Indigenous Health

Unity Health Toronto has a range of culturally appropriate programs, services, and supports for Indigenous patients and their family members or caregivers as they move through their care journey. These are facilitated by the Office of Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliation and Partnerships (OIWRP) and its Wellness team.

Unity Health provides care to thousands of Indigenous patients every year across our three hospital sites. The programs, services, and supports we offer align with our priority of improving the health of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people, and their families and communities.

Some of the services we offer include:

• Access to ceremony, ceremonial bundles, and knowledge keepers
• Support during and after appointments and procedures
• Support with cultural and language interpretation
• Navigation through the hospital system from the emergency department to discharge from in-patient units back to community
• Advocacy for health system responsiveness and addressing unmet health and social needs
• Access to Indigenous foods while in hospital
• Information and referral
• Opportunities for health education and accessing health literacy information
• Discharge planning and family support
• Aftercare for up to 6 weeks to ensure community supports and referrals are successful
• Other unique supports and services as determined in conjunction with the Indigenous care team

The Indigenous Wellness Centre located at St. Michael’s Hospital includes a large ceremonial circle, special ventilation to permit for smudging, and a comfortable atmosphere to access regularly scheduled programming or to drop in for some tea. The 650-square-foot space provides a safe area for our team to offer support to Indigenous clients and caregivers.

Additional spaces for Indigenous patients and caregivers are in development for St. Joseph’s Health Centre and Providence Healthcare.

To inquire about programs, services and supports please contact: indigadmin@unityhealth.to