Component: IHWS – Curative and Rehabilitative Care

Legislation: Ministry of Community and Social Services Act

Service Objectives

  • Reduce family, sexual and gender-based violence and improve the healing, health and wellness of Indigenous individuals, families, and communities
  • Support Indigenous individuals, families, and communities to address the underlying root causes of substance use and misuse

Service Description

  • Healing Lodges offer traditional healing approaches guided by the medicine wheels and the life cycle and healing continuum teachings to address the physical, spiritual, mental and emotional impacts stemming from family violence, colonization, residential schools, substance use/misuse, sexual violence, and inter/multigenerational trauma
  • The primary focus is on client-specific service provided in a safe therapeutic environment, which can include multi-day programming with meals/accommodation

People Served

  • Indigenous individuals, families, and communities

Program / Service Features

The program/services contracted by the Ministry will reflect the following features

  • Indigenous cultural approaches are reflected or used as a part of the activities and services
  • Programming and services are culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and strengths-based and reflect the individual, family and/or community needs

Specific Service Provided

Client-specific services

  • Healing Lodges provide bed-based and/or day programs using Indigenous healing and therapeutic interventions to
    • Reduce the impacts of, or trauma arising from, sexual violence, physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional abuse or family violence
    • Promote/foster the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical well-being of Indigenous individuals, families, and communities
    • Foster the healing, rebuilding and strengthening of individual, family, and community relationships
  • Bed-Based services include provision of temporary residence (accommodation and food) during the provision of a defined program of therapeutic healing or health services to individuals and/or families
  • Non-Bed-Based, Client-Specific services are provided on an in-person day program basis or may be delivered virtually (e.g., teleconference, online video platform)
    • Client-specific services are provided on a 1-on-1 basis and may include:
      • Therapies are provided by social workers, social services workers, nurses, nurse practitioners, psychologists or psychiatrists, such as counselling, post-treatment monitoring and community-based support
      • Indigenous healing services and therapies are provided by Knowledge Holders, traditional healers or counsellors, Elders, or traditional medicine practitioners, and include counselling, teachings, ceremonies, post-treatment support and monitoring and community-based support
      • Land-based activity, including living off the land
      • Recreational activities
      • Nutrition, preparation of traditional foods
      • Coordination or case management services to clients, advocacy and referrals

Group activities

  • Activities are provided in a group-based setting and employ Indigenous healing, therapeutic, and primary prevention/health promotion strategies to
    • Increase awareness/knowledge of healing/health issues, risks and opportunities
    • Promote healthy attitudinal and behavioral change
    • Address the underlying root causes of family violence, sexual violence, and substance use/misuse
  • Group activities may be delivered through bed-based, day-programming, mobile and virtual settings (e.g., teleconference, online video platform)
  • Group activities may include
    • Healing/cultural teaching circles and/or support groups facilitated by a traditional healer, Knowledge Holder, Elder or volunteer peer counsellor
    • Issue-specific group-based healing, such as grief and loss, anger management, healing from trauma
    • Mental health/healing groups or traditional circles facilitated by emotional wellness therapists, psychotherapists, social workers, traditional healers, Knowledge Holders, Elders, or counsellors
    • Nutrition counselling provided by a nutritionist, dietician, Elder, Knowledge Holder, and/or traditional healer
    • Ceremonial and traditional activities, such as (but not limited to) sweat lodges, medicines, teachings, beading, moccasin making, Indigenous arts and crafts, drumming, ribbon skirt/shirt making, etc.
    • Land-based healing activities
    • Fitness and/or recreational activities
    • Mobile outreach services to provide therapeutic group-based activities (e.g., healing circles, grief and loss)

Community outreach, engagement & relationship building

  • Community outreach, engagement and relationship building activities are offered to the community-at-large and/or other organizations and oriented towards reducing and preventing family violence and improving Indigenous healing, health and wellness
  • Activities may include
    • Workshops (non-therapeutic)
    • Public presentations
    • Public awareness and education campaigns
    • Organizing or participating in community, health and wellness fairs or events (e.g. pow-wows, feasts)
    • Participating in local committees
    • Outreach and relationship-building with health and social service organizations, First Nations, and other community partners (e.g. information sharing, referral protocol development, building cultural awareness and competency, hosting gatherings, partner on community- led requests and trainings)
    • Training for frontline workers and response to community requests (e.g., trauma-informed care, debriefing, Mental Health First Aid First Nations, train-the-trainer)

Reporting requirements

The following service data will be reported on at an Interim and Final stage. Please refer to your final agreement for report back due dates and targets.

