In 2023, after a review of this funding, the SK-NEIHR added funds for Knowledge Translation projects, and changed both funding opportunities to a rolling deadline, so that people could apply anytime. Here are the projects SK-NEIHR has funded since these changes.

 

Dr. Rachel Engler-Stringer, PhD

School food programs (SFPs) vary based on funding levels, staffing, training, equipment and infrastructure needs, access to quality foods, and food pricing, while recognizing cultural practices and student feedback.  These characteristics become pronounced in northern Saskatchewan communities, particularly to Indigenous communities.  The SK-NEIHR is enthusiastic to award Dr. Rachel Engler-Stringer, PhD, a professor in Community Health and Epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan and her colleagues $10,000 of SK-NEIHR funding to develop knowledge translation products in a comprehensive final report on the findings of the School Food Development Project-Design Phase Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund (HCCF).  This will support the Meadow Lake Tribal Council Education’s (MLTC-Ed) next phase of school food funding application and its subsequent application for the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC)-HCCF Implementation Phase funding.

Dr. Philip McLoughlin, PhD

The SK-NEIHR awarded $10,000 to Dr. Philip McLoughlin, PhD, an associate professor and faculty member in Biology at the University of Saskatchewan.  Joined by Dr. Abdullah Al Mamun, a University of Saskatchewan research associate/community coordinator aim to address and mitigate the impact of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) on food security in Indigenous communities across the province and the Boreal Plains ecoregion.  Indigenous community and hunter partnerships, utilizing camera traps and sampling, will monitor CWD spread. Involvement of Indigenous Elders and hunters in educating communities and youth about CWD landscapes and engaging in associated research activities is a key strategy to prevent further invasion.

Dr. Arzu Sardarli, PhD and Team

SK-NEIHR funding of $10,000, to Dr. Sardarli, PhD, a professor of Physics and Mathematics is joined with Dr. Carrie LaVallie, PhD, RPN, Vice-President, Academic (Interim), and a Principal Investigator of the SK-NEIHR, both from First Nations University of Canada.  Their team will conduct a nation-wide comparative analysis of First Nation community birth and death time series across Canadian provinces from 1900 to the present, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on these rates.  A novel approach and methodology will be utilized to study the role of environmental (temperature) and sociological factors influencing birth rates.  A first of its kind, this study, will analyze the birth time series of First Nations communities separately from the national data, and further contributes to Indigenous studies on health and birthing practices.

Dr. AG Ahmed, MD, FRCPC

The SK-NEIHR awarded $10,000 to Dr. AG Ahmed, MD.  Dr. Ahmed, a professor psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan and the Provincial Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Saskatchewan Health Authority, working in tandem with, Dr. Holly Graham, PhD, an associate professor psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan, psychologist and a Principal Investigator of the SK-NEIHR, along with their colleagues work to design and deliver a Virtual Intensive Substance Use Treatment Outpatient Program (ViSTOP).  It offers extended sustainable sobriety treatment programming, fosters non-problematic substance use, awards lawful behavior, and promotes life equilibrium with support towards achieving and maintaining abstinence.  It balances and integrates traditional and evidence-informed treatment modalities with a culturally sensitive wholistic restoration pathway co-designed by the Knowledge Keepers/Elders from First Nation and Métis communities.  Being 3 times longer than traditional short-term residential programs, it strives to address two challenges: 1) timely access to treatment, and 2) strengthening therapeutic relationships with care providers.

Dr. Hassan Vatanparast, MD, PhD and Team

Dr. Hassan Vatanparast, MD, PhD, a professor in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition and School of Public Health at the University of Saskatchewan, and a co-applicant in our Network, along with his colleagues received $10,000 in SK-NEIHR funding.  They will disseminate research findings to targeted Indigenous communities, policymakers, health professionals, and to the general public through research publications, presentations (World Public Health Nutrition Congress 2024, London, UK) and a radio story for broadcast on “Unreserved with Rosanna Deerchild,” a show dedicated to sharing Indigenous perspectives, stories, and experiences.

