccurrence:

• Counselling, sharing circles and support groups
• Regular phone calls and home visits
• Referrals to Band services, social services, detoxification and treatment centres and medical assistance

Anishinabek Nation/Union of Ontario Indians (UOI) initiative to assist each Indigenous community to design and deliver their own holistic, prevention-focused services/programs and cultural supports to promote a healthy community and support families as needed in the community

• Focus is on improving the overall health and well-being of communities and to empower families to build healthy relationships
• Works to eliminate family violence, the number of youth involved in the justice system and the number of children in care

Activities and programs provided can include but are not limited to the following:

• Activities that revitalize Native language
• Alcohol and drug abuse prevention and intervention
• Community events such as feasts
• Family circles, counselling and child/youth support groups
• Referrals to other programs and services
• School programs
• Traditional land-based healing events

Promotes the development of good mental health and provides services for individuals with mental health issues to enrich their quality of life

Provides information and awareness activities including but not limited to:

• Depression
• Family violence
• Stress management

Services include:

• Client advocacy and liaison with other services/agencies
• Counselling services for stress management and crisis intervention
• Prevention services and programs
• Referrals to appropriate supports

Promotes healthy individuals, families and communities

• Supports reduction and prevention of mental health issues, and family and community violence
• Provides culturally appropriate support services, resources, educational materials, and workshops to address community wellness needs
• Coordinates community activities at the Elders Residence and the Wellness Centre
• Participates in and assists to organize community events such as Dokis Summerfest, Aboriginal Day, and Annual Pow Wow
• Provides referrals to counselling, legal services, and treatment centres and other needed supports
• Promotes a culturally appropriate approach to healing and wellness

Delivers prevention and early intervention services to high-risk children and families of the community

• Administers child welfare prevention services in collaboration with Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services located in Wiikwemkoong
• Evaluates short and long-term programs and workplans with individuals and families for adequacy and effectiveness
• Partners with community police officers and local nursing staff to identify and support troubled families

Prevention Services

• Teaches parenting skills and assisting children through difficult times
• Develops and administers healthy social and recreational programs for families such as after-school programs and babysitting courses
• Hosts community forums to address issues such as youth drug abuse, inadequate housing, and schooling problems
• Organizes elders meetings that address traditional child rearing methods
• Provides information sessions about understanding substance dependency and resulting family violence, and overcoming oppression by understanding cultural realities

• Provides voluntary support and services to assist individuals who are struggling with mental health issues and/or addictions issues
• Implements policies and procedures established by the Mnaamodzawin Health Services Mental Health Team

Services offered but not limited to, include the following:

Addictions

• Alcohol, drug and gambling assessments
• Counselling for individuals, couples and families
• Smoking cessation
• Relapse prevention and aftercare
• Community based treatment services
• Referrals to residential treatment

Health Promotion

• Presentations and workshops related to mental health and addictions
• Support groups
• Educational resources
• Community activities and events
• Liaison to other resources
• Referrals

Mental Health

• Assessments as deemed appropriate
• Counselling for individuals, couples and families
• Referrals to psychiatry

Provides services and support for individuals and families struggling with addiction issues

• Offers Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings when required
• Provides transportation to all meetings and workshops upon request

Prevention

• Provides public seminars/meetings to raise community awareness of alcohol, drug abuse, tobacco and gambling addictions
• Holds educational sessions in schools
• Coordinates cultural and spiritual events

Intervention

• Facilitates recreational activities and social events
• Provides individual and group discussions
• Offers cultural and spiritual gatherings including fasts and traditional healers

Aftercare provided for preventing reoccurrence:

• Counselling, sharing circles and support groups
• Regular phone calls and home visits
• Referrals to Band services, social services, detoxification and treatment centres and medical assistance

• Provides individuals with access to a full range of traditional healing practices
• Coordinates referrals for visits to Traditional Doctors, Healers, Knowledge Keepers and Medicine Keepers
• Maintains resources on local area elders and healers
• Provides education on traditional healing methods

Offers a variety of activities and services including but not limited to:

• craft and language classes
• drumming circles
• men's and women's healing sweats
• medicine walks
• support groups
• traditional teachings
• wild food bank

Promotes healthy individuals, families and communities

• Supports reduction or prevention of family and community violence
• Provides culturally appropriate support services, resources, educational materials, and workshops to address community wellness needs
• Participates in and assists to organize community events
• Promotes a culturally appropriate approach to healing and wellness

Cultural activities and events can include but are not limited to:

• Drum teaching circles
• Elders breakfast and bingo a few times per month
• Monthly Healer visits
• Cultural Arts Program and full moon ceremonies
• Sewing and Design program
• Chaperoned out-of-town trips for Elders
• Seasonal Medicine walks
• Strengthening Families sessions

Anishinabek Nation ((Union of Ontario Indians UOI) initiative to assist each Indigenous community to design and deliver their own holistic, prevention-focused services/programs and cultural supports to promote a healthy community and support families as needed in the community

• Focus is on improving the overall health and well-being of communities and to empower families to build healthy relationships
• Works to eliminate family violence, the number of youth involved in the justice system and the number of children in care

Activities and programs provided can include but are not limited to the following:

• Activities that revitalize Native language
• Alcohol and drug abuse prevention and intervention
• Community events such as feasts
• Family circles, counselling and child/youth support groups
• Referrals to other programs and services
• School programs
• Traditional land-based healing events

• Provides traditional healing services and resources for community members
• Provides cultural workshops on health issues
• Promotes access to traditional healers and elders

Services can include:

• Healing and sharing circles
• Medicine walks
• Sweat lodges
• Traditional herbs and medicines

Provides services and support for individuals and families struggling with addiction issues

• Offers Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings when required
• Provides transportation to all meetings and workshops upon request

Prevention

• Provides public seminars/meetings to raise community awareness of alcohol, drug abuse and gambling addictions
• Holds educational sessions
• Coordinates cultural and spiritual events

Intervention

• Facilitates recreational activities and social events
• Provides individual and group discussions
• Offers cultural and spiritual gatherings

Aftercare provided for preventing reoccurrence:

• Counselling, sharing circles and support groups
• Regular phone calls and home visits
• Referrals to Band services, social services, detoxification and treatment centres and medical assistance

• Promotes the development of good mental health and provides services for individuals with mental health issues
• Provides both culturally appropriate traditional and contemporary mental health services

Services include but are not limited to:

• Individual, family and group counselling to address specific issues and concerns directly related to mental illness and well-being
• A variety of counselling services and educational workshops for issues such as addictions, depression, family violence and stress management
• Cultural activities and crafts

Operates as a program under the Healing and Wellness Branch

• Promotes healthy lifestyles through culturally based programs and healing
• Aims to reduce family violence

Provides assistance for individuals to identify areas of concern and to develop action plans to address concerns through the following:

• Sharing of appropriate information with related health and social agencies and providing referrals
• Crisis intervention education and workshops
• Illness prevention and wellness planning, information and education
• Traditional sharing circles
• Community outreach education to promote cultural awareness

Also provides:

• Assistance with completing forms of any kind
• Accessing existing programs and services
• Peer counselling for any identified concerns

Provides expanded services over the phone as required; all mental wellness services will be provided over the phone ONLY; currently not providing shuttle services

Health Centre focused on family and community health

• Offers primary health care, clinical services, health examinations, immunizations and a combination of Indigenous traditional healing methods and Western medical practices
• Provides chronic disease management

Offers a variety of programs and services, including:

• Child and Youth Program
• Clinical Program
• Diabetes Care
• Healthy Choices Program
• Health Education Promotion Program
• Mental Wellness Programs

• Promotes growth and healing for Indigenous people through Indigenous-specific services
• Provides information to raise awareness of family violence and strategies to stop it

Services include:

• Crisis intervention
• Emergency transportation and translation
• Hospital visits
• Monthly community health related workshops
• Ongoing liaison services and follow-up
• Ongoing support to families in crisis
• Public education forums
• Referral to appropriate staff or agencies
• Translation services for Indigenous individuals accessing mainstream health care

• Provides one-on-one assessments and support for both adults and youth who have drug/alcohol addictions
• Offers referrals to detoxification, recovery homes and rehabilitation/treatment centres
• Assists individuals in rebuilding their lives by gaining their cultural identity, dignity, respect and traditional knowledge

Uses various methods to help individuals overcome addiction such as:

• 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Four Directions Wheel
• Life Cycle
• Counselling Wheel
• Healing Wheel
• The Seven Stages of Life
• Pipe Ceremonies
• Traditional Ceremonies

• Ensures traditional healing alternatives are available for community members
• Coordinates healing programs for individuals on a healing journey
• Promotes and plans traditional customs and ceremonies for individuals, families and community

Healing alternatives and traditional ceremonies can include:

• Traditional Native healers
• Healing circles
• Talking/sharing circles
• Sweat lodges
• Smudging ceremonies