The Province is investing $2.5 million in research that will help bring innovative, high-quality and culturally relevant services designed to give Aboriginal children the best start in life.

This funding will establish a new regional innovation chair at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in Kamloops, specializing in Aboriginal early childhood development and maternal and child health. The chair will lead teams of researchers that will work closely with members of local Aboriginal communities. The community participants will bring their strengths, understanding of their children and tradition to the partnership, and help to identify current needs.

Dr. Rod McCormick has been appointed the B.C. Regional Innovation Chair in Aboriginal Early Childhood Development at TRU. Dr. McCormick has a PhD in Counseling Psychology and is recognized as a national expert in First Nations mental health.

He has a long history of working with the Canadian Institutes of Health research (CIHR). Throughout his career, he has focused on Aboriginal health research, worked on projects around Aboriginal careers and life planning, Aboriginal mental health and counselling and Aboriginal youth suicide prevention.

Government provided $2.5 million in funding for this position, including $1.25 million through the Leading Edge Endowment Fund (LEEF). The B.C. government launched LEEF to encourage social and economic development in B.C.

Based on a cost-sharing partnership with the private sector, LEEF has established permanent leadership research chairs at public post-secondary institutions throughout the province in the areas of medical, social, environmental and technological research. The fund also established regional innovation chairs to create opportunities in communities through B.C.'s colleges, universities and institutes.

Dr. McCormick is the final regional innovation chair to be appointed under this program.

Quotes:

Andrew Wilkinson, Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services -

"Government's investment in this cutting-edge research will help put Aboriginal children on the best path to success. Dr. McCormick's work will lead to strategies and interventions based on an understanding of the unique circumstances facing Aboriginal mothers and children. It will help First Nations' families continue to build solid communities with the potential of creating strong economic growth for generations to come."

Stephanie Cadieux, Minister of Children and Family Development -

"When we give young children the best possible start in life, we are maximizing their potential to grow into healthy adults. This chair at TRU will help provide necessary research so we can improve culturally appropriate programs and services that strengthen the health and prospects of Aboriginal children."

Alan Shaver, president and vice chancellor, Thompson Rivers University -

"We are honoured and grateful for the support we have received from our region's Aboriginal bands to attract Dr. McCormick and the critical work he does in the field of Aboriginal health Today's announcement is a major commitment and an endorsement from the Province in TRU's ability to fulfill an important role in the research of issues affecting Aboriginal Early Childhood Development. This partnership between TRU, the government and the Aboriginal Bands will lead to better health outcomes for people."

Learn More:

Thompson Rivers University: www.tru.ca

BC Innovation Council: www.bcic.ca

For information on more ways the Province is improving support for young children, read the B.C. Early Years Strategy: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/early_childhood/pdf/FamiliesAgenda_EarlyYearsStrategy_web.pdf

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contacts:

Lara Perzoff
Communications Manager
Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services
250 387-0172

Sheldon Johnson
Communications Manager
Ministry of Children and Family Development
250 356-1639

BACKGROUNDER

Province funds Aboriginal early childhood research

Dr. Rod McCormick

B.A. 1980, B.Ed. 1981, M.A. Counselling Psychology 1986, Ph.D. Counselling Psychology 1994,

• Dr. McCormick, who is Aboriginal, is one of the most senior Aboriginal health researchers in the country. He was selected as the regional innovation chair by a faculty search committee comprised of a team of cross-disciplinary researchers and will work out of TRU, with offices in faculty of social work and human and educational development and Aboriginal education. He is formally assigned to the education faculty.

• He has published 21 papers in refereed journals, seven book chapters and numerous papers and reports for a variety of community and government organizations.

• He has been very active the community serving on committees, as a consultant, involvement with an editorial board and as an external examiner for universities.

• His research papers and projects include:

• The Long QT Syndrome in Northern British Columbia: Understanding the impact.

• Access issues for Aboriginal People Seeking primary care services in an urban centre.

• The Cedar Project: Exploring vulnerabilities to HIV, HCV, and STIs among young Aboriginal people who use drugs in urban and rural settings.

• Honouring our strengths: Indigenous culture as an intervention in addictions treatment.

BC Regional Innovation Chair in Aboriginal Early Childhood Development at TRU

• Create and maintain an Aboriginal early childhood and maternal support program, which incorporates ethical research, knowledge exchange and respect for the complexity and unique needs of Aboriginal communities.

• Work with Aboriginal networks, communities and research centres, collaborating together to create, translate and apply discoveries and traditional knowledge.

• Increase overall research capacity by creating a supportive environment that can bring together research trainees, new investigators, undergraduate and graduate students, and community-based research partners.

• Create community-based, Aboriginal maternal and child-health research projects, which meet existing and emerging needs, incorporating culturally safe methods for specific activities like targeted intervention studies.

• Promote and support well-established and innovative knowledge translation and exchange between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal resources.

Leading Edge Endowment Fund

• With investments totalling over $56 million, the Leading Edge Endowment Fund (LEEF) has successfully achieved its program goals: creating 18 leadership chairs and nine regional innovation chairs throughout the province and attracting world-class researchers to British Columbia.

• Currently, LEEF projects are being administered by the BC Innovation Council (BCIC).

Media Contacts:

Lara Perzoff
Communications Manager
Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services
250 387-0172

Sheldon Johnson
Communications Manager
Ministry of Children and Family Development
250 356-1639