Indigenous Wellness Liaison (FT, Casual)

Providence Health Care’s Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation team is hiring!

To learn more about the Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation team, check us out here.

“We are here to support and advocate for Indigenous folks to ensure that their healthcare is inclusive and that it is just as important as anyone else’s.” – Jaye Currie, Indigenous Wellness Liaison

Your duties will include:

On a day-to-day basis, the Indigenous Wellness Liaison (IWL) will work to establish continuous, safe, and meaningful engagement processes with self-identified Indigenous patients and their families. Through their strong knowledge and lived experience, the IWL will assist to guide the patient and the health care providers to access cultural practices, traditional medicines, ceremony, and access to the All Nations Sacred Space.

IWLs will make available connections to community supports, including Elders. They support the patient journey by acting as a liaison. This includes working closely with interdisciplinary teams and attending daily patient rounds, coordinating referrals to and from Indigenous organizations and other health programs and services.

Bring your whole self, life experiences and cultural learnings, to this role and make a tangible impact on the health care services provided to Indigenous patient populations at Providence Health Care. We are committed to treating those we serve — and each other — with compassion and respect.

Programs that IWL's can be assigned to include:

• St Paul's Hospital - Emergency Department
• May's Place
• Road to Recovery
• BRIDGE

Meet the Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation (IWR) team and what they do:

The IWR team guides Providence Health Care in its commitment to advance Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, informed by seminal reports like In Plain Sight (2021) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. All of us at Providence are responsible for advancing Indigenous human rights in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, through processes underpinned by mutual respect and dignity. We also continually seek to maximize our capacity to deliver exceptional, culturally safe care to the Indigenous patients that we serve. The Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation team is an integral part of guiding and leading this work.

Implementing innovative solutions to challenges is a key part of advancing culturally safe, identify-affirming care. The implementation of innovative solutions often involves multiple teams and services, and requires coordination and respectful collaboration.

In this position, you will report to Neil Fowler, Manager, and be joining an exceptional, hardworking team balanced with unwavering support for one another and a great sense of humour: Fancy Poitras, Lindsay Beck, and Sheri Hundseth. The Vice-President of Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation, Harmony Johnson, leads the team through a strong vision and provides flexibility and autonomy.

Read more about the impact IWR is making at Providence Health Care.

• The successful candidate will have gained a strong knowledge and understanding of the colonial impact on the health care system as it pertains to the Indigenous populations, through their lived and professional experience.
• They will be able to work collaboratively and decisively to support the goals of the Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation Action Plan.
• They will be able to work under pressure, be solutions focused, deescalate, resolve conflict, and practice cultural humility to address cultural concerns.
• Demonstrated knowledge, experience, and understanding of Indigenous Peoples and cultures and history, an understanding of the roots of harm (colonization and racism) and ongoing harms experienced by Indigenous Peoples, UNDRIP, and the TRC Calls to Action.
• Completion of a Bachelor Degree in social work, health care nursing or related discipline is an asset but we will consider all learning through non-traditional avenues.

About you:

We recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent. We want to learn about you and your journey as it relates to this role. In lieu of a cover letter we encourage you to submit the story of your journey – this can be in a written/oral story, video, or even infographic. In your application, please let us know if you identify as Indigenous in Canada such as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit. Preference will be given to those who self-identify as being First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit.

• The salary range for this role is $67,861 - $97,550 per year, depending on experience.
• A comprehensive health benefit package, including dental, vision, and life coverage.
• An orientation session and comprehensive onboarding to all new hires.
• A chance to grow professionally and personally, as part of a supportive team driven by innovation and the desire to address the future health needs of patients, families and our communities.
• This position will be required to be on site at St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver.

Your Day to Day 

• Provides day-to-day consultation and navigational support for Indigenous patients, family, the community, and health professionals by acting as a liaison to understand and identify client needs. Supports cultural interpretation and/or health literacy translation services and the provision of culturally safe care (e.g., access, removing system barriers, and navigation challenges).
• Provides support and acts as a resource, as required, for healthcare providers, including primary healthcare physicians, regarding the provision of culturally-safe care. Facilitates client/family access to Cultural Practices and/or the All Nations Sacred Space within St. Paul’s Hospital to support Indigenous health and wellness. Coordinates connections to Indigenous community resources and supports, as required.
• Provides patient support services within the hospital system by initiating and maintaining working relationships with Indigenous clients to assess their needs and ability to access and receive culturally-safe care. Supports clients across all acute care services and the longitudinal care of patients engaged in primary care and outpatient clinics. Assists clients in addressing their concerns by linking with the Patient Care Quality Office complaint process.
• At the client or healthcare provider’s request, provides client support services related to discharge planning by participating in the discharge planning process. Assists in the early identification and assessment of clients’ needs and liaises with the appropriate community program/services (e.g., mental health, addictions, and/or other community resources) to coordinate services.
• Provides client-specific navigation of services for Indigenous patients in conjunction with an interdisciplinary care team, which may include attending daily rounds, supporting staff with client/family culturally-safe needs assessment, and checking for referrals. As required, coordinates client referrals to and from urban Indigenous organizations and other health programs and services.
• Acts as a liaison between Indigenous communities and healthcare providers, supporting Indigenous Peoples’ understanding of Providence Health Care in the provincial healthcare system, the First Nations Health Authority, and federal healthcare systems where applicable. Provides information regarding the provision of and access to healthcare programs and services to Indigenous clients, families, and communities.
• Acts as a liaison between the Indigenous Cultural Safety team and navigates opportunities for service providers to support their journey in understanding cultural safety and humility, Indigenous-specific racism, and applying learnings to the care environment.
• Maintains and updates appropriate documentation and records related to the provision of client care. Completes summary and statistical casework information as required.
• Attends regularly scheduled Indigenous Wellness & Reconciliation department meetings. Charts client referrals, including documenting referrals from community service organizations, and travels as required.
• Performs other related duties, as required.

Advance Your Career at Providence Health Care!

We acknowledge that Providence Health Care and the new St. Paul’s Hospital site is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.