Since the very beginning, Kitigan Zibi has worked hard at obtaining autonomy over the administration and delivery of their Health and Social Service programs. The Kitigan Zibi Health & Social Services (KZHSS) Sector has been in existence since the mid-eighties, although the efforts to have control over such programs far precede this date.
The KZ Health & Social Services Council, which has been in place since the 1980s, manages many buildings within the community. The KZHSS encompasses many programs geared toward the physical and mental health of all community members. From pre-natal nutrition to in-home care programs for seniors, the KZHSS has a variety of services in place.
Health & Social Services
Vision
Kitigan Zibi Health and Social Services envisions Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg members to be healthy throughout all stages in their lives.
Mission
KZHSS offers a safe, equitable and quality current service practice with qualified community professionals to encourage Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg community members to take charge of their own health.
Philosophy
It is up to each individual to take responsibility for their own health, and to live in the balance and harmony in their own mind, spirit and body. Kitigan Zibi Health and Social Services is here to support community members in a non-judgmental manner in their quest for health to the extent each individual is prepared to help him/herself.
Mandate
As a community public health provider, KZHSS strives to continually improve community health outcomes by offering public health and primary care and social services by partnering with external health and social services providers. KZHSS ensures KZA members in the non-remote community of Kitigan Zibi will receive client/family centered services provided by a dedicated and well-trained team believing in self-management and the development of personal skills in health and wellness in the following areas:
Community Public Health:
Community Public Health within KZHSS is defined as creative ways of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts of staff and community. Public Health within KZA focuses on community-based health education along with services defined by Quebec Santé-Publique.
Functions include:
- Population health assessment based on community consultation
- Health surveillance based on health trends data of the community
- Community-based health promotion
- Community-based disease and injury prevention
- Health protection
Primary Care:
Primary Care within KZHSS is defined as clinical care provided to clients by a Doctor/Nurse through a direct health assessment and/or Doctor’s prescription. Primary Care within KZHSS provides limited services in collaboration with the provincial Medicare system.
Functions include:
- Restricted management of acute, episodic care and non-urgent routine care;
- Health teaching on an individual basis in clinic care;
- Health teaching on an individual basis for specific individual disease and injury prevention;
- Chronic disease management with Chronic Care Model.
Social Services
Social services within KZHSS is defined as a service programming preventing and assisting families and individuals from living in crisis.
Functions include:
- Primary Prevention within KZHSS is a community-based education and programming to prevent high-risk behavior.
- Secondary Prevention within KZHSS is intervention programming to prevent experimentation risk behavior on an individual level and to target groups.
- Tertiary Prevention within KZHSS is intervention programming to treat and reduce established risk behaviors on an individual level