LAUNCH OF ICBOC DIABETES CERTIFICATION
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, November 14, 2019
Contact: Yvette Amor Communications Director . 289-929-7892 . communications@idhc.life
Indigenous Diabetes Wellness Organization Program Granted Professional Certification Status
First Certified Diabetes Wellness Worker to be Honoured November 14th, 2019
THOROLD, Ontario On Thursday, November 14, 2019, at the annual event entitled “Honouring Our Traditional Foods,” taking place at the Mohawk Community Centre, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, the Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle (IDHC) is pleased to announce its most recent history-making program development. IDHC becomes the first diabetes organization to achieve certification status for its training programs by the Indigenous Certification Board of Canada (ICBOC).
Executive Director, Roslynn Baird said this certification status is the first of its kind in Canada and is the result of more than a year in collaboration between IDHC and ICBOC. “These are thrilling times at IDHC. Special thanks go to Program Coordinator, Janet Zanutto, for working with ICBOC to develop the project. Thanks also to Program Coordinator, Lindsey Cosh, and her dedicated Foot Care Program team for their input into the program content,” pointed out Ms. Baird.
“This achievement supports our mission to promote holistic wellness models based on traditional teachings and to build relationships and community capacity in Ontario,” observed Program Director, Amanda Lipinski. “The first course to be certified is “Foot Care Level 1.”
Certification as an Indigenous Diabetes Community Support Worker can henceforth be granted by ICBOC through IDHC training programs — or via demonstrated equivalent experience working in diabetes prevention and promotion for Indigenous communities.
Special guest at the annual event, Robert Fenton, is the first Indigenous community diabetes worker to be certified, in recognition for his decades of trust building and service to Indigenous community health.
Certifications provide front line health workers and management the opportunity to advance their knowledge in the field of Indigenous diabetes prevention and management and be recognized by a credible, established certifying organization.
About ICBOC
Incorporated provincially in 2005 and federally in 2011, Indigenous Certification Board of Canada is the nationally designated body specifically created to provide professional certifications to unregulated Indigenous workforce in the fields of addictions, wellness and in a range of social and health fields. ICBOC professional certification system is embedded in a unique, culturally resonant capacity development model that reflects the realities, needs and aspirations of unregulated First Nations, Métis and Inuit workers, and of the individuals, families and communities they serve. The ICBOC’s professional and technical certification standards and requirements match those of other nonIndigenous certification bodies in Canada and internationally — and exceed them with regard to cultural resonance, competence and safety.
ICBOC is the first Indigenous organization that has developed a rigorous cultureembedded accreditation process actively contributing to the Indigenization of academic university and college programs, and promoting the training and education offered by Indigenous providers. The main components of the accreditation process aimed at institutional academic programs are the assessment of Indigenous input in all stages of a program and of its cultural safety, competence as well as its technical relevance to ICBOC certification standards and requirements.
About IDHC
As a non-profit organization in operation for 23 years, IDHC promotes three distinct programs of holistic wellness models of care representing body, mind and spirit to reduce the impacts of type 2 diabetes on Indigenous peoples in Ontario. Balancing traditional teachings and mainstream health best practices, IDHC acts on the knowledge that Indigenous people achieve best health outcomes through programs that are self-designed, self-developed and self-led. IDHC mobilizes front line health workers to engage communities, partners, stakeholders and allies to achieve this critical mission. The organization has evolved engaging grassroots tactics for communication, capacity building and stakeholder engagement.
Culturally Appropriate. Safe. Creative. Collaborative. Smart. And now Certified.
IDHC entails a tremendously good news story of increasing health, empowerment and capacity building.