Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program

The Indian Residential Schools (IRS) Resolution Health Support Program provides emotional health and wellness support to former IRS students and their families, regardless of status and place of residence, who are eligible for the Common Experience Payment (CEP) and/or resolving an IRS claim through the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process, Independent Assessment Process (IAP) or litigation.

Canada has resolved more than 6,500 IRS claims through the litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution processes as of September 3, 2007. Through this experience, Canada has learned that claimants often experience various emotional reactions when disclosing abuses suffered while attending Indian Residential Schools.

This has led the Government of Canada to develop the IRS Resolution Health Support Program to meet the emotional health and wellness needs of former IRS students and their families.

This page contains information for former IRS students and their families on accessing health support.

Information for Former Indian Residential School students and their families

Accessing Health Support

If you attended an Indian Residential School you may be eligible to access:

• Professional counselling;
• Transportation to access counselling not available in the home community;
• Transportation to access the services of an Elder not available in the home community;
• Emotional Support services of a community-based Resolution Health Support Worker; and
• Cultural Support services of an Elder.

Former IRS students and their families can access these services whether you are applying for the Common Experience Payment and/or resolving your claim through Alternative Dispute Resolution, Independant Assessment Process or through the courts. These services are available before, during and after the resolution process.

Health Canada's Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support program coordinates the following services for eligible claimants:

1. Professional counselling - based on receipt of a completed treatment plan including the number of counselling sessions recommended and cost, from a recognized Health Canada service provider and with approval from the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB).
   
   
2. Assistance with the cost of Transportation to access individual/limited family professional counselling and/or Elder services not available in the home community and approved by FNIHB.
   
   
3. Emotional support services are provided by individual Resolution Health Support Workers contracted by Aboriginal or affiliated organizations and funded by FNIHB. The services of the support workers include, but aren't limited to, providing front-line safety support (at Alternative Dispute Resolution, Independent Assessment and court hearings) and coordination services directly to former IRS students and their families. These services are available before, during and after the Common Experience Payment process, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Independent Assessment Process, Truth and Reconciliation and Commemoration events.
   
   
4. Cultural support services will be provided by Elders who are contracted by Aboriginal or affiliated organizations funded by FNIHB. The services of the Elders will include, but aren't limited to, providing a variety of culturally appropriate supports (such as ceremonies, smudging and guidance) directly to former IRS students and their families. These services are available before, during and after the Common Experience Payment process, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Independent Assessment Process, Truth and Reconciliation and Commemoration events.

To access these services, please:

• Contact the IRS Regional Coordinator in your Province/Territory.
  
  
• All former students, regardless of status or place of residence, are eligible to receive IRS Resolution Health Support services when:
  
  
  1. receiving Common Experience Payments or Advance Payments; or
  2. resolving an IRS claim through the Independent Assessment Process, Alternative Dispute Resolution or court process;
  3. participating in Truth and Reconciliation or Commemoration events.

When you call the Health Canada regional office, if you are told you are eligible to access services under the Indian Residential School Resolution Health Support Program, please have your counsellor or therapist submit a treatment plan, that includes the number of sessions and cost of treatment, that is developed based on an assessment of your needs, and obtain approval from Health Canada before treatment begins. To access transportation benefits, please provide trip details and obtain approval for coverage of transportation costs before your treatment and travel begins.

If your request for services is denied, you have the right to appeal the decision. There are three levels of appeal, each of which has to be initiated by you (not the provider). In each case, supporting information will be required and reviewed and the decision will be made based on your needs and Health Canada policy.

Related Resources

Postcard
The Health Support Services for Former Indian Residential School Students and Their Families postcard provides an outline of the services that are available to former students and their family members. The postcard also provides contact numbers that can be used to access services and obtain additional information.

Pamphlet
The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program Pamphlet provides a general description of the services available through the program as well as information on how to access these services.