Archived - Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) – Health Support Component

Name of Horizontal Initiative: Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) – Health Support component

Name of Lead Department(s): Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) – Northern Affairs Program

Lead Department Program Activity: Residential Schools Resolution

Start Date: September 2003 (Resolution Health Support Program), July 2004 (Crisis Line)

End Date: March 31, 2013 (RHSP), October 31, 2013 (Crisis Line)
(Note: An extension of 4 years has been sought for the continued implementation of the IRSSA.)

Total Federal Funding Allocation (from start date to end date): $226,786,069

Description of the Horizontal Initiative (including funding agreement): The Health Supports component of the IRSSA is composed of the Indian residential schools Resolution Health Support Program (formerly, Mental Health Support Program) and a 24-hour crisis line. Both of these are continuations of programs that were in place under the National Resolution Framework prior to the implementation of the IRSSA beginning in September 2007. The Mental Health Support Program began in 2003 and the Crisis Line started in 2004.

Health Canada delivers the Resolution Health Support Program, which ensures that eligible former Indian Residential School students and their families, have access to an appropriate level of health support services, through all phases of the IRSSA, so that they may safely address a broad spectrum of mental wellness issues related to the disclosure of childhood abuses. Program components include: emotional support services provided by Resolution Health Support Workers, cultural support services provided by Elders, professional counseling, assistance with the cost of transportation to access counseling, and Elder and/or Traditional Healer services.

AANDC's Resolution and Individual Affairs Sector supports former students in crisis by funding the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line, a national, 24-hour toll-free support service operated by trained Aboriginal crisis counselors. AANDC is also responsible for coordinating the verification of program eligibility, and ensuring that Health Canada is aware of dates for Independent Assessment Process (IAP) hearings so that health supports can be provided to former students in a seamless fashion.

Shared Outcome(s): The IRSSA Health Supports component works toward the achievement of two outcomes:

• Eligible former students of Indian Residential Schools and their families have access to mental health and emotional support services; and
• Eligible former students of Indian Residential Schools can safely address a broad spectrum of mental wellness issues related to the disclosure of childhood abuse.

Governance Structure(s): AANDC is responsible for the oversight of the IRSSA and is working in partnership with Health Canada to ensure it has the capacity to provide services for former Indian residential school students throughout all phases of the IRSSA.

Performance Highlights: AANDC and Health Canada provide demand-driven health support services to former Indian Residential School students and their families through all phases of IRSSA. In 2011–2012, the Common Experience Payment (CEP) application process concluded; 3841 IAP hearings were held and the Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC) hosted two national events: one regional event and one community tour of 36 northern communities. AANDC and Health Canada met the demand for health supports for former Indian Residential School students and their families by providing access to services in claimants' communities, at IAP hearings and at TRC events.

Federal Partners	Federal Partner Program Activity	Names of Programs for Federal Partners	Total Allocation (from start date to end date) ($ millions)	2011–12 ($ millions)
AANDC	Residential Schools Resolution	Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line	23.9	Planned Spending: 4.0 Actual Spending: 3.3 Expected Results: Demand-driven health supports are provided to former Indian Residential School students and their families through all phases of IRSSA. Results Achieved: Demand-driven health supports have been provided to former Indian Residential School students, their families and persons of interest, through all phases of the IRSSA. In 2011–2012, a total of 6124 calls for support were handled by the team of crisis counselors, providing a wide range of services including suicide intervention on 115 calls. The Indian Residential School Crisis Line continues to provide critical and culturally- appropriate support to former Indian Residential School students, their families and persons of interest, from all areas of the country (including many isolated regions where alternate services are very limited). There were 6411 calls in 2010–2011. A slight decrease was anticipated with the conclusion of the CEP program. As such, the results were as expected and within service levels for 2011–2012 (financially, slightly below total obligations; operationally, consistently exceeding the 95% service agreement level).
Health Canada	First Nations and Inuit Health Programming and Services	Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program	202.8	Planned Spending: 46.8 Actual Spending: 63.1 Expected Results: Demand-driven health supports are provided to former Indian Residential School students and their families through all phases of IRSSA. Results Achieved: Provided health support services at TRC national events in Inuvik and Halifax (where over 15 000 health support interactions took place), and at the Victoria regional TRC event, and in 36 other communities forming part of the TRC's northern tour. Health supports were provided to 100% of the 3841 former IRS students who requested support at an IAP hearing.
Total			226.7	Total Planned Spending: 50.8 Total Actual Spending: 66.4

Comments on Variances: Actual spending was greater than planned spending as a result of unforeseen levels of demand for health support services. Internal Health Canada funds were reallocated to ensure the accessibility of health supports; that funding permitted the program to meet the demand for health supports at an increased number of IAP hearings and TRC events.

Results Achieved by Non-Federal Partners (if applicable): N/A

Contact Information:

Health Canada:
Andrea Challis
Manager, Indian Residential School Resolution Health Support Program
Mental Wellness Division
Inter-professional Advisory and Program Support Directorate
First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada
Phone: 613-952-1377
andrea.challis@hc-sc.gc.ca

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada:
Alia Butt
A/Director
Policy and Reconciliation Directorate
Resolution and Individual Affairs Sector
Aboriginal Affairs & Northern Development Canada
Tel: 613-996-2603
alia.butt@aadnc-aandc.gc.ca