Annual Report of the Executive Director Margaret Horn, M.A. TRAINING National Training Session and Annual General Meeting Healing Hearts - SIDS, Tobacco Misuse During Pregnancy and FAS/E Two-hundred-and-fifty CHRs and health workers from across Canada attended the June 13 - 16, 2002 session in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. NIICHRO offered a three-day training session on the following three issues that affect the Aboriginal family and our children: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Tobacco Use During Pregnancy and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/ Effects. Training kits with facilitator’s guides and resource materials are available through the NIICHRO 2003 Resource Catalogue that can now be viewed at the NIICHRO website, www.niichro.com. Three projects were initiated this year: Coming Full Circle – Frail and Elderly Project was developed by NIICHRO as a recipient of a SHARE Award funded by GlaxoSmithKline and administered by the University of Pennsylvania to promote a more active and healthy lifestyle with the frail and disabled senior population in Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal Contraception Awareness Project The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) and the National Indian and Inuit Community Health Representatives Organization (NIICHRO) collaborated on the Aboriginal Contraception Awareness Project funded by the Population Health Fund. Community-Based Tobacco Control – Demonstration Project A needs assessment was conducted seeking information to build the capacity of Community Health Representatives (CHRs) to take a leadership role in tobacco control initiatives. The www.niichro.com website is regularly updated in both English and French and includes information and data relevant as a communication tool for the membership - Community Health Representatives. The website has more than 300 pages and a plan for reorganizing the site was developed. In Touch magazines – Healing Hearts – Fall 2002; Coming Full Circle - Winter 2003 and Mental Health and Wellness – Spring 2003 were researched, written, designed and mailed to more than 1,500 CHRs and Aboriginal health workers. ADVISORY CAPACITY NIICHRO staff and board participate on committees, consultations, meetings or conferences to provide input on the concerns and issues relevant to CHRs. These activities ensure that NIICHRO and Community Health Representatives maintain a high profile with all government, national Aboriginal and mainstream health organizations. As well, this intervention has kept NIICHRO updated on potential program areas and funding for projects. When possible, representation may include an abstract and oral or poster presentations of NIICHRO activities and projects. This includes the following: -Aboriginal Coalition of Health Organizations (Assembly of First Nations and Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada) -Advisory Circle on Tobacco, FNIHB -BC FAS/E Support and Information Network of Canada -Canadian Paediatric Society, Indian and Inuit Health Committee -Canadian Paediatric Society, A Summit on the Health of Aboriginal Children and Youth -Canadian Society on Circumpolar Health -National Aboriginal Diabetes Association -National Advisory Committee on Cessation -Sudden Infant Death Syndrome International Conference 2004 -Healing Our Spirit Worldwide Conference 2006 -FAS National Consultation   Elijah Harper drops in to speak at the Coming Full Circle AGM (shown with Karen Keshane and Connie Gordon)     FUTURE OF NIICHRO Standards of Practice for CHRs The development of national occupational standards will assist in remedying problems of fluctuating salary scales, lack of benefits and job insecurity faced by CHRs. Injury Prevention Conference 2004 The National First Nations and Inuit Injury Prevention Working Group endorsed NIICHRO to sponsor the first Aboriginal Injury Prevention Conference in 2004. A March 30, 2003, Winnipeg meeting coordinated by NIICHRO brought together 18 governmental and non-governmental specialists in Aboriginal injury prevention to participate in the planning of the conference. The conference date, June 9 - 12, 2004, and conference theme Towards Community Action on Aboriginal Injuries were put forward by the Steering Committee of the National First Nations and Inuit Injury Prevention Working Group and the meeting participants approved them. The major goals of the Conference will be to: -promote awareness and action on injury among the Aboriginal population of Canada; -support networking and development of working linkages between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal practitioners and organizations.