First Nation’s Health Authority: Jordan’s Principle in BC Fact Sheet

Photo Credit: Unsplash User Ben Konfrst

Arising from the case of Jordan River Anderson, Jordan’s Principle was made law in Canada in 2016.  It “applies to all public services, including services that are beyond the normative standard to care to ensure substantive equality”.

The two-page Fact Sheet summarizes how Jordan’s Principle is being applied in British Columbia.

The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is responsible for administering Jordan’s Principle in BC.

Key elements of the FNHA’s approach to case coordination will include:

• FNHA will serve all First Nations, regardless of residence and status
• The role of case coordinators will be to:
  • Assess needs
  • Facilitate early intervention
  • Develop integrated care plans
  • Connect the child and family to needed services
  • Remove the stress of navigating service systems
  • Support families as they manage their needs
  • Involve relevant partners in each case, as necessary, to expediently address immediate service gaps
• FNHA will coordinate with other programs like child family services, education, early childhood to ensure proper implementation of Jordan’s Principle

The fact sheet addresses the distinctive issues of provision in BC, and notes that “all First Nations children 0-19 with an identified need for a publicly funded service or support are eligible, regardless of their health or social status, or place of residency (on or off reserve)”.