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A home for paediatricians. A voice for children and youth.

IMICH 2025 Program

07:30 - 16:30

Registration

07:30 - 08:30

Continental Breakfast

08:30 - 10:30

Opening Ceremonies

10:30 - 11:00

Break

11:00 - 12:30

Oral Abstracts

12:30 - 14:00

Poster Session with Lunch

14:00 - 15:30

Concurrent Session B

B1

Early child development

Utilizing the Protective Power of Relationships in Infant Mental Health: A Strength Based, Interdisciplinary Approach in a Tribal Health System

Beth Mittelstet, MD, FAAP (Muscogee Creek Nation)
Candice Keyes, PhD, MPH (Dine (Navajo) Nation)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify the influence of Infant Mental Health on program implementation in a tribal healthcare setting.
    2. Design and utilize the HealthySteps model as an interdisciplinary, strength-based approach to early childhood development service delivery.
    3. Describe how the integration of an Early Child Development team expands the reach of pediatric primary care.

Lessons Learned from the Early Years Pilot Project: Indigenous-Led Early Childhood Programming

Charlene Rattlesnake (Saulteaux)
Melissa Tremblay, PhD, RPsych (Métis Nation of Alberta)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Understand the complexities involved in assessing the impact of a culturally-grounded early childhood program
    2. Define how to implement a community-guided approach to research and evaluation
    3. Identify the outcomes and impacts of a community-based home visitation program in a First Nations community in Canada
B2

Academic and community collaboration

The Empowered Living Clinic: An Example of a Tribal-Academic Partnership to Improve Delivery of Obesity Treatment in First American Children

Kayla Dewitt, LCDR, PT, DPT, LSMC, TPS, CFPS (Chickasaw)
Ashley Weedn, MD, MPH, FAAP

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify opportunities for tribal-academic partnerships to improve child health through collaborative pediatric obesity prevention and treatment initiatives.
  2. Expand capacity of tribal pediatric clinics to provide multidisciplinary obesity care.

Indigenous Youth Mentorship Program

Teena Starlight, B.Ed, M.Ed, EDD (Tsuut'ina Nation)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Increase knowledge of the Indigenous Youth Mentorship Program.
  2. Understand the foundation and core conditions of IYMP.
  3. Identify the essential conditions for implementing IYMP.
B3

Alternative therapies

Promoting First Nations Family Well-being through Wellness Fairs

Sara Citron, MD, FRCPC

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Participants will learn about the significance of low-barrier healthcare access in promoting the well-being of families, particularly those from indigenous communities. They will understand how initiatives like CYFN Wellness Fairs can effectively meet families where they are at, eliminating traditional barriers to healthcare access and ensuring that vital services are within reach for all members of the community.
  2. Participants will gain insight into the critical role played by advocacy and support services, such as Family Preservation Workers, in navigating complex healthcare systems and safeguarding the integrity of family units. They will learn how these professionals serve as champions for families, providing close support and advocating for equitable access to healthcare services, ultimately preventing disruptions to familial bonds and promoting holistic well-being.
  3. Participants will explore the concept of scalable models for healthcare equity, using the CYFN Wellness Fair initiative as a case study. They will learn how this community-centric approach can be adapted and implemented in diverse urban settings across North America to bridge existing gaps in healthcare access for indigenous families. By understanding the principles behind this initiative, participants will be equipped to advocate for similar inclusive healthcare solutions in their own communities, fostering inclusivity and empowering marginalized populations to take control of their health outcomes.

