Services
Eskasoni Community Health offers extensive healthcare services to the Mi’kmaw Nation of Eskasoni.
The majority of our healthcare team members speak our Mi’kmaw language. We offer inclusive, confidential and professional services for all community members.
Eskasoni Primary Care
Primary Care provides culturally appropriate, integrated, accessible health care services from physicians and nurses who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community wellness.
The clinic offers the services of three physicians, two RN’s and one LPN. Primary care incorporates several different kinds of healthcare services including:
• Disease Prevention and Screenings
• Acute Care
• Chronic Disease Management
• Wound Care Management
• Diagnosis and Treatment of many types of illness
• Education related to Disease Prevention or Treatment
• Injury Care
• Counseling
• Coordination of your care
Primary care providers work collaboratively with all other teams within the Eskasoni Community Health Centre. All primary care appointments are booked appointments. The clinic does have urgent same day appointments available to be booked for urgent care. These appointments are to be booked prior to coming the clinic.
Eskasoni Crisis Centre
Eskasoni Crisis Centre is a not-for-profit organization. Over the years the organization has continued to evolve and grow with the help of the community and a variety of funding source partnerships. We have grown from a staff of one to a flourishing team of 18, offering a wide range of programs. Eskasoni Wellness site is a safe and confidential place where community members can come to address the wide variety of issues confronting them.
Services offered through Eskasoni Crisis Centre include: 24/7services via Facebook, in person, and a Toll-Free telephone line; crisis intervention and referral services; central intake; ASIST/Safe Talk/Mental Health First Aid; traditional craft nights and supportive activities; advocacy; special needs and services; and case management.
Nutrition Services
The Nutrition and Health Education Program is a health promotion program that aims to prevent the onset of illness and disease by promoting healthy lifestyles and healthy eating habits. One dietician is on staff.
The program includes two key components:
Clinical Nutrition
Clinical nutrition involves direct patient care, mostly for nutritional assessments and education. Referrals are received from physicians, nurses, specialists, or other community-based programs. Self lead referrals or family referrals are also acceptable. An appointment must be made to access this service.
Community Nutrition
Community nutrition includes all tasks related to promoting healthy eating and active lifestyles in the community. Some community nutrition activities that take place include:
- Healthy eating workshops
- Cooking classes
- Health promotion via social media
- Nutritional recipes
- Diabetes education sessions
- Food Pantry program
Diabetic Education Clinic
The Diabetes Clinic, with one diabetic nurse, is an appointment-based clinic that offers a wide array of health services including:
- Diabetes screening and support services for those with diabetes and their families
- Nursing assessments
- Blood glucose management
- Foot assessments
- Weight management
- Cholesterol control
- Nutritional management and support
- Blood pressure management
The Diabetic Education Clinic helps to navigating patients to appropriate health care services through referrals to physicians, the dietician, foot care specialists, the endocrinologist, and the lab. Clients can receive individual and family nutritional counselling and access support services.
Referrals can be made by physicians, nurses, specialists, or other community-based program. Self lead referrals or family referrals are also acceptable.
Opioid Recovery Program
Eskasoni Health Centre collaborates with the Nova Scotia Health authority to provide care for people who are addicted to opioids. We have one physician, one social worker, one LPN and one RN on our team.
The program provides:
- Opioid maintenance therapy (methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone)
- Programs in:
- Physical health (like the Chronic Pain Clinic, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy)
- Mental health (like the Recovery Support Program, addictions counselling)
The ORP supports people on their recovery journey. They also support people to improve their overall health and mental wellbeing (how we respond to life’s ups and downs).
A team of health care professionals provides:
- Assessment
- Treatment planning
- Relapse prevention
- Supportive counselling
To access this program, self refer by calling the Mental Health and Addictions (MHA) Intake Service Phone (toll-free): 1-855-922-1122 or ask for a referral from your physician, nurse, specialist, or other community-based program.
Lab Services
Eskasoni Health Centre collaborates with the Nova Scotia Health (NSH) authority to provide blood collection services here in the community. Home collection services are also available at the request of a physician. To access collection services, clients need a requisition from their health care provider.
This is an appointment-based program.
Eskasoni Wellness Centre
Eskasoni Wellness Centre offers a variety of programs and services to help community members throughout their life journey.
Our Wellness Centre offers the following: NS Hearing & Speech Clinic; adult clinical and therapeutic support (individual, group, marital, and family clinical/support services); parenting programs; Residential School Survivors support (we have support workers who provide emotional support to former Residential School students and their families before and during commemoration and national events, referrals to appropriate service providers, cultural support services and access to traditional healers/Elders, and traditional teachings and activities); Jordans Principal; and NSCEDIS.
