# Presentation: 467239

## HHS and Health Canada MOU  

***A Collaborative Effort to Address ***
***Suicide, FASD Prevention/Intervention, ***
***and other issues****** ***
***Among Indigenous People***
***Tamara Clay, MSW, LISW***
***IHS General Staff Meeting***
***September 2, 2004***

##     In Geneva Switzerland, May 2002, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between The Department of Health and Human Services of the Government of the United States of America and Health Canada of the Government of Canada.

**HHS and Health Canada MOU  **

## Purpose of the MOU

** ****“****To share knowledge through an agreed upon annual schedule of work which may include the exchange of information and personnel, the conducting of workshops, conferences, seminars and meetings.” **

- _One Activity Generated by the MOU_:

**IHS hosted the first IHS and **
**Health Canada Suicide Prevention **
**Working Group meeting, **
**March 2004, in **
**Phoenix, AZ.**

## IHS and Canada Suicide Prevention Working Group

**The IHS/HHS Team included representatives from the IHS, Tribes, academia, and national suicide prevention organizations. **
** **
**The Health Canada Team included representatives from the First Nations and Inuit Health Board (FNIHB) of Health Canada, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK).**

##    
   In September 2003, Dr. Charles Grim, Director of IHS,  announced the IHS initiative to address the tragedy of suicide in our American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. 

**   ****In September 2003, Dr. Charles Grim, Director of IHS,  announced the IHS initiative to address the tragedy of suicide in our American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. **
** **

##  This meeting was directly related to 
(1) reducing the disparity of suicide rates among AI/AN, First Nations and Inuit populations by 
(2) sharing/exchanging information regarding suicide prevention and intervention with our Canadian counterparts.

**(1) reducing the disparity of suicide rates among AI/AN, First Nations and Inuit populations by **
**(2) sharing/exchanging information regarding suicide prevention and intervention with our Canadian counterparts.**

## Other Activities or Working Groups Generated by the MOU are: 

**    ****The IHS/DHHS and FNIHB of Health Canada’s :  **
**AD HOC Working Group on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and**
**the Research Working Group. **

* **Photo Courtesy of the Indian Health Service/ U.S. *
*  **Department of Health and Human Services   *

## These Working Groups are:

**addressing similar concerns,**
**sharing information, **
**innovative solutions, **
**and research **
**    ****regarding suicide, FASD prevention / treatment programs, and other issues among our Indigenous populations.**

## The Second IHS and Canada Suicide Prevention Working Group Meeting Occurred:

**   ****In June 2004, during the IHS and SAMHSA’s conference, “Expanding Partnerships to Meet Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Challenges in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities”, in San Diego, CA. **

##    The IHS and Canada MOU Suicide Prevention Working Group and the  AD HOC Working Group on FASD have identified two specific areas as a starting point for longer term program development. 

- Working Group Strategies

## First, the Working Groups are Developing Corresponding Scans

**Two comprehensive directories (one for suicide and the other for FASD) of existing prevention and intervention programs and resources utilized among Indigenous people in the US and Canada.**** **

## Secondly, the Suicide Prevention Working Group is Creating a Homepage

**As a central repository to store the scan and other information, with the capacity to link to other sites (i.e. IHS website or Health Canada Website).  **
**The webpage is being developed cooperatively among IHS and Health Canada, and Indigenous representatives. **

## The Third IHS and Health Canada MOU Suicide Prevention Working Group Meeting

**Will occur in Ottawa, Ontario, October 5-7, 2004 and Health Canada will be hosting it.**
**The purpose of the meeting is to develop critical long-term goals and objectives to guide efforts of the working group through the remaining 3 years of the Memorandum of Understanding. **
** **

##     They include representatives from IHS, AI/AN Tribal members, national suicide prevention organizations, and AI/AN youth.

**Approximately 12 IHS Team Members will be attending:**

##    Health Canada has also invited IHS and Tribal representatives to participate in the first face-to-face IHS and Canada MOU Ad Hoc Working Group on FASD meeting, October 25-27, 2004 also in Ottawa, Ontario.

## HHS and Health Canada Roundtable Research Meeting, addressing collaborative agendas on research, is Sept. 19-20, 2004, in Washington, D.C.
Ian Potter, Associate Deputy Minister of First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada and Dr. Charles Grim, Director of IHS will both be speaking at this event.  
Also 12 representatives/researchers  from each country will participate.

**Ian Potter, Associate Deputy Minister of First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada and Dr. Charles Grim, Director of IHS will both be speaking at this event.  **
**Also 12 representatives/researchers  from each country will participate.**

**HHS and Health Canada **
**Roundtable Research Meeting**

## Resources

** ****IHS Division of Behavioral Health Website:**
_**[http://www.ihs.gov/MedicalPrograms/Behavioral/](http://www.ihs.gov/MedicalPrograms/Behavioral/)**_
**First Nations and Inuit Health Branch Website:**
_**[http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fnihb-dgspni/fnihb/index.htm](http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fnihb-dgspni/fnihb/index.htm)**_
** ****Health Canada Website:**
_**[http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/index.html](http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/index.html)**_