Update on Jordan’s Principle from Ontario
To: All Ontario First Nation Chiefs and Councils
Dear Chief and Council:
Re: Update on Jordan’s Principle
On July 5, 2016, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs announced the implementation of a new approach and broader definition of Jordan’s Principle. The Government of Canada has committed up to $382 million in new funding to enhance service coordination and ensure service access issues are resolved to address the health and social needs of First Nations children.
Jordan’s Principle states that First Nations children should get the same health and social services and supports as all other children in Canada, regardless of where they live. If a child in your community needs a publicly-funded health or social service or support that other Canadian children are eligible for, Jordan’s Principle will help ensure that the child gets that service or support.
Jordan’s Principle is not meant to duplicate programs and services that already exist. For example, if a child in your community needs special education services, the first place to seek support for them is at the child’s school or through available Education program funding. However, if there are needs that are not being addressed through existing federal and provincial programming, funds are available for service access resolution through Jordan’s Principle. For example, since July 2016, this fund has provided children with supports such as: specialized medical equipment, transportation to medical treatment, and access to respite care.
This document for your use is a call for requests for funding to support unmet health and social needs for children, which Health Canada recently circulated to service providers in Ontario. It includes an application for Service Access Resolution/Service Enhancement Projects, and the Jordan’s Principle Intake Summary Form. Please feel free to submit requests through Health Canada or Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada Jordan’s Principle Focal Points. *Editor’s note – you can find this here: http://www.anishinabek.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Jordons-Principle.pdf
More information about Jordan’s Principle is available at www.canada.ca/jordans-principle, or by contacting your regional INAC or Health Canada (HC) Jordan’s Principle Focal Points:
INAC – Elana Pal, 416-973-1276, Elana.pal@aandc-aadnc.gc.ca
INAC – Shelley Knott-Fife, 705-875-7120, Shelley.knott-fife@aandc-aadnc.gc.ca
INAC – Taia Tarvainen, 416-952-9593, Taia.tarvainen@aandc-aandc.gc.ca
HC – Valerie Flynn, 613-948-2713, Valerie.Flynn@canada.ca
HC – Stephanie O’Brien, 613-948-6020, Stephanie.obrien@canada.ca
HC – Kathleen Roberts, 807-737-5862, Kathleen.roberts@hc-sc.gc.ca
HC – Vanessa Follon, 613-952-0148, Vanessa.follon@canada.ca
You can also reach us by calling the INAC general inquiries line: 1-800-567-9604, or by emailing: InfoPubs@aadnc-aandc.gc.ca.
Health Canada and INAC are working together with First Nations organizations and service providers to establish enhanced service coordination. This function will help families and communities to navigate and access services to overcome programming gaps and jurisdictional disputes.
I trust this information is of assistance.
Sincerely,
Anne Scotton
Regional Director General
INAC Ontario Region
25 St. Clair Avenue East, 8th Floor
TORONTO ON M4T 1M2
Attachments: Jordan’s Principle Presentation Deck – Ontario Region
Jordan’s Principle Key Messages
Callout package sent by Health Canada March 10, 2017
c.c.: Political Confederacy
Chiefs Committee on Social Services
Ontario First Nation Tribal Councils
Social Services Coordination Unit
First Nation Education Program Contacts
First Nation Child and Family Services Agencies
Ontario Works Administrators
Women’s Shelter Directors
First Nations Jordan’s Principle Focal Points
Health Canada and Ontario Jordan’s Principle Contacts