The Indigenous Wellness Team will explore the latest developments in the Opioid Public Health Emergency and how our Indigenous communities can work together to respond. Additionally, they will be revealing some promising community-based practices in addressing stigma through these shareable resources:
- Decolonizing Addiction: coming to a collective understanding on substance use and addiction
- Taking Care of Each Other Video Series: Indigenous Perspectives on Harm Reduction.
Session Video:
PDF Version of their Previous PowerPoint Presentation
Everyone welcome to participate:
Date: Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am (PST)
Place: Webinar or Video Conference
………..View system requirements
Registration: required to participate online
**Registrations are now Closed**
About the Presenters
Andrea Medley, Andrea Medley is from the Haida Nation of Old Massett, Haida Gwaii. Since graduating from Simon Fraser University with a degree in Health Sciences/Gerontology, she has worked in public and Aboriginal health in a variety of capacities, from health policy to community outreach. She is currently a member of the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network’s National Aboriginal Research Advisory Committee. Andrea has been honoured to work with the First Nations Health Authority since 2014, and is thrilled about her role as Indigenous Wellness Educator on the Indigenous Wellness team, which designs culturally relevant curriculum and workshops that promote healthy sexuality and harm reduction with First Nations communities. Andrea is passionate about health promotion, harm reduction, traditional healing, and sexual health education, and brings her experience as a community member, learner, and volunteer to this educator position.
Len Pierre, Len Pierre is Coast Salish from Katzie First Nation. He was born and raised on Barnston Island in Surrey BC located on the Fraser River. Len has spent the last ten years in Aboriginal Education on multiple levels. He began his career in education by working in schools as an Aboriginal Child & Youth Care Counsellor before becoming the Director of Education for Katzie First Nation. From there he moved on to working with the Urban Native Youth Association as Program Coordinator for the Native Youth Learning Centre. Before coming to FNHA he spent the last four years working as an Education Assistant and Cultural Facilitator for Surrey Schools. Len attended the Native Indian Teaching Education Program at UBC and UFV in 2009. He also has a diploma in Child & Youth Care Counselling and a diploma in Television & Radio Broadcast from the Vancouver Institute for Media Arts.
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Janine Stevenson, RN, BScN, MSN, Janine Stevenson is the STBBI and Harm Reduction CDC Nurse Specialist and manager of the Indigenous Wellness Team. Janine shares a portfolio with Andrea Derban, who takes the lead for HIV/Hep C in FNHA’s Health Protection Team. Janine worked as a street nurse for 16 years in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and she has worked with street youth, sex workers and people who struggle with addiction. She has been involved in creating and teaching STI/HIV and community development workshops with BCCDC’s Chee Mamuk; Chee Mamuk is a BC Aboriginal HIV program, which involves working with Aboriginal communities in a culturally appropriate way. In 2010, Janine moved to the education program in BCCDC to support and facilitate workshops for public health nurses and healthcare professionals regarding sexual health, harm reduction and addiction. During this time she continued to work with Chee Mamuk and support programming regarding HIV prevention and testing in First Nations communities. Today, Janine has joined the First Nations Health Authority Health Protection unit where she will continue to support nurses who provide sexual health services and harm reduction services to First Nations people.
Cherlyn Cortes, RN, is humbled to be a part of the Indigenous Wellness Team with the First Nations Health Authority, located in Vancouver, on unceded Coast Salish territory. Her career began as a diploma-trained RN in 2004 and then completed her post-RN BScN studies through Dalhousie University. Her experience has spanned many areas, from the Supervised Injection site in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, to the Neonatal ICU. Her experience in nursing leadership include previous positions as the Clinical Coordinator for the Raven Song Stabilization Primary Care Clinic, Nurse Educator for the HIV Regional Hope to Health Team and Nurse Educator for the VCH Downtown Eastside 2nd Generation Redesign. Cherlyn continues to work in the Downtown Eastside as a STI and Contraception certified primary care nurse at Vancouver Native Health clinic and at Raven Song Primary Care. In her role as the Indigenous Wellness Clinical Nurse Advisor, she supports nurses working in First Nations communities throughout the province, in the areas of Harm Reduction, HIV, Hepatitis C, Sexually Transmitted Infections and Contraception Management.
Reading material:
- Indigenous Harm Reduction Principles and Practices (Fact Sheet)
- Overdose Data and First Nations In BC_Preliminary Findings
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How to use Naloxone
Check out these links to learn more about naloxone and how to administer it:
- Where can I get a Naloxone Kit?
- Toward the Heart: Overdose Survival Guide (PDF)
- Toward the Heart: Naloxone quick-learn
- Toward the Heart: How to Use Naloxone Video
- BC Pharmacists: Naloxone Brochure (PDF)
If you witness an overdose call 911 immediately and remember the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act provides some legal protection for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose. Learn more here.
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