FNHC Infobulletin Volume 1 Issue 3 | October 2008 - First Nations ...

First Nations Health Council | October 2008 Infobulletin | page 12Vision Screening Rollout this FallHealth Eyes are important to a child’s learning.Some vision problems can be hard to notice andneed to be corrected at an early age. Many childrendo not know that they have a vision problemas changes in a child’s vision happen very slowly. Achild may thank that everyone sees the same way.Vision screening for Aboriginal children under agesix (on and off-reserve) is one of the 29 actionitems in the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan.The First Nations Health Council, First NationsSchool Association and Ministry of Healthy Livingand Sport are working together to ensure that allkindergarten children in First Nations schools receivevision screening which will identify and referchildren with vision concerns that could affect achild’s health and learning.During the 2008-2009 school year health authoritystaff will be offering vision screening servicesto all kindergarten age children attending FirstNations schools and public schools. Public healthstaff from the local health authority will be partneringwith First Nations schools to carry out thescreening.Parents will receive information about the programand will be able to indicate their agreementfor their children to participate. OCAP (Ownership,Control, Access, and Permission) standards will applyto this data, and the program will be evaluatedto ensure it meets the needs and aspirations ofFirst Nations Community Health.To support First Nations communities, we havepurchased 10 vision screeners for use in FirstNations communities. As well, we are conductingTrainer of Trainer for vision screening onNovember 4 and 5. The training is in partnershipwith Dr. Barry Lester and National CollaboratingCentre of Aboriginal Health. The training willfocus on the basic knowledge about the eye andthe Welch Allyn vision screener, which can detectvision problems at an early age. We are workingwith the health authorities to be able to provide apracticum setting for the trainees to practice usingthe vision screener.The Trainer of Trainer Training is for those communitiesthat have a minimum of 20 children in theircommunities from 3 to 6 years old. These Trainerswill then be able to provide training in their regionand will be asked to conduct one training in theirregion.For more information about Vision Screening,please contact Marilyn Ota at mota@fnhc.ca.Governance Policy AnalystCommunity DevelopmentMark Martthew, Community Development LiaisonWeytk, my name is Mark Matthew from the Simpcw First Nation. I grew up onthe North Thompson reserve located 15 km north of Barriere, BC. I now live inKamloops with my wife and young son. I havea Bachelors of Business Administration fromThompson Rivers University and experience as aBusiness Development Officer (at an AboriginalFinancial Institution) and a Financial Advisor.Most recently I was employed with InteriorHealth as the Aboriginal Contracts Advisor.My role within the First Nations HealthCouncil is the new Community DevelopmentLiaison. I am looking forward to getting outinto the communities and assisting in theimplementation of the Tripartite First NationsHealth Plan (TFNHP). My position will providea wide range of community and organizational development skills to assist FirstNation either independent or in a community engagement hub to plan, collaborateand communicate with FNHC. As well as assist First Nation communities in thedevelopment of community health plans and work plans.Mark Matthew BBAmmatthew@fnhc.caAndrea Glickman, Governance Policy AnalystAndrea recently completed a Master’s degreein Community Development at University ofCalifornia-Davis. Her research focused on raceand class among agricultural workers in centralCalifornia, and separately, on decolonization inGuyana. She taught a class on race and ethnicityat U.C.D., and worked with students on researchmethods and community engagement. Prior tothat she worked in Ecuador and India for twoyears on public health and community economicdevelopment projects in rural areas.Andrea is from Vancouver, and worked in the Downtown Eastside for severalyears with a peer-based needle exchange outreach project. She holds a B.A. inAnthropology from U.B.C. and worked at the Museum of Anthropology. Sheis passionate about social justice and advocacy, as well as health. Andrea lovesto spend time in the forest and mountains, and is happy to be back in BritishColumbia with her family and friends. Andrea be reached at 604.684.0231