Yawardani Jan-ga (Horses Helping) - Aboriginal Young People and Horses creating solutions together

Julianne Coffin, PhD, MPH&TM, Dip.Teach (Australian Aboriginal)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify alternative approaches in the social and emotional well-being space for Australian Aboriginal young people and youth and the wider applications in the First nations context.
  2. Develop an understanding for culturally secure equine assisted learning programs in an Australian Aboriginal young people and youth context.
  3. Increased awareness of co-designing community embedded solutions to complex social needs in an Australian Aboriginal context.
B4

Youth and 2SLGBTQ+ health

A Community-driven Approach to Supporting Youth Mental Wellness in Nunavut: The I-SPARX and Virtual Qaggiq Projects

Yogita Singh, BSc

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify the unique circumstances of conducting serious-game, mental wellness research within remote communities.
  2. Evaluate and describe the strengths and challenges of co-creative research with multiple, diverse communities, spanning the entire territory of Nunavut.
  3. Assess the importance of culturally appropriate intervention tools and consider the intensive community-involved process of developing these cultural-specific tools.

Pride and Community Connection for Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ Adolescents

Alessandra Angelino, MD, MPH, FAAP

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe pride (in Two Spirit and Indigenous identities) and connectedness among 2SLGBTQ+ individuals.
  2. Describe at least one aspect of the current policy and legal landscape for gender-affirming care in Indian Country.
  3. Identify community developed resources and advocacy opportunities for providers to support Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ individuals.
B5

Child protection

Disability in out-of-home care: the needs and perspectives of kinship carers

Jocelyn Jones, Dr (Aboriginal, Whadjuk)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Gain an in-depth understanding of how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with disabilities are uniquely affected within the child welfare system.
  2. Identify the main barriers that prevent effective support and early intervention for Aboriginal and Torres Islander children with disability in out of home care.
  3. Equip participants with knowledge and tools to advocate for policy changes that will improve the child protection system for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.

Duty to Support: How to support families to stay together

Candice Noris (Dene and Cree)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. To critical assess the child protection system and the harms of reporting.
  2. To apply lessons from families on the barriers they face and how to better support them in community.
  3. To strengthen community by sharing ideas and building connections across sectors, experiences, and perspectives.
15:30 - 16:00

Break

16:00 - 17:00

Plenary Session

Culturally Responsive Autism Assessment in an Indigenous Community: Bridging the Gap in Pediatric Care

Grant Bruno, PhD (Samson Cree Nation)
Heather Dreise, BA, MD, FRCPC

Our team explored the cultural, socio-economic, and medical aspects of autism assessments to improve accessibility for families. These community-based assessments aim to address barriers to diagnostic services, support clinicians implement culturally informed practices and connect families with appropriate supports.

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify the challenges Indigenous families face when attempting to get an autism diagnosis.
  2. Learn how to apply community centered relational methods to better support Indigenous families for their clinical needs.
  3. Increase capacity for advocacy to influence broader systemic change.

17:00 - 18:00

Poster Session with Reception

07:30 - 16:30

Registration

08:00 - 09:00

Continental Breakfast

09:00 - 10:00

Plenary Session

10:00 - 10:30

Break

10:30 - 12:00

Concurrent Session C

C1

Child development

Development of a National Indigenous FASD Framework in Canada

Melissa Tremblay, PhD, RPsych (Métis Nation of Alberta)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify the ways in which colonialism, as a social determinant of health, is implicated in FASD.
  2. Examine how an Indigenous FASD framework can support the health and wellbeing of children and families.
  3. Expand their understanding of community-grounded perspectives on FASD.

Maawit Maladjiny: A primary care provider intervention to improve early child neurodevelopment in urban Aboriginal children

Dan McAullay, BSc, MAE, PhD (Noongar)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Utilise the key elements of evidence synthesis in identifying the most appropriate study design and trial interventions in early child development.
  2. Identify the key factors to consider when developing a clinical trial to be delivered in an Aboriginal population.
  3. Increase their understanding of how to deal with issues arising in the implementation of a CT through exposure to a real time example.
C2

Jordan's Principle and Inuit Child First Initiative

Ensuring food security in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut: An evaluation of Inuit Child First Initiative Grocery Supports

Sindu Govindapillai, MD, FRCPC, MPH

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify the population-level impacts of large scale government-funded grocery support interventions in Inuit land-claims regions of Canada.
  2. Learn about a model for engaging in locally-driven, multi-disciplinary research around the impact of Inuit Child First Initiative/Jordan’s Principle interventions.