Service Data Name Definition

# of Individuals: Received Bed-Based Services: Healing Lodges

Unique, or unduplicated, count of individuals (including dependents/children) who received bed-based, client-specific services during the reporting period, which includes temporary residence and support services.
Each unique individual is counted only once per reporting period even if they received multiple services. If the individual carries into the next fiscal year, the individual is counted again in the new reporting period.
Only individuals accessing bed-based services are counted under this data element. Individuals who only access non-bed-based 1- on-1 services are excluded from this data element.

# of Individuals: Received Non-Bed-Based, Client-Specific Services: Healing Lodges

Unique, or unduplicated, count of individuals (including dependents/children) who received 1-on-1 non-bed-based, client-specific services.

Each unique individual is counted only once per reporting period even if they received multiple services. If the individual carries into the next fiscal year, the individual is counted again in the new reporting period. Individuals who only access 1-on-1 non-bed-based (day programming) provided through the Healing Lodge Program are counted under this data element. Individuals who access bed-based, client-specific services (i.e., are residing at the Healing Lodge for the duration of the program) are excluded from this data element.

# of Client-Specific Services: Healing Lodges

The total number of 1-on-1 client-specific services provided to individuals through the Healing Lodges program during the reporting period.

For example, if an individual accessed counselling service five times in the reporting period, this would be counted as five. See Service description for further details and examples of client-specific services.

# of Group Activities: Bed-Based Programming: Healing Lodges

The total number of group activities for individuals participating in bed-based programming supported through the Healing Lodge Program during the reporting period. Each activity held in the reporting period should be counted as 1.

If a group activity includes both bed-based and non-bed-based individuals, include the activity in EITHER “Number of Group Activities: Bed-Based Programming” OR “Number of Group Activities: Non-Bed-Based Programming”, according to the primary purpose of the activity and/or targeted individuals.

If a group activity for individuals participating in bed-based programming is jointly organized/funded with another IHWS program, only one program should report the group activity (to be decided by the service provider). The program that reports the group activity for individuals participating in bed-based programming should also report the total number of individuals who attended that group activity for individuals participating in bed-based programming under the “Number of Bed-Based Individuals: Accessed Group Activities: Healing Lodges”.

If group activities for individuals participating in bed-based programming are not provided through your IHWS-funded program, put “0”. See Service description for further details and examples of group activities.

# of Bed-Based Individuals: Accessed Group Activities: Healing Lodges

The total number of bed-based individuals who took part in group activities offered through the Healing Lodge Program during the reporting period.

The same individual can be counted more than once if they participate in more than one group activity in the same reporting period. The total number of unique participants for each group activity is added to calculate the total number of individuals who took part in group activities for individuals participating in bed-based programming in the reporting period. For example, if an individual attends four group activities in a reporting period, count four (4).

If a group activity for individuals participating in bed-based programming is jointly organized/funded with another IHWS program, only one program should report the group activity (to be decided by the service provider). The program that reported the group activity for individuals participating in bed-based programming (to be decided by the service provider) is responsible for reporting the total number of individuals who accessed the group activity for individuals participating in bed-based programming under this data element. Do not include participants of the group activities that were not reported in “Number of Group Activities: Bed-Based Programming: Healing Lodges”.

If group activities for individuals participating in bed-based programming are not provided through your IHWS- funded program, put “0”. See Service description for further details and examples of group activities.

# of Group Activities: Non-Bed-Based Programming: Healing Lodges

The total number of group activities for individuals participating in non-bed-based programming supported through the Healing Lodge Program during the reporting period. Each activity held in the reporting period should be counted as 1.

If a group activity includes both bed-based and non-bed-based individuals, include the activity in EITHER “Number of Group Activities: Bed-Based Programming” OR “Number of Group Activities: Non-Bed-Based Programming”, according to the primary purpose of the activity and/or targeted individuals.

If a group activity for individuals participating in non-bed-based programming is jointly organized/funded with another IHWS program, only one program should report the group activity (to be decided by the service provider). The program that reports the group activity for individuals participating in non-bed-based programming should also report the total number of individuals who attended that group activity under the “Number of Non-Bed-Based Individuals: Accessed Group Activities: Healing Lodges”.
If group activities for individuals participating in non-bed-based programming are not provided through your IHWS-funded program, put “0”. See Service description for further details and examples of group activities.

# of Non-Bed-Based Individuals: Accessed Group Activities: Healing Lodges

The total number of non-bed-based individuals who took part in group activities offered through the Healing Lodge Program during the reporting period.

The same individual can be counted more than once if they participate in more than one group activity in the same reporting period. The total number of unique participants for each group activity for individuals participating in non-bed-based programming is added to calculate the total number of individuals who took part in group activities in the reporting period. For example, if an individual attends four group activities in a reporting period, count four (4).

If a group activity for individuals participating in non-bed-based programming is jointly organized/funded with another IHWS program, only one program should report the group activity (to be decided by the service provider). The program that reported the group activity for individuals participating in non-bed-based programming (to be decided by the service provider) is responsible for reporting the total number of individuals who accessed the group activity for individuals participating in non-bed-based programming under this data element. Do not include participants of the group activities that were not reported in “Number of Group Activities: Non-Bed-Based Programming: Healing Lodges”.

