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Home , Bimose Tribal Council, Eagle Lake First Nation, Fort Albany First Nation, Fort Severn First Nation, Kapuskasing, Kashechewan First Nation

Weechi-it-te-win Family Services, Inc. April 2015 Volume 1, Issue 1

Tele-Mental Health Service Newsletter

Boozhoo, Wachay! Spring is finally here! Birds are singing, bears are coming out of their dens, geese are arriving, but as I started writing this morning we were welcomed with a huge snowfall after a couple weeks of very mild summer like weather. But, I’m not complaining, our winter was relatively warm, compared to most of our neighbors in the north. So, what better time is there to tell you all about what I’ve done, and some of the places to where I’ve gone during my first year as the Tele- Inside this issue Mental Health Service Coordinator for Service Area 6! If, after reading the newsletter you’d like to know more about the service, please Partnership with Agencies ...... ….2 contact me at (807)-274-3201 ext. 4056. Payukotayno Trip ...... ….2 Working with Agencies….3 First Year Success! Poplar Hill Outreach ...... 3 ...... 4 The first year of the Tele-Mental Health Service was successful as a lot Kunuwanimano CFS ...... 4 of outreach and partnership development had occurred. As a former Friendship Centres…………………...4 designated agency ourselves, my first goal was to meet with all other District School Board Northeast 4 former Child & Youth Telepsychiatry Program designated Minto Community Counselling...5 agencies in the Kenora and Cochrane Districts. I wanted to build a trusting, working relationship with these new partners of ours and I While Dining One Evening!....…..5 think this has definitely started to happen. …………...6 Washaho First Nation School…...6 I also met with several other agencies, and seen many interesting Tikinagan CFS…………………………..7 landmarks and other attractions this past year while doing my KO and Weechi Open House…….7 outreach. Throughout this newsletter you will see many of my Leaving Fort Severn……………….…7 outreach pictures. All ………………….…….8 For the first time ever, school boards and Friendship Centres from All Agencies in Service Area….…..9 within our Districts have begun to make referrals to the Tele-Mental Looking Ahead!...... 10 Health Service for Team Program Consults and Individual Clinical Consults, and agencies from across the districts were able to experience Tele-Mental Health Education Seminars for the very first time. Partnership Development 2

This phase of the 1st year of my position a pleasure to work with. as Tele-Mental Health Service Coordinator The same now goes with was crucial as I needed to meet various First Nation Health Authority/Nodin and agencies and inform them of what the the remote First Nations. Hana Beitl does Tele-Mental Health Service is all about. exceptional work for their agency and I During this phase, I was to develop with think we have a good partnership. I still these agencies, clear pathways for the need to meet with more First Nations and publicly funded mental health providers their physician group to further promote who help and care for Aboriginal, Metis, Tele-Mental Health in the Sioux Lookout Urban Aboriginal, and children and Zone. youth in rural, remote, and underserved areas. My other meeting with an agency who coordinates Tele-Psychiatry in Service Our working relationship with Kenora Area 6 took place in . I met with Child & Family Payukotayno James & Child & Services, and Firefly Northwest Mental Family Services Mental Health Team and Health Supervisors and Case Managers Supervisors. We also established a clear have always been solid, so meeting with pathway for referrals for Tele-Mental I took this picture outside the hotel in them were a breeze and we formed Health. . The bay flies were clear pathways right away. Their Tele- terrible that day! (and evening) Psychiatry Coordinators have always been

Payukotayno Trip

This was a fun and adventurous trip for Dr. Braunberger and I. We started out leaving from , and landing in . Then departing Toronto for , then finally arriving in Moosonee at 5 pm to be greeted by Susanna Klumpenhouwer from Payukotayno! After a long day of travel we caught the boat taxi over to to check into the Hotel. We had a supper and sat in the library and had coffee. The next morning we walked over to the Weeneebayko Hospital in Moose Factory and met with the Nurse and Telemedicine Coordinator to introduce ourselves and tell them about the Tele-Mental Health Service. The bay flies were horrible! Since then the Tele-Mental Health Referral Form has been put into their database. We then caught the boat taxi back to Moosonee to meet with the Payukotayno team for the rest of the day until our departure at 5:00. It was great to meet them and develop our initial building blocks for what was going to be a great first year of working together. We caught the flight back to Timmins, and then to Toronto, where our flight was delayed for 4 hours! Dr. Braunberger caught a few zzz’s and we finally arrived in Thunder Bay at 4:30 am local time. It was truly an unforgettable experience.

