Aboriginal Health Physician Advisor Dr. Evan Adams has been appointed Deputy Provincial Health Officer, announced Minister of Health Michael de Jong, the First Nations Heath Council and the interim First Nations Health Authority.

In his new overseeing role, Dr. Adams will work alongside Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall and Deputy PHO Dr. Eric Young by providing independent direction on First Nations and Aboriginal health issues to the Ministry of Health, reporting to citizens on health issues affecting the general population, and setting out a path for the improvement of First Nations and Aboriginal health and wellness. Dr. Adams's new role reflects a strengthening of the partnership between the Province of B.C. and B.C. First Nations.

Dr. Adams is a Coast Salish physician and actor from the Sliammon First Nation located near Powell River. Previously he served as Aboriginal health physician advisor to government and the First Nations Health Council, contributing to positive developments in health for all citizens in B.C. while making substantial improvements in service delivery to First Nations in the province.

As the chief resident during his family practice residency in the Aboriginal Family Practice Program at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, he won the provincial Family Medicine Resident Leadership Award from the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and the Murray Stalker Award from the CFPC Research and Education Foundation. He was named as a role model by the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program and has worked with First Nations youth in health promotions and life-skills workshops across Canada.

Dr. Adams is the past president of the Healing Our Spirit B.C. First Nations AIDS Society, which provides prevention education for Aboriginal people in urban and rural communities throughout the province, as well as being a past president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, and the director of the Division of Aboriginal Peoples Health in the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine.

From a directive and overseeing position since his appointment as the top physician advisor on Aboriginal Health, down to working first-hand with one of the most at-risk Aboriginal populations in the country in Vancouver's downtown eastside, Dr. Adams brings invaluable on-the-ground and executive experience.

His appointment is yet another positive step for First Nations health-care representation in B.C., bringing greater Aboriginal perspective and representation to the provincial table with the goal of raising the quality of life for First Nations and all citizens.

Dr. Adams is a full-scholarship alumnus from Victoria's St. Michaels University School and Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific. He also studied general science at the University of B.C., completed his medical doctorate at the University of Calgary, and a masters of public health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. As a successful actor, he has starred in mainstream films and television, and has won a best actor award from the American Indian Film Festival as well as a 1999 Independent Spirit Award. He was also awarded a Gemini for "Best Host" for his appearance on the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards broadcast.

Dr. Adams's appointment takes effect April 1, 2012.

Quotes:

Minister of Health Michael de Jong -

"I am very pleased that Dr. Adams is the new Deputy PHO. We have always worked to find innovative ways to support Aboriginal health in this province and this new position can only help to reform systems, create better policies and achieve better Aboriginal health outcomes."

Dr. Evan Adams, Deputy Provincial Health Officer for Aboriginal Health -

"I am pleased the Office of the Provincial Health Officer is so eager to support Aboriginal health and I am honoured to step up into the position and help our people. We have worked a long time to find ways to support Aboriginal health in this province and I think this new position can only help to reform systems, create better policies and achieve better Aboriginal health outcomes.

"I am very proud to be named Deputy PHO and look forward to expanding on my work as Aboriginal Health Physician Advisor. There is still a lot of work to bring Aboriginal peoples' health status in line with that of other British Columbians, but if we all work together, we can make a difference."

Joe Gallagher, CEO First Nations Health Council -

"The elevation of Dr. Adams' position from that of Aboriginal Physician Advisor to Deputy PHO represents a huge step forward in the evolution of a First Nation provincial partnership."

Grand Chief Doug Kelly, First Nations Health Council -

"I am pleased that a member of our First Nations community who has taken on the challenge of education and the role of a health professional is now taking on a more significant role in the health care system in B.C. Congratulations and good luck to Dr. Adams on his step forward and into the important work ahead."

Dr. Perry Kendall, Provincial Health Officer -

"Dr. Adams has already made a strong contribution to Aboriginal health here in B.C., and I know that he will continue to do so as Deputy PHO. His appointment will significantly strengthen the capacity of the Office and I look forward to working with him in this enhanced role".

Learn More:

First Nations Health Council: www.fnhc.ca

Tripartite First Nations Health Plan: www.gov.bc.ca/arr/social/health/down/tripartite_health_plan_signed.pdf

Transformative Change Accord First Nations Health Plan: http://www.fnhc.ca/pdf/TCA_FNHP.pdf

A backgrounder follows.

Contacts:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

Davis McKenzie
Communications and Public Relations Director
First Nations Health Authority
778 835-8276
dmckenzie@fnhc.ca

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect

BACKGROUNDER

March 30, 2012 Ministry of Health

First Nations Health Council

First Nations Health Authority

First Nations Health Plan

First Nations, through the First Nations Health Council and First Nations Health Society, the Province of B.C. and the Government of Canada have been working in partnership for a number of years to improve the health and wellness of First Nations in B.C. Their commitments are captured in the 2006 Transformative Change Accord First Nations Health Plan (TCA: FNHP) and 2007 Tripartite First Nations Health Plan (TFNHP).

These plans both set out ambitious guidelines to improve the health status of First Nations people in B.C. They describe a number of health actions that the Province, Health Canada and B.C. First Nations are implementing to support health systems transformation for First Nations people, including the development and implementation of a new governance structure for First Nations health in B.C.

A critical provision contained in the TCA: FNHP was the appointment of an Aboriginal physician advisor to monitor and report on the health status of Aboriginal people in B.C. and to track progress against the performance indicators outlined in the plan. This was realized in 2008 with the appointment of Dr. Adams, and represents a shared commitment to the TCA: FNHP and TFNHP.

Since this time, provincial and First Nations representatives have worked as collaborative partners both in terms of health actions as well as the establishment of the B.C. Tripartite Framework Agreement on First Nation Health Governance in October 2011. The elevation of Dr. Adams' role from Aboriginal physician advisor to that of Deputy PHO with the appropriate legislative authority represents yet another joint accomplishment on this transformative journey.

As Deputy PHO, Dr. Adams will work with the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) in improving the quality of data collected and health indicators related to First Nations health.

The evolution of the First Nations Health Society into the FNHA maintains the overseeing mandate of improving First Nations health and health service delivery in the province while increasing responsibilities and the authority of the organization.

As the interim health authority, responsibilities include the transition of the B.C. Regional First Nations and Inuit Health office and the Head Quarters' components of Health Canada to the FNHA, as well as restructuring a number of key internal positions for necessary support.

Contacts:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

Davis McKenzie
Communications and Public Relations Director
First Nations Health Authority
778 835-8276
dmckenzie@fnhc.ca