If group activities for individuals participating in non-bed-based programming are not provided through your IHWS-funded program, put “0”. See Service description for further details and examples of group activities.

# of Community outreach, engagement & relationship building Activities: Healing Lodges

The total number of Community outreach, engagement & relationship building activities delivered through the Healing Lodge Program during the reporting period. Each activity should be counted as 1. See Service description for further details and examples of Community outreach, engagement & relationship building activities.

If Community outreach, engagement & relationship building activities are not provided through your IHWS-funded program, put “0”.

# of Trainings: Healing Lodges

The total number of training sessions delivered during the reporting period. Each activity held in the reporting period should be counted as 1. If no training sessions are delivered, put “0”.

*Note: training sessions funded through the Mental Health Training & Supports for Community Workers initiative should be captured separately through the year-end narrative report available for download in Transfer Payment Ontario.

# of Individuals: Received Training: Healing Lodges

Unique, or unduplicated, count of individuals who attended a training session during the reporting period.

The total number of unique participants for each training activity is added to calculate the total number of individuals who received training in the reporting period.

If no training sessions are delivered, put “0”.

*Note: individuals who accessed trainings funded through the Mental Health Training & Supports for Community Workers initiative should be captured separately through the year-end narrative report available for download in Transfer Payment Ontario.

# of Beds: Healing Lodges

The total number of beds dedicated for bed-based services to the Healing Lodges program at the end of the reporting period. The total number of beds includes the spaces that are and are not occupied at the time of count. The following types of beds are counted:

  • Beds funded by MCCSS; and
  • Beds funded by other revenue (e.g., fundraising) but dedicated for use for IHWS clients

The following beds are NOT included in the count:

  • Beds funded by other programs (e.g., homelessness); and
  • Alternate settings (e.g., overflow beds, cots, hotel rooms, cribs, etc.).

# of Resident Days: Healing Lodges

The number of 24-hour periods for which an individual is provided bed-based care. The day on which an individual is admitted is counted as one day of service. The day on which an individual is discharged is not included.

Each occupied bed counts as one day of bed-based care. When the individual enters and leaves the service on the same day, one day is counted.

Count resident days when the following types of beds are used by IHWS clients:

  • Beds funded by MCCSS through Healing Lodges program
  • Beds funded by other revenue (e.g., fundraising) but dedicated for use for IHWS clients
  • Beds funded by other programs (e.g., homelessness) but used by IHWS clients
  • Alternate settings (e.g., overflow beds, cots, hotel rooms, cribs, etc.)

Note: The day of exit is not counted to allow accurate calculation of occupancy rates. Otherwise, the same bed would be counted twice for two different individuals on the same day.

To track resident days, take a daily census of occupied beds (including alternate settings if used) and add up the census to calculate the total resident days for the reporting period.

# of Bed Days Available: Healing Lodges

The cumulative number of spaces available and staffed each day to provide services during the reporting period. The total spaces available each day of the reporting period are added to find the cumulative number of bed days available during the reporting period.

The following types of beds are counted:

  • Beds funded by MCCSS; and
  • Beds funded by other revenue (e.g., fundraising) but dedicated for use for IHWS clients

The following beds are NOT included in the count:

  • Beds funded by other programs (e.g., homelessness); and
  • Alternate settings (e.g., overflow beds, cots, hotel rooms, cribs, etc.)

This data element is intended to show the organization’s capacity to provide service. Spaces or beds that cannot be staffed or spaces closed for renovations or other reasons, such as public health, that are unavailable for service should not be included.

Note: To track this data element, use one of the following two methods:

  • Multiply the number of beds by the number of operating days. For example, for the year-end reporting, in a ten bed Healing Lodge that operated for 5 cycles of 60 days, the total number of operating days will be 5 cycles * 60 days = 300 operating days. Therefore, the year-end total count of bed days available will be 10 beds * 300 operating days which is 3,000 bed days available for the reporting period

or

  • Take a daily census (during the days bed-based programs are provided) of all open or occupied Healing Lodge beds funded by MCCSS or other revenue (those represented in the Beds data element). For this census, exclude alternate settings (e.g., overflow, cots, hotel, and cribs) and beds dedicated for use by another service (e.g., homelessness). Add up the total daily bed count to report the Number of bed days available for the reporting period.

# of IHWS-Funded FTE Staff: Healing Lodges

The number of assigned IHWS staff (full time equivalent), including program delivery and program administration.

Ministry- funded Agency Expenditures: Healing Lodges

Total ministry-funded expenses for the Transfer Payment Recipient to administer and/or deliver the Healing Lodge program in the reporting year (cumulative).