2 2 3 Poplar Hill Outreach

This was the first of many outreach trips that I was to go on last Summer, and a lot of planning had to go into it. Arrangements were made by some of KO eHealth’s Telemedicine staff as well as me and my coworkers on making this trip successful. We connected with Tikinagan Child and Family Services Poplar Hill Team and travelled up on

Tina Kakepetum Schultz, KO Health Director, Myself, Fred Sky (Program Manager for Tikinagan Poplar Hill, and Pikangikum), and Orpah McKenzie, Director of KO eHealth Services ready to board a flight to . Working with Kenora Agencies Working with the agencies in the has been awesome so far. There is still so much work that needs to be done though, but I think we have made some progress. This district is huge, and I have found that people do things very differently across the regions. There are varying customs, cultures, languages, dialects, and levels of remoteness. Mental health needs are two charters. (Ours being a tiny yellow increasing in this, and all regions of our catchment area, and this is what makes 4-seater) We brought many treats and building positive working relationships extremely important. goodies to present to the leadership Over the last year I have developed a strong working relationship with and membership of the community, Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO) eHealth, Telemedicine, and Clinical including KFC, salads and pop, Departments in order to gain a bit of a better understanding of the needs of the First Nations they service. I have travelled to Muskrat Dam, Poplar Hill, Lac materials for sewing, food trays, and Seul, and Fort Severn and met with 25 First Nation Health Directors, with the pots and pans. All of our meetings in ladies of KO and couldn’t be more grateful for their knowledge of these the community were successful and communities. since then, there have been quite a few I work and communicate almost daily with Hana Beitl, Telemedicine referrals for Tele-Mental Health. This Coordinator of Sioux Lookout First Nation Health Authority-Nodin (SLFNHA) who coordinates for all First Nations in the Sioux Lookout Zone. We developed was a great experience and I am a referral process that works very well, and she is the go-to person for SLFNHA grateful for what Tina, Orpah, clients and case managers. I like that whenever I’m in Sioux Lookout, I can stop Tikinagan Child & Family Services, and in her office just to have coffee so that we can visit and catch up. the communities themselves have Another partner is Firefly, who is based out of many sub-offices in the Kenora taught me about this and other District. Their new Telemedicine Coordinator is Margaret Vermette from the communities, when it comes to Red Lake3 office and Dani Vahovick has trained her well. This agency and their case managers do incredible work for the children and youth they serve! Their engaging. mental health professionals are great at what they do and are always willing to go above an beyond for their clients. 4

Kunuwanimano Child Cochrane District & Family Services There are so many mental health Cochrane, the clinician at Minto Kunuwanimano services agencies in this district and navigating Community Clinic gave me directions it would be difficult if I wasn’t to Taykwa Tagamou First Nation and I eleven First Nations with supplied with a starting point. was able to give information three of these being in And these agencies have such packages to the staff members there. our Service Area. These knowledgeable people employed for them that meeting with them in three First Nations are person was the chance of a lifetime. I , was able to meet the staff, and present the service to Kunuwanimo Taykwa Tagamou First Child and Family Services at two of Nation, and Constance their offices and also went to several Lake First Nation. During Friendship Centres. I had the opportunity to introduce the Tele- this particular road trip, I Mental Health Service to the Mental met teams in Constance Health Lead and Mental Health Nurse at the District School Board Ontario Lake, and a main office in Northeast office in Timmins. This View of the painting about “Inclusion” Timmins. road trip took me fairly close to the on the lobby wall of the Timmins Native border as, when I went to Friendship Centre Friendship Centre Meetings and Presentations Meeting with Friendship Centre staff is always fun, but over the last year, meeting with some of these teams were especially memorable, especially down east as I know I might not get a chance to meet them again in person. Jack Solomon, at the Ininew Friendship Centre was very welcoming and we had some good chats about hockey in the district. He has a good team under his umbrella and they were very interested in the new Tele- Mental Health Service and the mental health options they now have for their youth. The Timmins Native Friendship Centre had a large group attend our meeting and lots of great questions were asked. This was also an excellent experience as some of the staff gave me a lot of insight as they were from many surrounding First Nations. I had the opportunity to meet with staff members at the Friendship Centre too, and we established a referral process for their clients. District School Board Ontario Northeast

