FNHA Announces Call for Proposals for Services to Support Healing From Trauma

The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is offering funding for mental health, cultural and emotional services to support healing from trauma in response to the impact of Indian Residential School (IRS) findings on the health and wellness of Indigenous peoples and communities across BC.

A total of $8 million​ in off-cycle funding is available until end of fiscal year 2021/22. This funding is available to current IRS contribution agreement holders with the FNHA to expand existing services provided through the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program (IR RHSP), Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Health and Cultural Supports (MMIWG HS), Indian Day Schools Health and Cultural Supports (IDS HS) and new service providers.

The amount of funding offered will depend on type, capacity and reach of services and how these services will fill identified service gaps at the community, regional and/or provincial level.

Use of IRS funding

Organizations engaged in direct health service delivery to BC First Nations people may apply. Trauma-informed cultural and emotional supports may include community-based cultural and emotional support services currently provided through the IR RHSP, MMIWG HS and IDS HS programs as well as expanded trauma-informed emotional and cultural supports for Status First Nations who are not otherwise eligible through the above programs.

Application Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• How funding will fill a known gap in trauma-informed cultural and emotional supports available to First Nations in BC
• A demonstrated network of trauma-informed health and cultural support providers with experience providing support to residential school survivors and their family members
• Fairness and equity within and across the regions
• Acknowledgement of reporting requirements (e.g., total number of clients, gender, age, Indigenous identity, total number of interactions)

The deadline for applications is Dec. 15, 2021.

To apply, email IRSneeds@fnha.ca.​

NT5