Healing, health and wellness services for Indigenous people and families

Community Wellness Workers

You can talk to a Community Wellness Worker to get programs and services for family violence and existing or new healing, health and wellness issues. Services may include:

• developing action plans to address your healing, health and wellness concerns
• peer counselling
• crisis intervention
• education and prevention programs in schools and communities, including workshops, healing and cultural teachings and events, and land-based activities
• individual and family referrals to counselling and treatment programs
• case management
• advocacy and outreach

Service providers

The Union of Ontario Indians (UOI)

Through the UOI, you can find a Community Wellness Worker in 38 First Nation communities throughout the UOI territory.

For more information please contact:

Union of Ontario Indians
Curve Lake First Nation
Curve Lake, Ontario
K0L 1R0
Local: 705-657-9383
Fax: 705-657-2341

The Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC)

The Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC) sponsors Community Wellness Workers (commonly known in the Friendship Centres as healing and wellness co-ordinators) located in 26 Friendship Centres throughout Ontario.

Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres
219 Front Street East
Toronto, Ontario
M5A 1E8
Local: 416-956-7575
Fax: 416-956-7577

The Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians (AIAI)

The Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians (AIAI) sponsors Community Wellness Workers located in seven First Nation communities throughout the AIAI territory.

Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians
387 Princess Avenue
London, Ontario
N6B 2A7
Local: 519-434-2761
Fax: 519-679-1653

Treaty #3 territory

There are 29 Community Wellness Workers across Treaty #3 territory.

For more information, contact:

Grand Council Treaty #3
PO Box 1720
Kenora, Ontario
P9N 3X7
Local: 807-548-4214
Toll-free: 1-800-665-3384
Fax: 807-548-5041
Email: admin@treaty3.ca

Healing lodges

Visit a healing lodge to access residential and day programs using traditional Indigenous healing and contemporary therapeutic interventions to:

• reduce the impacts of, or trauma arising from, sexual assault, physical, mental and emotional abuse or family instability
• promote and foster the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical wellbeing of Indigenous people and families
• foster the healing, rebuilding and strengthening of individual and family relationships

Service providers

Health navigators

Contact the Health Navigator Program to get:

• health and mental health care navigation
• advocacy
• discharge planning
• support services

Health navigators can help make access more equitable and improve the quality of health services you receive.

Service providers

Health Outreach Workers

Talk to a Health Outreach Worker to get counselling, home visits, education and referrals on a variety of matters, such as:

• health and wellness
• health promotion
• disease prevention
• family violence prevention

Service providers

Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC)

The Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC) sponsors health outreach workers in 11 urban centres throughout Ontario.

For more information on the health outreach workers and locations, contact:

Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres
219 Front Street East
Toronto, Ontario
M5A 1E8
Local: 416-956-7575
Fax: 416-956-7577

Ontario Native Women's Association (ONWA)

The Ontario Native Women's Association (ONWA) sponsors Community Health Outreach Workers in urban centres.

For more information on the health outreach workers sponsored by ONWA, contact:

Ontario Native Women’s Association
380 Ray Boulevard
Thunder Bay, Ontario
P7B 4E9
Local: 807-623-3442
Fax: 807-623-1104

Outpatient hostels (Timmins and Kenora)

If you are an Indigenous person and you are accessing health care in Timmins or Kenora, you and the people who accompany you (for example, partners, family members, friends, personal support workers) can stay in a hostel short-term.

The hostels offer:

• accommodation and meals
• transportation to and from the airport and appointments
• Indigenous language translation services
• Additional services may include client advocacy, emotional support and assistance with reserving accommodations.

Kenora

Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe'iyewigamig Outpatient Hostel
c/o Lake of the Woods District Hospital
21 Sylvan Street West, 3rd Floor, East Wing
Kenora, Ontario
P9N 3W7
Local: 807-468-9861 ext. 2335
Fax: 807-468-3488

Timmins

Weeneebayko Area Health Authority
Local: 705-264-8549
Fax: 705-264-8572

Get an Indigenous language translator for health care

Find an Indigenous language translator to help you communicate with medical and other health practitioners about symptoms, diagnoses, care, treatments and follow-up services.

Service providers