Jordan’s Principle: Where do we go from here as paediatric healthcare providers?

Ryan Giroux, MD, FRCPC (Métis Nation of Alberta)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Share information with colleagues, caregivers, and patients about Jordan’s Principle and how it can meet the needs of First Nations children and youth. 
  2. Describe and solve common problems and overcome barriers in implementation faced by service providers when requesting services and supports under Jordan’s Principle.
  3. Assess and enhance their ability to advocate for changes in policy to address concerns about Canada’s implementation of Jordan’s Principle.
C3

Maternal child health

Enhancing engagement with Pacific Families in Aotearoa New Zealand through the Tapuaki Pasifika Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development Programme

Jacqueline Fa'amausili (Samoan)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Gain an understanding of how Pacific communities access Maternal and Child Health services in Aotearoa.
  2. Examine how the Tapuaki programme provides opportunities to support and engage with Pacific families during their maternal and child health journey.
  3. Appreciate the importance of drawing on Pacific knowledge and worldviews to strengthen the maternal and child health workforce practice and its application with Pacific families.

The Innu Midwifery Program: A Path towards improved health outcomes for mothers and infants

Gisela Becker, RM

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Learn about the progress and success of the Innu Midwifery Program.
  2. Develop knowledge about the health benefits and opportunities of Indigenous midwifery.
  3. Know about and understand a unique midwifery model of care for northern and remote Indigenous communities.
C4

Immunization

The History, Impact, and Evaluation of Recommended Vaccination Uptake among Indigenous Children in the Southwest Region of the United States

Chelsea Kettering, DrPH, MPH (Navajo)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe the importance of vaccination in protecting against severe and preventable infectious disease and reducing health disparities/inequities.
  2. Understand facilitators and barriers to vaccine impact that are present in Navajo Nation and how to enumerate those things in their own communities.
  3. Tailor strategies for improving vaccine uptake to their own unique settings.

‘Our Business’: Developing and implementing a digital social media campaign to improve HPV vaccination rates for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander young people

Natalie Strobel, PhD

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify an area of health that a social media campaign would be an appropriate mechanism for health promotion.
  2. Understand how to develop and implement a health promotion social media campaign.


C5

Hospital-based programs

Youth Indigenous Wellness Program

Nicole Yawney, MSW, RSW (Saulteaux)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Communicate the program implementation weaved with wholistic wellness and relationship building with children, families, community and healthcare providers.
  2. Advocate for Indigenous youth wellness as a clinical practice and resource in hospital to lead to transformative care.
  3. Discuss the evolution and impact of the program for Paediatric care.

Indigenous Voices Provide Indigenous Solutions; Learnings from stories of the Awasisak Program

Mike Sutherland, RN, BScN, B.A, B.S.W., R.S.W, MPH (Cree/Iroquois)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify the importance of reciprocal community engagement.
  2. Understand the continuous development of an Indigenous program model.
  3. Evaluate Indigenous program impacts in a culturally responsive way.
12:00 - 13:30

Lunch on your own

13:30 - 15:00

Concurrent Session D

D1

Cultural safety and training

Evaluating Paediatric Resident Curriculum on Indigenous Child and Youth Health

Stephanie Hosang, MD

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Enhance knowledge on Indigenous child and youth health in Canada with relevance to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.
  2. Reflect on educational strategies to implement in curriculum development & evaluation for pediatric training programs in Canada.
  3. Engage in discussions regarding training programs for healthcare professionals on the topic of Indigenous child and youth health in Canada.

