Four Additional Strategic Priorities Identified by Stakeholders on May 6, 7,2008:8. Cont<strong>in</strong>ually build on <strong>the</strong> resilience of specific vulnerable population groups:a. Develop <strong>and</strong> implement approaches that are particularly aimed at support<strong>in</strong>g:i. Children <strong>and</strong> youth;ii. Sex trade workers;iii. People <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> gang activities, <strong>and</strong>;iv. Aborig<strong>in</strong>al people who are <strong>in</strong>carcerated9. Research <strong>and</strong> pass on knowledge related <strong>to</strong> Aborig<strong>in</strong>al ways of help<strong>in</strong>g:a. Build cultural competency/safety <strong>in</strong> non-aborig<strong>in</strong>al organizations;b. Implement holistic approaches <strong>to</strong> health <strong>and</strong> wellness.10. Acknowledge <strong>the</strong> resilience of Aborig<strong>in</strong>al communities by us<strong>in</strong>g a strength-based <strong>and</strong> socialdeterm<strong>in</strong>ant of health approach:a. Work with an exp<strong>and</strong>ed range of partners <strong>to</strong> address <strong>the</strong> impact of residential schools;b. Identify <strong>and</strong> address high rates of foster care.11. Build partnerships <strong>and</strong> engage a wider range of relevant bodies:a. Identify <strong>and</strong> build work<strong>in</strong>g relationships with relevant groups, such as:i. Private sec<strong>to</strong>r;ii. National organizations;iii. Departments, M<strong>in</strong>istries <strong>and</strong> organizations work<strong>in</strong>g outside <strong>the</strong> traditional health sec<strong>to</strong>r.Consensus Decision Po<strong>in</strong>tsThree ma<strong>in</strong> recommendations came from <strong>the</strong> meet<strong>in</strong>g of May 6 <strong>and</strong> 7, 2008:1. To form a Reference Group for <strong>the</strong> Tripartite First Nations Health Plan. The Reference Groupwill have predom<strong>in</strong>antly Aborig<strong>in</strong>al representation, along with representatives of <strong>the</strong> federal<strong>and</strong> prov<strong>in</strong>cial governments <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> First Nations Health Council. The purpose of <strong>the</strong> ReferenceGroup will be <strong>to</strong> br<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> best <strong>in</strong>formation <strong>and</strong> advice <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> parties of <strong>the</strong> TripartiteFirst Nations Health Plan <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong> impact policies <strong>and</strong> practices by all health bodies <strong>and</strong>funders <strong>in</strong> order <strong>to</strong> best address <strong>the</strong> HIV/AIDS epidemic among Aborig<strong>in</strong>al people <strong>in</strong> B.C.2. To implement <strong>the</strong> Renew<strong>in</strong>g our Response Strategies, <strong>and</strong> an additional four strategiesidentified on May 6 <strong>and</strong> 7, 2008, <strong>to</strong> create a current <strong>and</strong> comprehensive approach <strong>to</strong>address<strong>in</strong>g HIV/AIDS as it impacts Aborig<strong>in</strong>al communities <strong>and</strong> people <strong>in</strong> B.C. This consistsof <strong>the</strong> five project priorities <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> two projects related <strong>to</strong> surveillance <strong>and</strong> treatmentfrom <strong>the</strong> Renew<strong>in</strong>g our Response Leaders Group, comb<strong>in</strong>ed with <strong>the</strong> four strategic prioritiesidentified above <strong>in</strong> <strong>response</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> presentations made at <strong>the</strong> meet<strong>in</strong>g.3. To broaden <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>volvement of a range of stakeholders <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> Aborig<strong>in</strong>al HIV/AIDS.In order <strong>to</strong> address HIV/AIDS among Aborig<strong>in</strong>al people <strong>and</strong> Aborig<strong>in</strong>al communities,organizations work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> address <strong>the</strong> broader social determ<strong>in</strong>ants of health, <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r“upstream” services need <strong>to</strong> play a role. M<strong>in</strong>istries, departments, <strong>and</strong> organizations