First Nations Health Authority facts for kids
| Type | British Columbia Health Authority |
|---|---|
|
CEO-Interim
|
Richard Jock |
| Website | www.fnha.ca |
The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is an organization that helps manage health programs and services. It works for First Nations people living in British Columbia (BC). The FNHA aims to improve health and wellness for these communities.
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What is the First Nations Health Authority?
The FNHA is a special health organization in BC. It is part of a bigger plan for First Nations health. This plan helps First Nations communities manage their own health services. The FNHA was created through agreements between BC First Nations, the Province of BC, and the Government of Canada. These agreements aimed to improve health for First Nations people.
A First for Canada
The FNHA is the first organization of its kind in Canada. It is the first health authority created just for First Nations people across an entire province. The FNHA plans, organizes, and pays for health programs. These programs are delivered in First Nations communities throughout BC.
Important Health Services
The FNHA focuses on keeping people healthy and preventing illness. They offer many community-based services, such as:
- Primary Care Services: This includes basic doctor visits and health check-ups.
- Mental Health and Addictions Programming: Support for mental well-being and overcoming challenges.
- Health Infrastructure: Helping communities build and maintain health facilities.
- Environmental Health and Research: Looking at how the environment affects health.
- Non-Insured Health Benefits: Helping with costs for things like dental care or prescription medicine.
The FNHA works hard to make health better for First Nations people. They want to close the health gaps between First Nations people in BC and other people in the province. The FNHA serves 203 communities across BC, both in cities and in rural areas. On October 1, 2013, the FNHA took over many health programs from Health Canada.
Safe Drinking Water for Communities
The FNHA also works to make sure First Nations communities have safe drinking water. Their Environmental Public Health Services (EPHS) team helps with this. They put out warnings called Drinking Water Advisories when water is not safe.
Types of Water Advisories
There are different types of advisories:
- Boil Water Advisory (BWA): This means you must boil your water before drinking it. Boiling kills harmful germs.
- Do Not Consume (DNC): This means the water is not safe to drink at all. You should not use it for cooking either.
- Do Not Use (DNU): This is the most serious warning. It means you should not use the water for anything, not even washing.
The FNHA monitors 285 community water systems in 193 First Nations communities in BC. They work to lift these advisories as quickly as possible. For example, 11 long-term advisories were lifted in 2011. In 2016 and 2017, seven more long-term advisories were lifted. By January 31, 2019, there were 10 Drinking Water Advisories in effect across 8 First Nation communities. The FNHA continues to work on ensuring safe water for all communities.
