Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Symbol of the Government of Canada

ARCHIVED - Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada


Warning This page has been archived.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.

Table 5: Horizontal Initiatives

DPR Horizontal Initiative Template
Name of Horizontal Initiative: Indian Residential Schools (IRS) Resolution Health Support Program (formerly Mental Health Support Program)
Name of Lead Department(s): Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada (IRSRC)
Lead Department Program Activity: Claims Resolution
Start Date of the Horizontal Initiative: November 30, 2006
End Date of the Horizontal Initiative: March 31, 2013
Total Federal Funding Allocation (start to end date): $94,500,000
Description of the Horizontal Initiative (including funding agreement): The IRS Resolution Health Support Program component of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement ensures that eligible former students, and their immediate families, have access to an appropriate level of health support services so that they may safely address a broad spectrum of mental wellness issues related to the disclosure of childhood abuses. Main program components include: Emotional support services provided by Resolution Health Support Workers, Cultural support services provided by Elders; Professional Counseling, and assistance with the cost of transportation to access counseling, Elder, and/or Traditional Healer services.
Shared Outcome(s): Healing for former Indian Residential Schools students and their immediate families as they go through the IRS Settlement Agreement process.

Governance Structure(s): Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada is responsible for the overall Settlement Agreement model and is working in partnership with Health Canada to coordinate and provide services for former Indian Residential School students. Various program components of the Resolution Health Support Program will be delivered separately by Health Canada and Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada.

Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada responsibilities relating to the Resolution Health Support Program include:

  • Administration of the national 24-hour toll free Indian Residential School Crisis Line operated by an Aboriginal organization with trained Aboriginal crisis counsellors;
  • Communicating the entire IRS Settlement Agreement to former Indian Residential Schools students and Aboriginal communities, including the various components of the Resolution Health Support Program;
  • Facilitating Health Canada’s verification of eligibility; and
  • Ensuring that Health Canada’s Resolution Health Support Program is aware of dates for Independent Assessment Process/Alternative Dispute Resolution hearings, litigation, and Truth and Reconciliation and Commemoration events as they arise, so that Resolution Health Support Program regional coordinators are prepared to address high claimant settlement areas.

Health Canada is responsible for providing former IRS students and their families with access to emotional health and wellness support services under the IRS Resolution Health Support Program. These services include:

  • Professional counselling;
  • Emotional Support provided by Resolution Health Support Workers;
  • Cultural Support provided by Elders; and
  • Assistance with the cost of transportation.
Federal Partners Federal Partner Program Activity Names of Programs for Federal Partners Total Allocation (from start to end date) Planned Spending for 2007-
2008
Actual Spending for 2007-
2008
Expected Results for 2007-
2008
Results Achieved in 2007-
2008
Health Canada First Nations and Inuit Health, Community Programs, Mental Health and Addictions Resolution Health Support Program $94.5M $22.7M $12,3M Health Canada will work with Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada to ensure that eligible former students have access to emotional and cultural support, and professional counselling. Supported former students receiving Common Experience Payments, as well as those participating in the Independent Assessment Process, and their families to ensure that appropriate supports were available in a timely and effective manner.
  $94.5M $22.7M $12,3M    
  Total $94.5M Total $22.7M Total $12.3M    

Comments on Variances:

Health Canada variance between planned and actuals is $10,437,300.

There are five components to the Settlement Agreement: the Common Experience Payment; the Independent Assessment Process designed to oversee compensation claims beyond the Common Experience Payment; Truth and Reconciliation commemoration events overseen by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; community-based Aboriginal-directed healing initiatives supported through the Aboriginal Healing Foundation; and the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program designed to offer counselling and emotional/cultural supports to former residential school students. Delays in establishing the first three components resulted in far less uptake of mental health/emotional support services than anticipated, resulting in lower than planned expenditures.

Results to be Achieved by Non-federal Partners (if applicable)
Contact Information: Andrea Challis, Manager, IRS Resolution Health Support Program.