I had some trouble finding, and making it on time, to this building in Timmins, even with the help of my GPS! But when I did, it was a beautiful building, but unfortunately no picture. When we finally got to meeting, and I explained all the benefits that the Tele- Mental Health Service has to offer, the Mental Health Lead, Superintendent, and Mental This is a great picture of the blinds that Health Nurse for the schools were very interested. They cover a wide range of were each individually painted at the communities and schools and we discussed their potential partners who could assist in Jane Mattinas Health Centre in Constance making referrals through the Tele-Mental Health Service. It was a very collaborative Lake! and beneficial meeting and since then, the school board has made requests for Program Consultations.

4 4 5

Minto Community Counselling

I really enjoyed meeting with the Executive Director and First Nations, Métis and Inuit Services Worker for this agency as they both gave me a greater understanding of the mental health needs of the First Nations people of their area. They informed me of mental health partners and contacts in the First Nation Communities and also of who else goes in and services these communities. Minto, themselves, provide a wide range of bilingual services to people 16 and over to the communities of Cochrane, , and Matheson, ON to help them cope with their mental health needs. The Aboriginal Services Worker is available at the main office in Cochrane for mostly Urban Aboriginal, and/or First Nation people who are from any of the many surrounding First Nations, Metis, or Inuit communities.

While Dining One Evening!

An interesting thing happened while I received many stares and glares from was dining alone at this neat little, some of the people who were very busy restaurant that I thought I already seated. I had my own would share. reasons why this might’ve been. Not sure if she left or not, but was I was in the back corner at a table upsetting to me as this lady was only and across from me at the next wanting to have dinner with her child table was an elderly First Nations and wanted to cool off. This was just man who was also a Toronto Maple part of my story that I won’t forget. Leafs fan! I had to yell at him for him to hear me though as he must not Anyway, I went to pay my bill and have had his hearing aids in, so I kept told the waitress that I wanted to pay our loud conversations brief. But, he for the elderly man’s bill too, only looked just like an old friend of mine because he reminded me of a very who helped me through some tough good old friend who recently passed. times in the past! Even the She said she’d tell him. He came mannerisms were alike. outside yelling “Thank you for dinner, thank you!” Wonderful looking dreamcatcher from Shortly before I was ready to leave a Kapuskasing Friendship Centre that I younger lady came in I yelled “you’re welcome! And, Go was given permission to take a pic of, with a toddler and was waiting for a Leafs Go!” He yelled “HUH??!!”, with so enjoy! seat and was noticeably warm from his hand to his ear! It was just a very the humidity outside. But she memorable experience. 5 6 Fort Severn Trip

This trip with Keewaytinook Okimakanak took a considerable amount of planning which after it was all said and done was well worth it, as I got to meet some of the most nicest, pleasant, humble, respectful, funny, and professional people while there. And this started with meeting with council members on the very first day upon arriving. We explained the reasons why we were visiting the community and they were very welcoming and explained what they felt were the needs they saw. Meeting the Telemedicine Coordinators was especially great as they went above and beyond their duties to make our trip enjoyable. The Open House was fun and we had a fairly good turnout with a young mother winning the “Grand Orpah and I settling in and checking out Prize”! We also went over to the Tikinagan Office, Nursing Station, and the the OTN room in the Nursing Station Washaho First Nation School to present and explain each of our programs. Overall, I will always remember this trip and the new friends I made while visiting this community, and hope I can someday go there again...to the most remote First Nation In Ontario!

