Background
The Ministry of Health (MoH) and Community Action Initiative (CAI) are partnering to develop a culturally grounded and accessible online learning course focused on Indigenous perspectives, community healing, and aftercare support.
Aftercare services play a vital role in the substance use continuum of care. They help provide continuity of support, strengthen community connections, and reduce the risk of relapse and other harms for individuals who may be transitioning from structured treatment or recovery programs, relocating to a new community, or working to maintain their recovery.
For Indigenous peoples, culture-based aftercare approaches support wholistic wellness across physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions, while also recognizing the importance of family and community in healing. Despite their importance, culture-based aftercare supports are often siloed within the broader substance use system of care, which can create challenges in maintaining coordination and continuity as individuals transition from bed-based services back into their communities.
This project aims to strengthen understanding of Indigenous-led aftercare approaches and support service providers and community members in integrating culture-based practices into recovery supports.
Once completed, the course will support participants to:
- Apply tools and knowledge to integrate culture-based aftercare approaches and wise practices into services and programming
- Recognize the unique cultural needs and practices of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and urban Indigenous peoples
- Support culturally informed aftercare approaches that promote long-term healing and wellness
- Understand how aftercare services may vary across service providers while supporting the continuation of cultural practices in recovery
- Build relationships with community resources and strengthen connections to the provincial substance use system of care
- The course will be hosted online through a digital learning platform and will be self-paced to support flexible participation.
Advisory Council
The project has been guided by the Aftercare Advisory Council (AAC), an Indigenous advisory body made up of Indigenous representatives from the Ministry of Health, First Nations Health Authority, Indigenous-led community-based organizations, as well as Elders, Knowledge Keepers, community representatives, and peers. The AAC has provided high-level strategic direction and recommendations to CAI throughout the design, implementation, and evaluation of the project.
The Aftercare Advisory Council is currently not accepting new members.
We are honoured to recognize the members of the AAC for their leadership, knowledge, and guidance throughout the project: Elder Jean Wasegijig, Elder Vernon Williams, Jodie Milward, Ramona Quock, Joshua Dahling, Mel Bazil, Sandra Martin Harris, Jennifer Curtis, Julia Kaisla, and Shae-Lynn Boyko.
We want to express our appreciation to Jewell Gillies Webber of Strengthening Connections Consulting, whose thoughtful content development, cultural knowledge, and collaborative approach have been invaluable to the project.
This project is currently in development, with an anticipated course launch in Fall 2026.