The following are a list of resources and links to organizations that we have found helpful.
They are grouped under: Mental Health Supports, Health Care Services, and Harm Reduction.
Mental Health Supports
Noojimo Health
Noojimo Health is an Indigenous-owned company that offers culturally safe and timely virtual mental health services for Indigenous people by an Indigenous care provider. We're currently offering counselling services in Ontario, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
Our compassionate circle of Indigenous health professionals are here to help Indigenous people feel heard, seen and supported throughout their healing journey.
Thunderbird
Thunderbird Partnership Foundation supports a variety of initiatives that advocate for First Nations culturally based substance use and mental wellness services. Thunderbird’s vision is to cultivate and empower relationships that connect us to our cultural strengths and identity within wholistic and healthy communities.
Hope for Wellness Helpline
The Hope for Wellness Helpline is available to all Indigenous people across Canada. Experienced and culturally competent counsellors are reachable by telephone and online ‘chat’ 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
IPHCC - Mental Health
The IPHCC recognizes the need for access to culturally safe and appropriate Mental Health Resources and Supports. The IPHCC has members throughout Ontario, including Aboriginal Health Access Centres – we encourage you to reach out to your local AHAC when seeking supports.
A resource sheet, developed by the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council, is available here:
Health Care Services
Indigenous Primary Health Care Council
The Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC) is an Indigenous governed, culture-based, and Indigenous-informed organization. Its key mandate is to support the advancement and evolution of Indigenous primary health care services throughout Ontario. It works with 25 Indigenous primary health care organizations (IPHCOs) across Ontario including Aboriginal Health Access Centres (AHACs), Indigenous Interprofessional Primary Care Teams (IPCTs), Indigenous Community Health Centres (ICHCs) and Indigenous Family Health Teams (IFHTs) to address the physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental wellbeing of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis (FNIM) peoples and communities being served.
Aboriginal Health Access Centres
Aboriginal Health Access Centres (AHACs) are Aboriginal community-led, primary health care organizations. They provide a combination of traditional healing, primary care, cultural programs, health promotion programs, community development initiatives, and social support services to First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities. There are currently ten AHACs in Ontario, providing services both on and off-reserve, in urban, rural and northern locations.
Indigenous Primary Health Care
Throughout Ontario, you can access healthcare that cares about your culture.
The Indigenous Primary Health Care Council provides the following contact information to connect Indigenous Peoples to services and holistic healthcare in our province.
Harm Reduction
First Nations Health Authority
Indigenous harm reduction goes beyond keeping people safer while using substances. Indigenous harm reduction means undoing the harms of colonialism, which place Indigenous people – First Nations, Métis and Inuit – at higher risk of harmful substance use. This means a decolonized, Indigenized approach to harm reduction that re-connects people to culture, and rebuilds relationships with the interconnected spiritual, human and natural worlds.
OAHAS
The Indigenous Harm Reduction Program at OAHAS provides outreach and support to Indigenous people who use drugs. OAHAS works from a culturally safe place to ensure the needs of our people are met through a continuum of wholistic care. We provide FREE access to clean drug use supplies such as needles and utensils, snorting, smoking and inhalation supplies, and condoms, lube and basic health and sanitary needs such as chapsticks, clean waters, matches, ties and more.
Thunderbird
As we do the important work of harm reduction, in whatever ways that looks like, we keep loved ones and everyone safer, because a First Nations approach to harm reduction is focused on creating more safety for individuals, families and the entire community.
Harm Reduction and HCV
In 2018, a national programming dialogue gathered Knowledge Holders, Elders, community leaders, people with lived experience and other service providers for a two-day dialogue. The goal was to convene programming leaders to share practices in Indigenous-centred harm reduction and hepatitis C programming.
This report summarizes key themes that emerged in the programming dialogue and highlights examples of how programs are addressing harm reduction and hepatitis C in Indigenous communities. The lessons from these programs will help to support program planning by other service providers and communities.