Thessalon First Nation
Health Centre
Thessalon First Nation Health & Social Services Center is open to everyone in our community!
Thessalon First Nation Health Centre supports and advocates for the physical, economic, social and mental well-being of its diverse community through the primary health care, community social support, health promotion, collaborations and partnerships.
Thessalon First Nation Health Centre delivers integrated coordinated clinical services through a team that consists of the following:
- Physican
- Nurse Practitioner
- Community Health Nurses
- Community Health Rep
-
Dietitian
-
Social Workers
-
Personal Support Workers and more
Our programs and services are health promotion and education, social education, outreach and social supports, and mental health services that work together to provide transformative care and support.
Values and Beliefs
TFN Health Center is committed to achieving a healthier community and is supported by strategic partnerships and collaborations following these values and beliefs:
Respect and Dignity:Staff, students and community members who participate in center activities and use the services will treat each other with respect and dignity.
Accessibility: The center will work actively to reach out to those who have traditionally faced barriers to health care and community service through the delivery of flexible and diverse programs to ensure that they will feel comfortable and welcome.
Diversity: The center values and respects the diversity of its staff and of the people who make up its community. Diversity refers to the different racial and cultural backgrounds, sex, sexual preference, and visible and invisible challenges.
Quality: The center is committed to ensuring that clients receive high quality, comprehensive and holistic care from a well-informed, and well-qualified staff.
Recognizing Strengths: The center operates on the principle that staff, students and community members have many skills and strengths to offer to bring about personal and community change.
Shared Knowledge: The center is committed to building and sharing knowledge inside the organization and in the community. Staff will provide clients with information to make decisions about their lives, and community members will share their knowledge with each other and staff at the center.
Health Promotion through Social Change: The Board and staff will advocate for the improvement of the economic status, education and housing conditions of its community. Better health will be achieved, in part, through the improvement of these factors.
Community Health
Community Health Nurse
The Community Health Nurse is responsible for improving and/or maintaining the health of the community. Some activities include community outreach, maintaining medical supplies, assessing and referring patients to other health care professionals and to maintain the health clinic.
For Information or Services Contact:
Christine McEwan, Community Health Nurse
cmcewan.tfn@vianet.ca
705-842-2670 ext.228
Community Health Representative
The Community Health Representative is responsible for planning & assisting in the implementation of healthy activities with the goal to influence community members of Thessalon First Nation to alter lifestyle behaviors that contribute to chronic diseases.
For Information or Services Contact:
Angie Vincent, Community Health Representative
avincent.tfn@vianet.ca
Tel: 705-842-3547
Visiting Regulated Health Professionals
The Thessalon First Nation Health Center provides access to health care within the community through regularly visiting health care professionals.
All appointments are to be booked by contacting Melva Bisaillon at 705-842-2670 ext. 221 or stop in at the clinic.
- Dr. Quon - 10am to 12pm - Every 2nd Tuesday
- Shirley Morley, Nurse Practitioner - 10am to 2:30pm - Thursday
- Bev Humphries, Registered Dietician - 10am to 3pm - Mondays
- Michelle Fortier, Diabetes Teachings & Self-Care - Every 4th Monday
- Karolee Gair - Foot-Care Services - Every 8 weeks
- Wendy Smith - Physiotherapist
- Hollie Lefelrre - Physiotherapist Assistant
- Brian Noochitia - Mental Health and Addictions - Wednesdays
- OTN Services - Ontario Telemedicine Network available during office hours, please ask your provider and then book with the medical clerk.
Home & Community Care
The Thessalon First Nation Home & Community Care program is committed to enhancing the well-being of our community members and to support the independence of elderly and disabled persons living in the community within the comfort of their own home. The components of this program include:
Case Management
Determines the client's needs through an intake and assessment process followed by regular assessments, planning, implementing, and evaluating the client's needs for a personal/home support worker and home maintenance.
Personal Support Worker/Home Support Worker
Responsible for the delivery of specific personal/home support services that are aimed at aiding/caring for persons who are recovering from illness, disabilities, injury, the frail elderly, and persons who present a need in an area that jeopardizes holistic health.
Home Maintenance
Services clients with snow removal, grass cutting, and minor home repairs following an assessment from the case manager.
Home & Community Care Worker
Responsible for servicing the clients needs by providing companionship, entertainment, and supervision with emphasis on the client's mental, emotional and social well-being.
Congregated Social Dining
A support service that provides transportation to a nutritious meal out of the home with an opportunity to socialize and participate in a social activity.
For More Information or Services Please Contact:
Christine McEwan, Community Health Nurse
Tel: 705-842-2670 ext. 228
cmcewan.tfn@vianet.ca
Healthy Babies/Healthy Children
The HBHC program is a prevention/intervention plan for Aboriginal families with children primarily focusing on those six and under. The focus of this program is parenting preparation, prenatal care, post natal care, and early childhood development. The goal of this program is to assist families through home visiting, service coordination, and referrals until the child reaches 6 years of age.
Examples of programs/ services offered through this program include:
- Home visiting for parents with children aged 0-6
- Nutrition, Pre-School Nutrition
- Child Car Safety, Home Safety, FIRE Safety, FASD, Sun Safety, Halloween Safety and School Bus Safety
- Earth day, Nature Hike, Other Recreational Activities
- Mom & Tot Programming
Our Healthy Babies Worker/Community Care Worker, is also responsible for the development and implementation of programming services for the families
with children pre-natal and post-natal to 6 years of age.
Canadian Pre-Natal Nutrition Program
The goal of the Canadian Pre-Natal Nutrition Program is to improve the nutritional health of mothers and infants. This is done through these core elements: Nutrition, screening, counseling, maternal nourishment, and breastfeeding support education. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please contact the Community Health Nurse to find out how you can access this program.