work<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong> areas such as education, hous<strong>in</strong>g, addictions, counsel<strong>in</strong>g, employment, corrections,research <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r areas, should be partners <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> process. Also, cross-jurisdictionalgroups, such as <strong>the</strong> Federal/Prov<strong>in</strong>cial/Terri<strong>to</strong>rial Advisory committee on AIDS <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>M<strong>in</strong>isterial Council on HIV/AIDS should be <strong>in</strong>volved6 Unify<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Response <strong>to</strong> HIV <strong>and</strong> AIDS <strong>in</strong> Aborig<strong>in</strong>al Communities <strong>in</strong> BC F<strong>in</strong>al Report
Presentations <strong>and</strong> DiscussionIn this section, a summary of each presentation is followed by a description of issues that work<strong>in</strong>ggroups identified as challenges <strong>to</strong> overcome or ideas <strong>to</strong> carry forward, com<strong>in</strong>g out of eachpresentation.1. Tripartite First Nations Health Plan Update – Dr. Evan AdamsSummary:Dr. Adams described <strong>the</strong> Tripartite FirstNations Health Plan <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> commitmentmade by <strong>the</strong> three partners. He outl<strong>in</strong>ed<strong>the</strong> four areas of activity for <strong>the</strong> TripartiteFirst Nations Health Plan: Governance,Relationships <strong>and</strong> Accountability; HealthPromotion/Injury <strong>and</strong> Disease Prevention;Health Services, <strong>and</strong>; Performance Track<strong>in</strong>g.Dr. Adams described <strong>the</strong> ways that <strong>the</strong> HealthPlan will be developed <strong>and</strong> implemented,<strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g First Nations, <strong>the</strong> Prov<strong>in</strong>cial <strong>and</strong>Federal governments <strong>and</strong> Health Authorities<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir contracted services.Issues <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>mes raised <strong>in</strong> discussion:Participants discussed ways of <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g allAborig<strong>in</strong>al communities <strong>and</strong> people <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>gMetis, <strong>the</strong> shift represented by <strong>the</strong> TripartiteFirst Nations Health Plan, <strong>and</strong> how healthorganizations <strong>and</strong> governments, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>gHealth Authorities, will be held accountablefor public health-level results. They alsodiscussed <strong>the</strong> need for new funds <strong>to</strong> address<strong>the</strong> situation.2. Aborig<strong>in</strong>al HIV / AIDS Statistics <strong>and</strong> Epidemiology – Melanie RiversSummary:Melanie Rivers presented current statistics related <strong>to</strong> HIV/AIDS as it affects Aborig<strong>in</strong>al people <strong>and</strong>communities. She noted <strong>the</strong> overrepresentation of Aborig<strong>in</strong>al people <strong>in</strong> newly-diagnosed cases,<strong>and</strong> described particularly vulnerable groups, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g women <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>traveneous drug users.Issues <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>mes raised <strong>in</strong> discussion:Participants discussed <strong>the</strong> challenges of reach<strong>in</strong>g vulnerable populations <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> impact ofunderly<strong>in</strong>g issues such as colonization <strong>and</strong> residential schools. Issues were raised around <strong>the</strong>effectiveness of current test<strong>in</strong>g approaches given <strong>the</strong> mobility of Aborig<strong>in</strong>al people <strong>and</strong> issues oftrust <strong>and</strong> stigma. Participants also discussed <strong>in</strong>novations that could occur <strong>in</strong> relation <strong>to</strong> test<strong>in</strong>g aswell as how governments <strong>and</strong> agencies could <strong>in</strong>tervene <strong>in</strong> a more targeted way.Unify<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Response <strong>to</strong> HIV <strong>and</strong> AIDS <strong>in</strong> Aborig<strong>in</strong>al Communities <strong>in</strong> BC F<strong>in</strong>al Report 7