Read the Health Co-Management Agreement between First Nations and MSB here: HCOM Agreement

The HCoM Secretariat writes the content for the HCoM website, determining the information needs of Alberta through ongoing discussions with individuals, health workers, and leadership.

The representatives are then given a chance to read and provide feedback for website content before it is sent to HCoM for final approval.

The HCoM Principles are as follows:

• Equity: future program decisions shall be based on maximizing equity for all communities without creating an undue advantage of community or group of communities over others.
• Transparency: all decisions shall be made in an open and transparent manner, appropriately documented, and accessible.
• Accountability: the Co-Management Committee shall not commit funds beyond the limit of the regional envelope.
• Timeliness: the Co-Management Committee shall operate in such a way that will allow informed decisions to be made in a timely manner.
• Appropriateness: the Co-Management Committee shall involve itself only with issues common to First Nations, and make decisions relevant to its mandate to co-manage the MSB – Alberta Region Envelope.
• Legality: the Co-Management Committee shall operate within the rules, regulations, or directives which govern Medical Services Branch and its operations.

Budget 2021 includes some new health investments. Because we are still waiting for our regional allocation (what funding Alberta will have), we still do not have concrete ideas about what the Budget at large means for First Nations in Alberta.

Please follow the link to the Government of Canada website: Budget 2021

Please follow the link to download the PDF of Budget 2021 (large file): Budget 2021 PDF document

If you have questions about Budget 2021 and new developments, please email us at admin@hcom.ca

Our First Nations partners are always working to make health a priority. Please see the links below for more information on health.

Treaty 6

Confederacy of Treaty 6 – http://www.treatysix.org/health.html

Enoch Cree Nation – http://enochnation.ca/divisions/health/

Maskwacis Health Services – http://maskwacishealth.ca/

Tribal Chiefs Ventures – http://www.tcvi.ca/advisory-services/health

Yellowhead Tribal Council – https://yellowheadtribalcouncil.ca/initiatives/health/

Treaty 7

Blackfoot Confederacy – https://blackfootconfederacy.ca

Stoney-Nakoda-Tsuu T’ina Tribal Council – Website coming soon!

Treaty 8

Athabasca Tribal Council – http://atcfn.ca/our-services/health/health-how-we-serve/

Kee Tas Kee Now – Please see Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta.

Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council – Please see Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta.

Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta – http://health.treaty8.ca/

Western Cree Tribal Council – https://www.westerncree.ca/

Funding in your community is determined through your Contribution Agreement (CA), which is allocated to your community every fiscal year, and through discretionary funds.

HCoM only makes decisions relating to discretionary funding, meaning that HCoM does not make decisions that communities already have in their agreements. Discretionary funds are funds that are coming from a specific pot of funds, but there are not yet plans on how to allocate it.

Funding formulas through Health Co-Management are currently under review, as per the direction given at the February 2018 Assembly of Treaty Chiefs meeting. Because each Treaty area has its own unique needs and priorities, the funding formula needs to be reviewed to ensure that it is equitable and fair for all First Nations in Alberta.

Health Co-Management will always respect the decision of each nation to either enter into the Health Co-Management Agreement or not. Because Treaty is at the center of the relationships we have with the crown as First Nations, we recognize that different interpretations of Treaty are valid and recognized by First Nations. We also recognize that it is important for each Nation to have their own relationships with the crown, and those relationships may be enough to negotiate and make decisions on health for their people without HCoM.
We believe that the Health Co-Management Agreement is built on Treaty and allows First Nations people to have power over our own health. Every First Nations person in Alberta has the Treaty Right to Health, and by bringing First Nations to the table, we believe that we are keeping the federal government accountable to First Nations when it comes to our health.
The Medicine Chest Clause, as it is written in Treaty 6, is as follows: “That a medicine chest shall be kept at the house of each Indian Agent for the use and benefit of the Indians at the direction of such an agent.” We believe that Health Co-Management helps to strengthen the ability of First Nations in Alberta to exert authority to ensure that the medicine chest is indeed for the use for the benefit of First Nations, while keeping us free of any discriminatory decisions or policies that the crown has made or will make without First Nations input.

Not all First Nations in Alberta are signatories to HCoM for various valid reasons. There are non-signatories in Treaty 8 and Treaty 6 who either have their own one-on-one nation-to-nation agreements with the federal government or who support the Medicine Chest Clause as the vehicle for health funding and programming with the federal government.

Becoming a signatory is a big process that happens at the leadership level, and the HCoM Secretariat is here to help you, should your community or tribal council decide that you would like to become a signatory. The Health Co-Management Committee recommends that discussions regarding becoming a signatory are Chief-to-Chief discussions, as the agreements are signed by Chiefs.
Email us at admin@hcom.ca for more information on the process and history of becoming a signatory.

Representatives are selected in their respective Treaty areas using processes in place in that area. Generally, representatives have experience in health and are nurses in charge, health directors, health portfolio holders, or frontline workers.
Please see the “What Treaty areas are doing FAQ ” for more information on which organization to contact for more information.

Please use the Contact Us page for more information or email us at admin@hcom.ca

Please check out our  Regional Representatives page for more information,  or email us at admin@hcom.ca.

No, information and funding callouts are always shared as far-and-wide as possible from the HCoM Secretariat, including to organizations who service Nations who are non-signatories. Funding and program decisions made through the HCoM process are for all First Nations in Alberta, regardless of signatory status.

If your community is not receiving callouts for funding, please email us at admin@hcom.ca to be added to our mail-out list and adjust your spam filters in your inbox. We strive to keep our contact lists current; if you or someone you know are new to a role, drop us a line to introduce yourself, and we will have you added to our mail-out lists.

Please contact the HCoM Secretariat for training at admin@hcom.ca. The HCoM Secretariat is able to come to your community to deliver training and answer questions.

FNIHB funding cycles are often fast, and headquarters (Ottawa) can allocate funds to the provinces without warning. Those funds are usually discretionary, which means they must follow the HCoM process.

The HCoM process isn’t perfect, and one of its drawbacks is that the process can take time. Health technicians, health directors, and leadership all have busy schedules, so it can be difficult to coordinate a meeting to decide on how funding will be allocated; however, we strive to ensure that all decisions are made in a timely manner for all of our partners, especially for First Nations.

To find out what funding is currently available please visit our funding opportunities page

Yes. Because federal funding is for all Status Indians, you are able to access programming from the federal government wherever you live. One of the programs you may see change is Non-Insured Health Benefits–all Status Indians can access these benefits across the country, but when you access it in Alberta, it may be funded a little differently.

Yes. Generally, the funding and programming that is discussed by HCoM will be distributed to communities; however, there are programs that are accessible to First Nations people off-reserve as well. In some ways, you may be impacted indirectly, but in other ways, you may see the implementation of federal funding for yourself. One of the programs you may see change is Non-Insured Health Benefits–all Status Indians can access these benefits across the country, and not just on-reserve.

Health Co-Management is trying to put First Nations back into the driver’s seat when it comes to our health. “Co-Management” means to work together to manage: this means that the federal government must consult with First Nations leadership and health experts before any decisions are made. Because representatives are from communities, you should be able to tell them directly how you think health should be administered in your community.