First Nations Health Managers Association

First Nations Health Managers Association
Name	First Nations Health Managers Association
Founded	1993
Type	non-profit organization
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Region	Canada

First Nations Health Managers Association The First Nations Health Managers Association is a Canadian professional association focused on supporting health leadership among Indigenous First Nations communities in Canada. It provides training, certification, advocacy, and capacity-building resources to health managers working within First Nations health systems, collaborating with federal and provincial agencies, Indigenous institutions, and health organizations. The association connects practitioners across urban, rural, and remote settings, engaging with a range of partners including Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Health Canada, and regional health authorities.

History

The association emerged in the early 1990s amid policy shifts following the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and legislative developments such as the Indian Act amendments and evolving programming under Health Canada. Founding leaders drew on experience from organizations like the National Aboriginal Health Organization, Assembly of First Nations, Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, and the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs. Early collaborations involved institutions such as the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and academic partners like the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto. Over time the association interfaced with national events including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and federal initiatives related to the Jordan's Principle and Indigenous child welfare reform.

Mission and Mandate

The association's mandate emphasizes governance, leadership, and culturally appropriate health administration for First Nations communities, aligning with frameworks from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action and United Nations instruments such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It positions itself alongside organizations like the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health, the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, and the Canadian Nurses Association to advance Indigenous-led health priorities. The mission articulates commitments resonant with policy texts from Health Canada, rights affirmed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and region-specific accords like the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.

Programs and Services

Programs include competency-based training, leadership academies, and technical assistance used by communities managing services analogous to provincial agencies such as Alberta Health Services, Ontario Health, and territorial health departments. Services span strategic planning, quality improvement, and program evaluation drawing on methodologies from the Canadian Institute for Health Information and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. The association offers tailored supports for specialists working with populations affected by issues addressed in initiatives like the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and collaborates on public health responses informed by the Public Health Agency of Canada and provincial public health units such as the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion.

Governance and Membership

Governance structures echo practices found in Indigenous organizations such as the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and the Métis National Council. Membership comprises health managers, directors, and administrators from band councils, health centres affiliated with the Non-Insured Health Benefits program, and regional tribal councils like the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations. The board has engaged leaders with backgrounds from institutions such as the National Aboriginal Veterans Association and regional organizations including the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission.

Training and Certification

The association delivers accredited curricula and a certification pathway comparable to credentialing mechanisms at the Canadian College of Health Leaders and university-based executive programs at the University of Victoria and McMaster University. Courses cover topics intersecting with policy and law exemplified by references to statutes like the Indian Act and accords such as the Treaty 8 regionally. Training partners have included the Banff Centre, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and institutes affiliated with the Canadian Public Health Association.

Partnerships and Advocacy

Strategic partnerships extend to national bodies like the Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Nurses Association, and Indigenous research centres such as the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health and the Indigenous Health Research Development and Knowledge Exchange. The association participates in advocacy on funding, human resources, and jurisdictional clarity alongside provincial organizations such as the British Columbia Ministry of Health and federal entities including Indigenous Services Canada. Joint initiatives have engaged foundations like the Canadian Red Cross and philanthropic actors similar to the Vancouver Foundation and policy networks such as the Conference Board of Canada.

Impact and Evaluation

Evaluations reference improvements in leadership capacity, retention, and service delivery metrics used by organizations like the Canadian Institute for Health Information and regional health authorities including Alberta Health Services. Impact assessments have intersected with studies from academic partners at the University of Manitoba, Dalhousie University, and the University of Saskatchewan, and have been considered in forums such as the Canadian Public Health Association annual conference. The association's work contributes to broader Indigenous health outcomes discussed in reports from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada and the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

Category:Indigenous health in Canada Category:Non-profit organizations based in Ottawa