Dr. JoLee Sasakamoose, PhD

The SK-NEIHR awarded $10,000 to Dr. JoLee Sasakamoose, PhD, to create knowledge translation products from her Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research Learning Health System Indigenous health project.  These products will share mental health and addiction outcomes for First Nations and Métis peoples in Canada while addressing health disparities and promoting culturally appropriate and competent healthcare services. To honor Indigenous knowledge, the project seeks guidance from Elders and presents findings to the Knowledge Keeper Council (KKC).  Dr. Sasakamoose is a professor and faculty member in Educational Psychology and Counselling at the University of Regina, and a past Principal Investigator of SK-NEIHR Network.

Dr. Jordan Woodsworth, DVM, PhD

SK-NEIHR funding of $10,000 to Dr. Jordan Woodsworth, DVM, PhD, to undertake activities to translate her research results, educational materials, and their currently English only public website into the Cree language.  Dr. Woodsworth is Director, Northern Engagement and Community Outreach (NECO), Dean's Office, WCVM at the University of Saskatchewan.  Using arts-based methods, she will translate the results of her Healthy Dogs, Healthy Communities project to host, along with the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils, the Atim Maskikhiy Art Gallery tour featuring immersive Cree materials alongside a dog art medicine gallery throughout Saskatchewan from January 2024 to December of 2025.

Dr. Sherry Arvidson, RN, MN, PhD

an assistant professor with the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Regina, and her colleagues for their project Suicide Prevention in Cote, Keeseekoose and Key First Nations. They will form a partnership to work collaboratively on suicide prevention among the youth and young adults living in the areas of these First Nations in Treaty 4 Territory in Central Saskatchewan. Youth and families in the communities will be actively involved, along with Indigenous knowledge keepers, health directors, band council members, and other researchers and healthcare professionals.

Dr. Allyson Stevenson, PhD

The SK-NEIHR is excited to award $9,736 to Dr. Allyson Stevenson, PhD, to create a digital community oral history resource that will be housed in the Cumberland House Museum. It captures Cumberland House Métis cultural connections, from Delta Elders, on land, water and kinship in the Saskatchewan River area that were previously disrupted by colonization.  These archived recordings will be as part of the community’s digital repository, and a highlight video is planned for the community's 250th-anniversary celebration (Summer 2024).  Dr. Stevenson is a Gabriel Dumont Institute Chair in Métis Studies and History faculty member at the University of Saskatchewan.

Dr. Thilina Bandara, PhD

SK-NEIHR has awarded $10,000 to Dr. Thilina Bandara, PhD. Dr. Bandara is an assistant professor and faculty member in School of Public Health at the University of Saskatchewan. Bandara seeks to analyze the policy architecture that supports First Nations school immunization programs within the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority (NITHA) area, with particular emphasis on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Specifically, his study will be exploring how school immunization has been structured to meet unique First Nations community vaccine access and acceptability needs.  HPV is a sexually transmitted viral infection that is responsible for several male and female cancers and non-cancerous diseases, where it is the causative agent in over 90% of cervical cancers in women globally.

Dr. Shadi Beshai, PhD

SK-NEIHR has awarded $10,000 Dr. Norma Dunning, PhD, assistant professor of Indigenous Health Studies, Dr. Brenda Green, PhD, associate professor of Health, both at the First Nations University of Canada to address the issues of lack of availability of culturally safe and accessible mental health information for Indigenous students on University of Regina and First Nations University of Canada campuses.  This Indigenous student focused project will explore how an accessible mental health knowledge program could empower Indigenous students to take action in seeking appropriate care or create their own forms of support.