Washaho First Nation School

I think this was the funniest meeting I just have to say that the unforgettable Telemedicine Coordinators Roseanne that I have ever had the opportunity to funniest part that Lloyd won’t let Arlene be a part of! And I think that all and I forget, is to bring him Tim Horton’s Miles, Elaine Duncan, KO staff, Arlene involved would agree. Although we Doughnuts next time...or, even mail Sanderson, Donna Roberts, Orpah were talking about very serious issues them!! Which I still haven’t done!! McKenzie, Jenny Srichaikul, and myself, that were going on in the community Sorry Mr. McDonald! taking group picture day of departure! and across other school boards and First Nations, we ended up having a good time. Lloyd McDonald and Shirley Miles were extremely accommodating to us as we presented our programs to them. We met in the library there and talked about mental health issues in the community and the referral process for Tele-Mental Health. Lloyd had been aware of the Tele-Mental Health Service already so he knew, for the most part, how it worked! But was very gracious for us coming up and for the service to the children and youth of the community.

Principal Lloyd McDonald sent me this picture of what will be the new school for the children and youth of Fort Severn First Nation!

6 7 Tikinagan Child & Family Services and Nursing Staff Leaving Fort Severn

Tikinagan was pleased to meet with us and it was my 2nd time presenting Leaving Fort Severn was kind of the Tele-Mental Health Service to one of their staff members in person, tough after spending three and a which was kind of extraordinary! The supervisor and case workers were half days there and meeting so made aware of how to refer, and who to partner with in the community if many great people, but beginning the need arose for any of their clients. new working relationships is always good. I hope that the Donna Roberts and I met with the Nurse in Charge to talk about the Tele- families will benefit from our visit! Mental Health Service and explained the referral process. She was also I'd like to come up here again pleased to know that this service was available and accessible to more someday; maybe during a Spring mental health service providers in the community. Goose or Fall Caribou Hunt. That Keewaytinook Okimakanak & Weechi-it-te-win would be great! Family Services Open House

The Open House that we provided to the community of Fort Severn was a great time! We had door prizes, Information packages, booths set up, and lots of food, candy, and beverages. A huge thank you goes out to Roseanne Miles, and Elaine Duncan for promoting the Open House across the community, and for all the transporting that they done throughout.

This was a fun event for those that attended. A young mother won a few Me, Orpah, Donna Roberts, and Arlene different draws including one where Sanderson everyone had to guess how many candies were in the two jars combined! I believe she came from within 2 of the correct number and won all the Easter candy! We also had draws for many other items including gift baskets, fruit, and coffee, and promotional items!

Some of the children came by after One child guessed “a million” 7school to check out the festivities! so I wrote that out for him!

All First Nations in Our Tele-Mental Health Service Area 8

 Keewaytinook Okimakanak Council  Independent First Nations Alliance   Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation  Fort Severn First Nation  First Nation   Muskrat Dam First Nation  McDowell Lake First Nation   North Spirit Lake First Nation  Poplar Hill First Nation   Bimose  Constance Lake First Nation  Grassy Narrows First Nations  Nibinamik (Summer Beaver)   Iskatewizaagegan # 39 Independent Nation  Marten Falls First Nation  Naotkamegwanning First Nation   Washagamis Bay (Obashkaandagaang First Nation)  Shoal Lake # 40 First Nation  Pwi-di-goo-zing-ne-yaa-zhing Advisory Services   Lac La Croix First Nation  Ochiichagwe’ Babigo’Ining Ojibway Nation   Wabigoon Lake First Nations  Mitaanjigamiing First Nation  Lac Des Mille Lacs First Nations  Naicatchewenin First Nation  First Nations  Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation  Rainy River First Nation  First Nation  Attawapiskat First Nation  Moose First Nation  Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council   Wahgoshig First Nation   Anishinaabeg of Kabapikotawangag Resource Council  First Nation (Weenusk)  Wauzhushk Onigum  Rat Portage First Nation  Shibogama First Nations Council  33  Wunnumin Lake First Nation  Northwest Angle 37  Kingfisher Lake First Nation  Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation   Big Grassy River First Nation   Anishinaabe of Naongashiing  Kasabonika First Nation  Independent Nations  Windigo First Nations Council  Ojibway Nation of Saugeen  Bearskin Lake First Nation  Mishkeegogamang First Nation  First Nation   MoCreebec Council of the Cree Nation  First Nation