Translating cultural safety theory into practice

Emilie Beaulieu, MD, MPH

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify the core components of cultural safety, including cultural humility, anti-racism and trauma-informed care.
  2. Apply the Learn, Self-Reflect, and Act framework to their daily practice.
  3. Expand key sections of the pediatrics assessment (e.g., Home, Heritage, Healthy Living) as a tool to support understanding of children/family unique social, cultural and political contexts.
D2

Respiratory health

Bronchiectasis in New Zealand Maaori and Pasifika children; research and intervention in partnership with Mana Whenua

Catherine Byrnes, MBChB, FRACP, MD (Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify and define bronchiectasis as an important health issue for indigenous children
  2. Assess the results presented for relevance to their local populations and health services with a particular view of the partnership model presented.
  3. Be free to develop aspects of our programme relevant to their local community

Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Indigenous Children: Evaluating Disease Burden and the Effectiveness of New Tools

Laura Hammitt, MD

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Discuss RSV disease burden in Indigenous children and changes in epidemiology following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. Describe the available prevention products for RSV.
  3. Evaluate various methods to assess the effectiveness of RSV prevention products.
D3

Research and data collection

Evidence, Impact, Advocacy, Change: showcasing an Aboriginal-led maternal and infant health research centre

Rhonda Marriott, PhD, RN (Nyikina)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Participants will identify how short, medium and long-term strategies and evidence accumulation builds impactful research
  2. Participants will assess what types of evidence strengthens advocacy

Aaniish Naa Gegii – creating and controlling data to promote wellness in communities

Blaine Wolfe, BA (Band Member of Curve Lake First Nation)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Understand how the Aaniish-Naa-Gegii app can be used in their community,
  2. Appreciate the importance of Indigenous Data Sovereignty and relationship building in health and wellness promotion,
  3. Know how to access the resources of the Aaniish-Naa-Gegii and the Wellness Resource Hub @ www.ACHWM.ca, and
  4. Be able to connect with the ACHWM Outreach and Engagement Team.
D4

Early learning and care

The Importance of Early Years Programs in Indigenous Child Health

Coralee Buchanan (Métis)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify the key components and objectives of YFNED's Early Years Program to meet the specific needs of Indigenous families in the Yukon.
  2. Define the holistic approach taken by the Early Years Program in supporting the health of young Indigenous children.
  3. Indicate the importance of early intervention, particularly within the context of Indigenous intergenerational trauma, and the role of Indigenous organizations in supporting First Nations families.

A collaborative and mixed methods approach to exploring understandings of quality learning and care in early childhood settings for young First Nations children

Lisa Murdock (K’atl'odeeche First Nation)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe how First Nations family models of care influence the healthy growth and development of First Nations children.
  2. Identify key factors that support the optimal learning and development of First Nations children in early childhood settings on reserve, based on the insights and perspectives of First Nations individuals with knowledge and expertise in the care and learning of young First Nations children.
  3. Develop a better understanding of the integration of First Nations perspectives in early childhood education and training curricula, as well as the intersections and complexities of legislation and regulations related to early learning and child care programming on reserve.
15:00 - 15:15

Break

15:15 - 16:15

Plenary Session

07:00 - 12:00

Registration

07:00 - 08:00

Continental Breakfast

08:00 - 09:00

Plenary Session

09:00 - 10:30

Concurrent Session E

E1

Justice and self-determination

Aboriginal women mothers’ narratives of accessing holistic supports and services post-release and the significant impact on their social and emotional wellbeing and the wellbeing of their children

Emma Tufuga, PhD Research Candidate (Samoan)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Gain an in-depth understanding of the impact of incarceration on Aboriginal women mothers and the significant impact on their children's health and wellbeing.
  2. Identify the main barriers and challenges women experienced accessing holistic supports addressing their needs and needs of their children post-prison.
  3. Equip participants with knowledge and tools to advocate for policy changes that will improve culturally safe services addressing the social and emotional wellbeing of women and their children post-release and cultural strategies for system and service improvement across sectors.