Dr. Gordon Sarty, PhD

SK-NEIHR has awarded $10,000 to Dr. Gordon Sarty, P. Eng, PhD, and a professor of Psychology and Health Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan. Joined by Dr. Stacey Lovo, PhD, assistant professor, School of Rehabilitation at the University of Saskatchewan and a Principal Investigator in the SK-NEIHR, together they are looking for ways where medical technology developed for space is applied to northern Canadian healthcare, following the Canadian Space Agency’s, Health Beyond Initiative.  First, they will engage with remote and northern Indigenous communities to identify real life healthcare needs where specialized compact low field Owl MRIs will be beneficial.  Second, they will meet with teacher and education administrators to create enhanced education and career opportunities for remote First Nation and Métis high school and post-secondary students around the manufacture and business opportunities (entrepreneurship) of Owl MRIs.  This new type of medical imaging technology is cost effective making it feasible to manufacture and maintain these MRIs in small northern communities.

Dr. Lori Bradford, PhD

SK-NEIHR has awarded $10,000 to Dr. Lori Bradford, PhD, an associate professor of Engineering and Canada Research Chair Tier II in Incorporating Social and Cultural Sciences into Engineering Design. Dr. Bradford is joined by Dr. Shelly Kirychuk, BScN, MBA, PhD, Director of the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health (CCRAH) and professor in the Department of Medicine, Dr. Wanda Martin, BScN, Ph.D, an associate professor in the College of Nursing, Dr. Charlene Thompson, BScN, Ph.D, an assistant professor in the College of Nursing, all from the University of Saskatchewan. This team will develop a housing compendium for First Nation and Métis development in Saskatchewan, available in hard-copy and online formats, and designed for three specific roles (Housing managers, Band managers and leadership decision-makers & Industry and representative organizations) in the housing development process.  It will also share successes from the “Building for the Future: Housing and Health Forum” and additional strengths-based findings from numerous community visits across the province.

Mr. Daniel Hern

SK-NEIHR has awarded $10,000 to Mr. Daniel Hern, creator, producer and host of Hard Knox Talks. Along with Mrs. Donna Gilchrist, co-host and moderator of Hard Knox Talks, Dr. Barb Fornssler, PhD, assistant professor director in the School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Robert Henry, PhD, assistant professor, faculty member in Indigenous Studies, University of Saskatchewan, Canada Research Chair Tier II, Indigenous Justice and Wellbeing, and Nominated Principal Investigator of the SK-NEIHR, this team will produce audio and video episodes in formats that will be available on YouTube, Facebook and all audio podcast platforms of livestreaming shared stories of individuals with lived and living experience of substance use.  It will include interviews, inspiring stories of people in recovery from substance use disorder, information from Canadian academics, substance use researchers, drug policy advocates, front line workers, and other substance use professionals.  Hard Knox Talks collected data knowledge will be translated into a platform that provides the opportunity for many voices to join in the respectful and thoughtful exchange of ideas and information about substance use.

2023 Community Partnership and Knowledge Translation Projects

Mr. Mark Pollard

SK-NEIHR has awarded $10,000 to Mark Pollard, Dean, Trades & Industrial (AME shop), Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT)). Joined by  Dr. Gordon Sarty, P. Eng, PhD, a professor of Psychology and Health Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, and other USask and Saskatchewan Health Authority colleagues, they are partnering to bring quantum technology to postsecondary Indigenous education centres. Employing compact MRI technology developed over 10 years through a Canadian Space Agency - USask collaboration, SIIT teams will build MRI parts and assemble them. The design will be the working prototype for the lunar Gateway space station with the eventual goal of using this same technology in remote and Northern Indigenous communities to address healthcare needs.

Dr. Robert Patrick, PhD

SK-NEIHR has awarded $6,808 to Dr. Robert Patrick, PhD, professor and Chair, Regional and Urban Planning Program and faculty member in Geography and Planning, University of Saskatchewan on developing knowledge translation tools of a series of short videos, story boards, photovoice and still photography to illustrate climate change impacts and adaptation in selected communities in rural and remote First Nation communities in north and central Saskatchewan.  These tools will be useful with sharing circles and other community events to help corroborate the survey data back into the involved First Nation communities.  With community permission, these translation tools will be released to inform the broader public of the climate emergency impacts, and adaptation potential to rural and remote First Nation communities