For More Information or Services Please Contact:
Jennifer Mills, Healthy Babies Worker/Community Care Worker
Tel: 705-842-2670 ext. 224
jmills.tfn@vianet.ca
Christine McEwan, Community Health Nurse
Tel: 705-842-2670 ext. 228
cmcewan.tfn@vianet.ca
Traditional Health
The purpose of the Traditional Health Program is to provide community members with traditional healing services and alternative therapies, thus encompassing a holistic approach to healing for individuals, and families of the First Nation. The program will also strive to combine contemporary alternative therapies and medical practices with traditional medicines, while promoting positive health factors which are associated with First Nation values.
Programs include:
- Traditional healing (quarterly sessions)
- Talking circles
- Medicine Walks
- Traditional medicine making
- Elder's Arts and Crafts
- Annual Pow Wow
- New Year's Eve Pow Wow
- Seasonal Ceremonies
- Language Programs
For Further Information Please Contact:
Vi Mclean, Traditional Health & Healing Worker
Tel: 705-842-2670 ext. 226
vmclean.tfn@vianet.ca
Community Support
Community Support Services Program
The Community Support Services Worker (CSSW) aims at facilitation and/or improvement of social support for populations at risk that reduces the likelihood for direct intervention services. Examples of programs/services offered through this program include:
- Parenting Groups
- Youth Groups
- Womens & Mens Groups
- Self-Esteem Workshops
- Substance Abuse
- Child Development
- Crisis Intervention
- Referrals
- Band Representation
Native Family Preservation Program
Family Support/Advocacy: Workers will provide assistance and support for children and families to resolve child welfare crises by cooperative plans and carry out actions designed to divert future similar crises. The worker also provides in-home support to reduce the factors that place families in need of child welfare intervention. All services are voluntary.
For More Information or Services Please Contact:
Chris Belisle, Community Support Services Worker/Band Rep
Tel: 705-842-2670 ext. 255
cbelisle.tfn@vianet.ca
Meghan Stopes, Family Preservation Worker
Tel: 705-842-2670 ext. 235
mstopes.tfn@vianet.ca
Medical Transportation
The Non-Insured Health Benefits, Medical Transportation program provides transportation services to access medically required health services to the nearest appropriate facility. This program services all community members living within the community. The medical van operates Monday to Friday 8:30 am - 4:00 pm and has service to Thessalon, Sault Ste Marie, and Blind River.
For local travel within Sault Ste Marie and Blind River areas, clients are required to book their appointments in advance with the Executive Assistant, Melva Bisaillon.
For out of town travel, clients are required to make arrangements well in advance with the Program Technical Support Worker, Lisa Bisaillon.
For More Information or Services Please Contact:
Melva Bisaillon, Executive Assistant
Tel: 705-842-2670 ext. 221
mbisaillon.tfn@vianet.ca
Community Health Representative/Diabetes Lay Educator Program
The Community Health Representative (CHR) works as a team member in the day-to-day operations of the health program. The representative provides health information, instruction, and guidance to the Thessalon First Nation community members by educating safe health practices including identifying their needs for effective community services and programs. The CHR program offers a range of healthy lifestyle services, for example:
- Nutrition Classes
- Fitness Exercise Programs
- Diabetes Education Sessions and Workshops
- Environmental Health Issues
- Traditional Health
- Smoking Cessation Programs
- Menu Planning
- Health & Safety Workshops
For More Information or Services Please Contact:
Angie Vincent, Community Health Rep/Diabetes Lay Educator
Tel: 705-842-3547
avincent.tfn@vianet.ca
Ontario Telemedicine Network Services
The Ontario Telemedicine Network is one of the largest telemedicine networks in the world. It uses a two-way video conferencing web-cam to provide access to care for patients in every hospital and hundreds of other health care locations across the province. Half of Ontarians waited at least 12 weeks for an initial consultation with a dermatologist, using OTN, patients received a consultation within 5 days!
OTN can help save your time and money by:
- Providing you with less wait times
- No need to travel to see your specialist
- Improved access to services that you need
OTN Services Provide:
- Mental Health and Addiction Treatment
- Evidence based mental health to children in a culturally sensitive manner
- Burn Consultations
- Stroke Consultations
- Dermatology Consultations
- Home-Care Programs
- Ophthalmology Consultations
- Specialist Follow-Ups
- Cancer Support Group
- And many more services to help meet your needs!
Family members are welcome to attend your appointment if requested!
For More Information or to Book an Appointment Please Contact:
Melva Bisaillon, Executive Assistant
Tel: 705-842-2670 ext. 221
mbisaillon.tfn@vianet.ca
Gym
At the Thessalon First Nation Gym, we consider it a mission to enhance the quality of life through physical fitness. To this end, we endeavor to provide a facility with quality gym equipment and facilities. The goal of the gym is to improve the overall health and fitness of others through motivation and encourage healthy life style choices!
In order to promote healthy living we strive to provide a well-stocked gym for members and the ability to purchase a membership. It has cardio machine as well as equipment for lifting weights. It is a great facility that is convenient due to it's short distance from most community members homes.
Gym rules:
- Always sign out
- No outside shoes
- Respect others
- No horse play
- Always lock door
- Wipe down gym equipment when finished
Membership Prices:
- 3 Months - $20.00
- 1 Month - $10.00
- 1 Membership per household
- Must be 18+ to purchase a membership
For More Information or to Purchase a Membership Please Contact:
Angie Vincent, Community Health Rep
avincent.tfn@vianet.ca
705-842-3547
Address:
53 Maple Ridge Rd, Thessalon ON
Hours:
Open 24/7
Source: https://www.thessalonfirstnation.ca/health.html
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