Land Acknowledgement vs Land Back: Strategies in Effectively Promoting Tribal Sovereignty

Adam Coles, MD (Ojibwe, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community)
Eva Ihle, MD, PhD

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Differentiate between the principles of land acknowledgement and the land back movement.
  2. Describe the connection between tribal sovereignty and land stewardship.
  3. Demonstrate strategies that can enhance youth well-being through activism on behalf of tribal sovereignty.
E2

Mental wellness

Unleashing Creativity for Health and Wellbeing: The HEART Project

Julie Alexander-Ruff, EDD, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC, FNAPNAP

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Participants will be able to identify mechanisms to decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression in Indigenous youth using creative outlets to enhance well-being.
  2. Participants will be able to examine data demonstrating the Heart Project’s effectiveness in improving the subjective well-being and resilience building skills of Indigenous youth.
  3. Participants will be able to apply an interactive toolkit containing lesson plans, activities, and additional materials to tailor the HEART intervention to the specific needs of individual communities.

Health Research Council (HRC) - Tamaiti Ote Moana Pacific Child Wellbeing Research Project: Co-Designing a Pacific Child Wellbeing Program for Children

Dame Teuila Percival, DNZM, QSO, FRACP, FNZCPHM(Hon) (Samoan)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe the community-based participatory research (CBPR) methodology and Pacific research approaches used in the co-design phase of the HRC Tamaiti Ote Moana Pacific Child Wellbeing Research Project.
  2. Analyze the key insights and perspectives gained from the co-design process, including the impact of culture, spirituality, heritage language, identity, health and wellbeing, embodied literacies, relationships, families, connections, and environment on Pacific child wellbeing.
  3. Discuss how the insights from the co-design phase will inform the development of the Pacific child wellbeing programme and its potential impact on improving the health and wellbeing of Pacific children in New Zealand.
E3

Tribal and community partnerships

The importance of culturally grounded SUDI (sudden unexpected death in infants) prevention approaches when connecting with Pacific families in Aotearoa New Zealand

Loata Tiapapa, EDD Research Candidate, MTL, Pg. Dip Ed., BHumServ. (Samoan & Cook Islands)

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify the importance of incorporating Pacific cultural approaches into safe sleep messaging to address Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) and promote maternal and family well-being.

A Tribal Based Developmental Clinic with Community Collaboration

Jennie McLaurin, MD, MPH

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Participants will be able to evaluate the need for pediatric developmental and autism services in their Indigenous settings based on epidemiologic data, social drivers of health, and local characteristics of pediatric providers.
  2. Participants will have a replicable model of care for developing a pediatric developmental clinic within the Indigenous community setting.
  3. Participants will have increased access to autism resources that are tailored to Indigenous families.
E4

Clinical care

SToP: a community-engaged approach to tackling the high burden of skin sores in remote-living Australian Aboriginal children

Asha Bowen, BA, MBBS, DCH, FRACP, PhD

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Recognise skin infections as an important public health concern among remote living Aboriginal children in Australia.
  2. Describe the processes of a community-engaged holistic skin control program with a research-service model.

Partnering with Indigenous communities to address early childhood caries: from health promotion to population health and benchtop research

Robert Schroth, DMD, MSc, PhD
Katherine Yerex, BSc, RDH, MS (Red River Métis)
Prashen Chelikani, PhD
Daniella DeMaré, BA
Timothy K Thomas, MD
Felicitas Bidlack, PhD

- - Learning objectives - -

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Understand the importance of partnerships between Indigenous communities and researchers in improving the oral health of young Indigenous children.
  2. Recognize the need for interprofessional collaboration to improve access to care and prevention of ECC, along with the need for research on the epidemiology, prevention, management, and microbiology of ECC.
  3. Identify leading practices and policies that may improve access to early and ongoing preventive oral health care
  4. Recognize the role that the oral microbiome plays in increased caries risk for some Indigenous children.


10:30 - 10:45

Break

10:45 - 12:00

Closing Ceremonies

Last updated: Oct 21, 2024