Meadow Lake Tribal Council - Over 25 Years Creating Health, Community Wealth and Good Governance.

Programs & Services: Health & Social Development

Health is seen as an outcome of factors that influence our lives and overall health. Factors include demographics, income, education, environment, social support, spirituality, empowerment, and access to services. The World Health Organization defines health as: ". . . a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."      Meadow Lake Tribal Council Health and Social Development agrees with this definition and uses the determinants of health model in order to structure an integrated approach to health development.      Meadow Lake Tribal Council Health and Social Development has evolved through time and experience to the following configuration of their services. Health and Social Development programs are streamlined into three service areas; primary care, social development, and community development. Each service area has a manager responsible for all relevant programs in their field. Each program provides support, expertise, and when required professional supervision to the nine Meadow Lake First Nations. As a result of signing a new Health Services Agreement with Canada, a new Meadow Lake First Nations Health Service Agreement needed to be developed. Organizational Development Guidelines were also developed to meet the federal agreement terms and to better outline how Meadow Lake Tribal Council Health and Social Development can provide a positive system of support to ensure an energization of the community process.      Meadow Lake Tribal Council Health and Social Development encompasses the knowledge of elders, community leaders, health planners, provincial organizations, as well as other First Nations organizations to work towards the creation of health. There are many challenges that must be overcome to attain a state of health. By developing connections in and out of the communities, Meadow Lake Tribal Council Health and Social Development can assist in developing social relativeness, which in turn increases a sense of well-being.