Improving Indigenous health care

The Ministry of Health is dedicated to continuing to build relationships with First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples and communities.

In 2022, a Relationship Agreement was signed between the Government of Alberta and the Confederacy of the Treaty Six First Nations. This agreement seeks to prioritize engagement with the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations members.

On May 27, 2024, the ministry took steps to further this relationship through the signing of a historic Health Sub-Table with the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations to identify key health issues, foster opportunities to advance health priorities and support improved health outcomes for community members.

As part of the Health Sub-Table, a work plan has been developed and includes 5 key priorities:

1. Focus on addiction and the inclusion of traditional healing approaches to mental health.
2. Address racism and discrimination to ensure culturally safe health care and collaborative investigation into patient complaints.
3. Conduct a continuous review of the implementation of the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System initiative and subsequent recommendations.
4. Enhance long-term and continuing care support for First Nations individuals.
5. Create accountability in ensuring Treaty Six First Nations perspectives are included in health care discussions in the Trilateral Canada Health Transfer Action Plan.

To fulfill the commitments made within the Health Sub-Table Work Plan, the ministries of Health, Indigenous Relations, Mental Health and Addiction, and Seniors Community and Social Services have also signed on to bolster support and leverage their expertise to address the key priorities above.

The signing of the Health Sub-table reflects the continued commitment of the Government of Alberta to include First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives in alignment with other health initiatives, such as the refocusing of Alberta’s health care system and the modernization of Alberta’s primary health care system.

This work directly acknowledges the unique needs of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations, ensuring that accountable, tangible, and measurable change is consistent to improving health outcomes, patient experiences, and access to culturally safe services that will ultimately lead to the improved health and well-being for all Albertans.

The Advisory Council identified early opportunities for investment from the Indigenous Panel’s final report:

• creating an Indigenous Primary Health Care Innovation Fund
• establishing an Indigenous Patient Complaints Investigator and Elders Roster
• develop Indigenous Cultural Safety Standards of Care
• resourcing an Indigenous Patient Navigator program within Indigenous communities
• supporting a mobile health clinic for Metis Settlements and exploring similar opportunities with First Nations in Alberta
• develop First Nations and Metis Settlements primary health care information sharing agreements

The Indigenous Primary Health Care Implementation Plan is a comprehensive way forward. It will help Alberta achieve a health system that delivers access to culturally safe, quality care that improves life-expectancy and the health wellbeing of First Nation, Métis and Inuit Peoples, families and communities.

Thirty actions noted in the plan will be implemented immediately, including:

• establishing an Indigenous Patient Complaints Investigator 
• funding for Indigenous partners to deliver prevention and health promotion services

Read the Indigenous Primary Health Care Implementation Plan – The Way Forward  

The Indigenous Primary Health Care Patient Navigator Grant Program and Innovation Fund will help ensure First Nations, Métis, and Inuit partners are equipped with the resources needed to design and deliver health care programs that meet the unique needs of their community.

• Indigenous Innovation Fund grant program – Funding to improve access to primary health care services for Indigenous peoples.
• Indigenous Patient Navigator grant program – This program provides funding to recruit and retain patient health system navigators.

Racism and discrimination towards Indigenous peoples in the health care system has led to greater health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Alberta. Indigenous peoples face stereotyping and bias when accessing care, and it is critical that Alberta take steps to address these challenges now.

Alberta Health supports a number of anti-racism actions and initiatives across the Government of Alberta:

• Taking action against racism
• Alberta Human Rights Commission
• Indigenous Reconciliation Initiative – Cultural Stream
• Indigenous Reconciliation Initiative – Economic Stream
• Indigenous Grants

Although the Ministry of Health does not directly provide programs and services to Indigenous communities, the department works closely with Alberta Health Services to provide resources for support:

• Alberta Health Services Indigenous Wellness Core
• General Indigenous Health Resources
• Alberta Indigenous Virtual Care Clinic
• Indigenous Addiction and Mental Health
• Indigenous Support Line
• Indigenous Patient Navigation services (southern Alberta)
• Indigenous Hospital Liaison Services
• Indigenous Health Coordinator Services (Red Deer)
• Traditional Wellness Coordinator Services
• Honouring Life – Indigenous Youth Suicide Prevention Program
• Indigenous Language Interpretation and Translation Services
• Continuing Care in Indigenous Communities
• Indigenous Cancer Health
• Patient Access to Indigenous Spiritual Ceremony