 Weagamow Lake First Nation  Koocheching First Nation

8 Some of the Mental Health Agencies, Friendship Centres, 9 School Boards, and Child Welfare Agencies in Service Area

Mental Health & Health Centres  Red Lake Indian Friendship Centre

 Kenora Rainy River Child & Family Services  Timmins Native Friendship Centre

 Firefly Northwest  United Native Friendship Centre

 Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority

 Canadian Mental Health Association School Offices

 Weeneebayko Area Health Authority  Rainy River District School Board

 Kenora Chiefs Advisory Services  Keewatin-Patricia District School Board

 Sioux Lookout Meno-Ya-Win Health Centre  Northwest Catholic District School Board

 Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital Mental  Northeastern Catholic District School Board Health Counselling  District School Board Ontario North East  Shibogama Health Authority  Northern Nishnawbe Education Council  Points North Family Health Team  Kenora Catholic District School Board  Kenora Association for Community Living  Mundo Peetabeck Education Authority  District Hospital  Attawapiskat Education Authority  Dryden Regional Mental Health and Addiction  Hishkoonikun Education Authority Services  Conseil scolaire de district du Nord-Est de l'Ontario  Giizhewaadiziwin Health Access Centre  Seven Generations Educations Institute  Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’iyewigamig

 Timmins and District Hospital Metis Nations of Ontario Offices  Minto Counselling Centre  Fort Frances  Jane Mattinas Health Centre  Kenora  Misiway Milopemahtesewin Community Health Centre  Dryden  Wabaseemoong Independent Nations  Timmins  Eagle Lake Health & Resource Centre

 North Spirit Lake First Nation - Victoria Linklater Memorial Child & Family Serving Agencies School - Mental Health Program  Weechi-it-te-win Family Services

Friendship Centres  Payukotayno James and Hudson Bay Family Services

 Atikokan Native Friendship Centre  Anishinaabe Abinooji Family Services

 Dryden Native Friendship Centre  Kenora Rainy River District Child & Family Services

 Ininew Friendship Centre  Tikinagan Child & Family Services

 Kapuskasing Friendship Centre  Kunuwananimo Child & Family Services

 Ne’Chee Friendship Centre  North Family and Children's Services  Norcare Inc. 9 Nishnawbe-Gamik Native Friendship Centre 10 Weechi-it-te-win Family Services

Weechi-it-te-win Family Services is a Looking ahead to the next year! community oriented, community based, Well we officially launched on October 1st, 2014, and a lot of planning Native staffed child and family service before that date went into making the Tele-Mental Health Service a agency. Weechi-it-te-win serves 10 area successful one. And we still continually meet with Dilico Anishinabek First Nations communities located in the Family Care, Algoma Family Services, Aboriginal Health Rainy Lake District of Ontario. The Access Centre, Woodview-Mental Health & Autism Services, HANDS-The agency was created out of the collective Family Help Network.ca, SickKids, Child & Parent Resource Institute, and wisdom of the 10 Chiefs of the Rainy the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario to develop and strengthen the Lake Tribal Council. Operating under the service. mandate of the Chiefs, Weechi-it-te-win provides bi-cultural child protection and I think that over the next year, I will still definitely be learning more about family support services. Utilizing a the communities and how to approach the different agencies when wanting decentralized model of governance and to develop working partnerships. I will also be working on strengthening management, Weechi-it-te-win Family the ones that are existing as they are the most crucial. I will always be Services places an emphasis on personal learning, that’s for sure. and family healing as well as community The first year was great, and I hope that the next year will be even better, capacity building. and that this service reaches all children and youth who need it, in the most remote parts of the province.

Weechi-it-te-win Family Services Inc.

P.O. Box 812 Fort Frances, ON P9A 3N1

Phone: (807)-274-3201-ext 4056 Fax: (807)-274-8435 [email protected]

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