Health
Birdtail Sioux Health Centre
The Birdtail Sioux Health Centre continues to make great strides with respect to providing primary care and programming that meet the community’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs.
In 2009, a new facility was built due to the expansion of health and community-based programming, increase in population and demand for health services. The building was designed to provide safer, more culturally appropriate health care services, while increasing access to nurses, rehabilitation specialists and other health professionals for families.
Tanya Hanska, Health Director
(204) 568-4545, ext. 4
tanya.hanska@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Adrienne Kasto, Administrative Assistant
adrienne.kasto@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Felicia Hanska, Finance
(204) 568-4545, ext. 3
felicia.hanska@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Mailing Address: Box 90, Beulah, Manitoba R0M 0B0
Fax: (204) 568-4615
Birdtail Sioux Health Centre Management Structure
Our Mission
What We Do
We deliver family-centered, culturally safe health services and supports that meet the holistic needs (spiritual, emotional, physical, cultural and mental) of our community members.
Our Vision
Where We Are Going
A Healthy, Vibrant and Empowered Community.
HEALTH PROMOTION & DISEASE PREVENTION – HEALTHY CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Programming aims to improve health outcomes for First Nations and Inuit infants, children, youth, families (including pregnant women) and communities by providing increased access to a continuum of supports from preconception through pregnancy, birth and parenting. Areas of focus include prenatal health, nutrition, early literacy and learning and physical, emotional and mental health. Healthy child development activities are provided through the community based programs below:
- Healthy Pregnancy and Early Infancy
- Canada Pre-natal Nutrition Program
- Early Child Development
Hanna Matiowsky, Community Health Nurse
(204) 568-4545, ext. 2
chn@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP)
This substance use prevention and treatment programming provides a range of community-based prevention and treatment services and supports. Community-based programming includes prevention, health promotion, assessment and intervention, referral, aftercare and follow-up services.
Tyler Hanska, NNADAP Worker
(204) 568-4545, ext. 6
tyler.hanska@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
PRIMARY CARE – CLINICAL AND CLIENT CARE
Clinical and client care is often the first point of individual contact with the health system and is predominantly led by the CHN and may involve referrals and collaboration with other health professionals.
Assessments, diagnostic, treatment, curative and rehabilitation services are provided for urgent and non-urgent care.
Hanna Matiowsky, Community Health Nurse
(204) 568-4545, ext. 2
chn@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
HEALTHY LIVING
Programming increases awareness and promotes healthy behaviours and supportive environments, particularly in the areas of healthy eating, food security and physical activity and obesity, and address chronic disease (e.g. Type-2 Diabetes) prevention, screening and management, and injury prevention. Services are provided through the following community-based programs:
- Chronic Disease Prevention and Management
- Injury Prevention
Hanna Matiowsky, Community Health Nurse
(204) 568-4545, ext. 2
chn@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
PUBLIC HEALTH PROTECTION COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT (CDCM)
Communicable disease control and management programs aim to reduce the incidence, spread and human health effects of communicable diseases, as well as improve health through prevention and health promotion activities, of on-reserve community members.
CDCM programming focuses on vaccine preventable diseases, blood borne diseases and sexually transmitted infections, respiratory infections, and communicable disease emergencies.
Please speak to your community Health Nurse about the programs and services that are available:
- Communicable Disease Control
- Blood Borne Diseases and Sexually Transmitted Infections – HIV/AIDS
- Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) – Immunization
- Respiratory Infections- Tuberculosis (TB) Program
- Communicable Disease Emergencies – Pandemic Influenza
Hanna Matiowsky, Community Health Nurse
(204) 568-4545, ext. 2
chn@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Communicable Disease Control and Management (CDCM) Environmental Health Community Based Water Monitoring Program
The Community Based Quality Monitor works to support clean, safe, reliable drinking water by:
- regularly sampling and testing all drinking water systems where the public has access
- getting samples to the laboratory in a timely manner
- providing residents, upon request and free of charge, bacteriological testing services
- maintaining quality assurance and control
(204) 568-4545
sterling.hotain@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Home and Community Care
Home & Community Care is a program designed to help families maintain independent living for the home-care client.
- The program assists clients with in-home care and access to services and current information
- The home-care nurse completes assessments at the request of individuals or family members
- The success of this program for an individual depends on the individual’s compliance and the family’s support
- Home Care does not take the place of the family
Shawna Susinski, Home Care Coordinator
(204) 568-4545, ext. 5
shawna.susinski@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Faith Bunn, Health Care Aide
faith.bunn@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Brighter Futures
The overall purpose of the Brighter Futures program is to help create healthy family and community environments in which community members and children can thrive.
The program is made up of five components-mental health, child development, parenting, healthy babies and injury prevention.
Andrea Eashappie, Program Manager
(204) 568-4545
andrea.eashappie@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Building Healthy Communities
This program assists individuals and families by developing and providing tools to deal with mental health and addiction issues.
Mental Health and crisis intervention activities include: assessments and counselling services; referrals for treatment and follow-up; after-care and rehabilitation to individuals and communities in crisis; culturally sensitive training for community members and caregivers; and community education and awareness of the nature of mental health and suicide.
Andrea Eashappie, Program Manager
(204) 568-4545
andrea.eashappie@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Mental Health Counselling Services
Mental Wellness means a lot more than the absence of mental illness – it takes in all areas of person’s life. Mental Wellness is the presence of factors that promote and maintain physical, mental, emotional and spiritual balance.
