Healthy Babies

Aboriginal Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program

Program Goal and Objectives

The purpose is to assist all Aboriginal families to provide the best opportunities for healthy development for children up to 6 years of age.

An equally important goal is to ensure that children at risk have access to services and support that will address their needs.

The program is voluntary and open to any Aboriginal family that requests the service. Aboriginal families may also access the provincial program via the local public health unit.

Program Components

Preparing for Parenting and Care-giving

¨ Healthy relationships and sexuality

¨ Roles and responsibilities

¨ Preparing for health pregnancy

Prenatal Support

¨ Traditional teachings

¨ Pregnancy and birth

¨ Midwifery

¨ Referrals as needed

Postpartum Support

¨ Establishing contact/offering services

¨ Nutrition and healthy eating

¨ Caring for infants and children including extended family

Assessing Strengths and Identifying Needs

¨ Family strengths assessment process

¨ Identifying service and support needs

¨ Developing service plans

Program Method

Client based services

Home visiting

Intake and information gathering, providing family support, information and education to the family; provide post-natal contact within 72 hours of return home; and recording baby’s weight.

Family Service Plan

Intended to identify and build program/service linkages; identify additional support or resources that may be required; referring the client/family to other screening services and support services. Service plans are reviewed and updated as required.

Service Coordination

Connect or linking the family to programs and services to support baby/child healthy development. Some examples are: CAPC, CPNP, Aboriginal Headstart, Nurses, Elders, Social Service Workers, Midwives, Early Years, CHR’s, Community Wellness Workers; Case Management/Case Conferencing

Participant-based services

Participant-based activities are focused on groups rather than individuals. These may be open to the community-at-large (e.g. community awareness events) or targeted to a group of people (e.g. youth, moms, dads, parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles) within the community.

Networking

These activities involve gathering information about and developing contacts with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal organizations/services and their representatives to increase the client/family knowledge of and access to services.

Delivery Approach of the AHBHC Program

Overall, the Aboriginal Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program may differ from the provincial program delivered by Public Health Units in the following ways

¨ The AHBHC Program emphasis’s Aboriginal approaches to programming. For example, using traditional teachings and the inclusion of spirituality.

¨ The AHBHC Program has a preconception component.

¨ AHBHC uses a process to build on family strengths; it is not focused on families in need.

¨ The AHBHC Program can be delivered in collaboration with other Health and Social Programs. This is in response to identified needs and priorities within Aboriginal communities.

¨ The community in the AHBHC Program drives information collection.

¨ Group activity through workshops and community events is part of the AHBHC Program.

Role of the Home Visitor

Home visitors deliver early education and support to families where they are – in their homes and on their terms.

Through home visiting, families can be educated and brought up-to-date on new information about health, child development and school readiness.

The Home visiting is a bridge that links the resources of the community with the safety of the home environment, empowering even isolated parents to build a better future for themselves and their children.

Why Home Visiting?

¨ Home Visiting promotes early learning – one family at a time

¨ Home Visiting Improves family access to community services

¨ Home Visiting is an effective, way to bring families and resources together to ensure that children grow up healthy and ready to learn

¨ Home Visiting reduces social/community isolation and builds bridges for families who want assistance

¨ Home Visiting is an Aboriginal cultural approach to supporting children and families

History of the AHBHC Program

The Aboriginal Healthy Babies Healthy Children (AHBHC) program grew out of the provincial Healthy Babies Health Children Program (HBHC); a legislated program introduced by the Government of Ontario in 1997.

The Joint Management Committee (JMC) of the Aboriginal Healing and Wellness Strategy agreed to deliver the Aboriginal component of the HBHC program in 2000, and renewed its decision in 2003, for the duration of Phase III (to 2009).

The AHBHC Working Group acts on behalf of the JMC in providing program direction.

The AHBHC program is not intended to be a “stand-alone” program; rather it is intended to join together with or enhance other initiatives.

122 East Street

Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Canada P6A 3C6

Phone: 705-256-5634

Fax: 705-942-3227

E-mail: info@ssmifc.ca