Eskasoni Headstart Centre
Eskasoni Head Start Program is a non-profit organization. It provides a safe and nurturing environment, focusing on an early intervention routine, while creating educational experiences that will last a lifetime. The centre is designed to support, nurture, and enhance all areas of a child’s development and is open to all children regardless of their abilities. We have a close partnership with families and community agencies such as Nova Scotia Early Childhood Development Intervention Services and Jordan’s Principal.
Our program is divided into two different age groups. The first is a readiness learning program designated to help pre-school aged children develop and practice the skills that will help prepare them for kindergarten. The second is our toddler program where the ages of the children range from 18 months to 3 years old.
Eskasoni Head Start has been serving our community for 25 years and we continue to be committed to creating a safe, warm, loving environment for children where they can learn and grow physically, emotionally, creatively, intellectually, and socially.
Access Open Minds Youth Space
Access Open Minds Youth Space seeks to change the way youth access services, to engage young people in ways that improve individual well-being and the well-being of the community. This will be done through collaboration with youth, families, caregivers, community organizers, and service providers to ensure seamless access to care and to reduce gaps in services across organizations. This care will be delivered in youth-friendly ways based on the principles of inclusion, respect, participation, empowerment, and hope.
Access Open Minds Youth Space programs include: Youth Social Enterprise; baking nights; movie nights; cultural events; art therapy; nature walks; exercise programs; youth library; and seasonal workshops.
Eskasoni Home and Community Care
Eskasoni Home & Community Care provides health care services to our clients in the comfort of their own homes. A vast and growing community with a large diabetic population.
Home Care gives pride with working in collaboration with other health services in Cape Breton, networking, and breaking barriers for the best care possible. Home Care also works hand in hand with services that are provided right in the heart of the community: Family Physicians, Social Worker, Diabetic Nursing Educator, Dietitian, and onsite pharmacist to name a few.
We also give pride in providing services in our own Mi’kmaq language.
The Home Care team consists of: 2 full time RN’s. Clinical lead; Elena Bernard RN, & Jane Wukitsch RN
Home Care Nurses provide services that include:
- Wound care both chronic and acute
- Wellness visits to our elderly
- Client assessments
- Weekly/Monthly injections as well as
- Post operative & palliative care support
- Foot care services
Community Health Nursing
The goal of community health nursing is to promote and protect the health of community members. Community health nurses work with individuals, families, and organizations to identify health risks and disparities, develop, and implement prevention, wellness, and educational programs, and advocate for equitable access to healthcare. Community health nurses work to promote social justice, health equity and the social and environmental determinants of health.
Program and services delivered by CHNs:
- Immunizations (infants, school age and adults)
- TB testing
- Childhood developmental screening
- Referrals to other care providers
- Injury prevention
- Communicable disease prevention and control
- Harm reduction programs including naloxone training.
- Health emergency planning
- Early Vision Screening Program in Kindergarten
- School based health education sessions
- Community health education sessions
- Health coaching
- Foot care
Medical Transportation Department
The Medical transportation program covers medical transportation expenses for patients who need travel within Canada for healthcare. It includes insured services by provincial or territorial health plans, such as appointments with physicians, hospital care providers and diagnostic tests, as well as non-insured health benefits like dental, mental health counselling. The program covers travel costs, living expenses and emergency transportation. An aide or escort may also be covered. To request coverage, contact the transportation clerk at Eskasoni Health.
The Transportation team consists of a clerk, transportation manager, community transportation driver and contracted medical carriers.
Maternal Child and Health
Initial prenatal care in Eskasoni began in 1995 with a nurse-driven program and has grown into full comprehensive prenatal care over the years. What began as a staff of one nurse has evolved into a staff of one physician, 2 nurses, 2 Early Years Home Visitors and one Children’s Oral Health Initiative (COHI) Aide.
The maternal child health department can cover pre-conception counselling, full prenatal care, as well as community follow-up in the post-partum period with our home visiting nurse.
Our Early Years Program is a newly developed Home Visiting Program designed to support healthy child and family development and bonding as well as promote the Mi’kmaq language and culture.
Our COHI aide works both with families at home and with the Oral Therapist at the school to promote good oral hygiene and follow up in those important early years of a child’s development.
Social Services
Our Social Worker provides support to patients and families with mental health and well-being, ensure they have the resources they need to heal, and help them navigate the health care system. We have one social worker on staff.
There are many factors that shape your health and well-being such as:
Referrals can be made by physicians, nurses, specialists, or other community-based program. Self lead referrals or family referrals are also acceptable.