Counselling services are for anyone experiencing something they can’t manage on their own. If you need support with one of the following issues, the Mental Health Therapist is here to help:
- Relationships
- Family violence
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Sexuality and sexual orientation
- Childhood abuse
- Grief or loss
- Sudden life changes
- Lack of self esteem
- Alcohol use, drugs or gambling
- Children or parenting issues
- Suicidal thoughts
- Any other problem that may be affecting your life
Nancy Abbas, RPN
Mental Health Therapist
per Birdtail Sioux First Nation
Health Centre General Line: (204) 568-4545
Cellular: (204) 471-4214
abbas1@mymts.net
Footcare Services
Basic Foot Care is delivered only by a licensed and registered Foot Care Nurse. The program aims to meet the foot care needs of individuals, families and communities, thus striving to help prevent and reduce foot care complications and amputations associated with diabetes.
Basic Foot Care includes as a minimum the following:
- Basic Foot and Lower Limb Assessment
- Basic Wound Assessment
- Basic Footwear Assessment/Examination
- Corn and Callus Reduction
- Nail Care
- Client Education and Health Promotion (Foot Related)
- Referrals to Footwear Fittings
- Referrals to Medical Specialists
Pam Belinski, Foot Care Nurse
(204) 568-4545
pamela.belinski@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative
The goal of this program is to improve the health status of individuals, families, and community members through actions aimed at reducing prevalence and incidents of diabetes and its risk factors.
Sterling Hotain, Program Manager
(204) 568-4545
sterling.hotain@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Aboriginal Head Start On-Reserve (AHSOR)
This program supports parents, guardians, and extended family members of First Nations children to become their first teachers. Focusing on families of children from birth to age six years, this community-based program aims to develop school readiness as well as a lifelong interest in learning in First Nations children.
Amber Bunn, AHSOR Coordinator
(204) 568-4545
amber.bunn@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Jordan Principle – Mato C’istina Tipi Program
Jordan’s Principle is a legal rule in Canada. It helps ensure First Nations children and youth can access products, services and supports they need, when they need them, and without prejudice.
Jordan’s Principle is named in honour of Jordan River Anderson, a young First Nations boy from Norway House Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba, who spent his entire life in the hospital and died, while caught in a jurisdictional dispute between the governments of Canada and Manitoba, which both refused to pay for the in-home medical care necessary for Jordan to live in his home and community.
Under this legal rule, First Nations children and youth can access any public services (such as physical health, mental health, educational supports, early childhood services and more). The government or department of first contact is responsible for funding, with financial disputes to be resolved after support is provided.
All First Nations children 0-21 years of age with an identified need for a publicly funded service or support are eligible, no matter if they are:
- on or off reserve
- status or non-status
If you would like to submit a request using Jordan’s Principle, please call the Jordan’s Principle Centre at (204) 568-4599.
TBD, Jordan Principle Case Manager
Cherie Wasteste, Assistant JP Case Manager
cherie.wasteste@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Ramona Cook, JP Administrative Assistant
ramona.cook@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
TBD, Child Development Worker
Wintersage Skywater, Child Development Worker
wintersage.skywater@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Wanda Bunn, Child Development Worker
wanda.bunn@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Destiny Jackson, Child Development Worker
destiny.jackson@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Roxanne Barker, Family Support Worker
Jodi Needham, Rehab Assistant
jodi.langevin@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
Community Dental Program:
Dental Therapy & Children’s Oral Health Initiative (COHI)
The Community Dental Program has 2 components:
Dental Therapy: Dental therapists deliver a range of preventative and basic oral health treatment services for all ages, including:
- Dental care such as routine check-ups, oral cancer examinations and emergency examinations
- Preventative services, including teeth cleaning, polishing, fluoride applications, pit and fissure sealants and individualized client-centered education and product recommendations
- Restoration of teeth affected by tooth decay
- Extractions
- Root canal treatments for babies
- Referral to dentists and other healthcare professionals as needed
- Oral health promotion activities
Children’s Oral Health Initiative (COHI): COHI is an early childhood tooth decay prevention program designed to support children from birth through age seven, their parents and caregivers, and pregnant women. Services include annual oral health screening, fluoride varnish applications, dental sealants and temporary fillings, as well as oral health promotion education and resources.
The goal of COHI is to make oral health and oral care a regular part of family life.
Judy Lochhead, Dental Therapist
(204) 568-4545
jrloch@mts.net
Medical Transportation
This program provides medical transportation to on-reserve members so that they can access medical services off-reserve.
Medical transportation benefits may be provided for clients to access the following types of medically necessary health services, such as:
- medical insured services covered by provincial/territorial health plans (e.g., appointments with physician, hospital care)
- diagnostic tests and medical treatments ordered by a physician or other health professional within his or her scope of practice and which are covered by provincial/territorial health plans
- publically-funded alcohol, solvent, drug abuse and detox treatment
- traditional healers
- non-insured health benefits (vision, dental, mental health, medical supplies and equipment), and
- publically-funded preventative screening e.g. breast cancer screening (where coordination with other medical travel is not feasible).
(204) 568-4545, ext. 1
tracy.skywater@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca
John Bunn, Med Trans Driver
Suzanne Savignac, Med Trans Driver
Alex Gies, Med Trans Driver
alex.gies@birdtailsiouxhealth.ca