Aboriginal Health Policy Framework - Evaluation Framework

With funding from the Aboriginal Health Transition Fund, the Nova Scotia Department of Health is in the process of working with First Nations and other Aboriginal communities in Nova Scotia to ensure that the publicly funded health care system in Nova Scotia is providing comprehensive health care to all Aboriginal Peoples living in the province. We have been contracted to evaluate the overall Adaptation Plan (the AHTF funding envelope under which many of the NS programs fall), and two specific projects that fit within the Adaptation Plan: the Aboriginal Health Policy Framework that is being developed, and the Cultural Safety project. Specifically, we are developing evaluation plans, protocols and tools for each component of our work, implementing the evaluation and developing final evaluation reports for our client.

We are using a capacity building approach to this work, and are in the midst of a co-learning process, in which we have paired Horizons senior Research Assistants with Aboriginal Research Assistants who want to develop/build their research and evaluation skills. Together we are designing the learning process and completing the evaluation tasks. At the end of the contract we will reflect on the evaluation findings, as well as the learnings throughout the capacity building process, and share them with senior leaders and the AHTF. Our intent is to build capacity among First Nation and Aboriginal individuals and communities to conduct research and evaluation.