Lii Zaanfaan (The Children)
Started in April 2020, the Lii Zaanfaan (The Children): Understanding the Health and Well-being Trajectories of Métis Children in Alberta will deepen our understanding of Métis health and build on knowledge from the maternal and perinatal health research. This project explores how intergenerational trauma and maternal and perinatal health impact the health and well-being of Métis children.
About the study
The MNA is currently developing a 10-year strategy to support the health and well-being of Métis children and families across the lifespan by creating and enhancing supports during the early years of life.
The Lii Zaanfaan study will help us understand the contributing factors, conditions, and actions that can make the most difference to improve Métis children’s health and well-being in Alberta.
The goal of the study is to create a unified, Métis-led approach across each of the six MNA regions that is grounded in community knowledge.
The feedback from Lii Zaanfaan will directly inform our strategy and the planning of culturally appropriate, self-directed actions that support Métis children’s health in Alberta and across Canada.
The Lii Zaanfaan project began in April 2020 to deepen the MNA’s understanding of Métis maternal and perinatal health and research.
To learn more about the Lii Zaanfaan (The Children) Survey, please contact us at 780-455-2200 or health@metis.org today. To view available Maternal and Perinatal Health research resources, below.
Lii Zaanfaan Gatherings
Are you a caregiver (parent, aunt, uncle, older sibling, grandparent, etc.) of a Métis child aged 10 or younger? If so, this is your opportunity to share your experience!
Come to our Lii Zaanfaan Gatherings and share your knowledge to help us improve the overall health and well-being of Métis children in Alberta. Join us in Calgary on June 15 or Edmonton on June 22.
Participating families will receive a $100 honorarium, mileage compensation and one’s night accommodation for those travelling over 50 km. Children can be Citizens of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government or self-identify as Métis.
Register for the Calgary Gathering
Register for the Edmonton Gathering
For more information on the project, contact Mariam Ahmad, Research and Project Coordinator, by phone at 587-415-1056 or email mahmad@metis.org.
This study has been reviewed for ethical compliance by the Queen’s University General Research Ethics Board. If you have any ethics concerns, please contact the General Research Ethics Board at 1-844-535-2988 or email chair.GREB@queensu.ca.
Additional resources:
- Métis Nation of Alberta Wellness Program, a partnership with Alberta Blue Cross and Homewood Health, offers mental health counselling to Métis Nation of Alberta Citizens 24/7, free of charge: 1-844-729-0261
- Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous peoples across Canada 24/7. Visit them online or call 1-855-242-3310.
- Health Link: 811
- Mental Health Helpline: 1-877-303-2642
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868
- Alberta 211 (provides referrals for community, government, and social services)
This project is funded by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Ehawawisit (With Child)
The Ehawawisit (With Child): Maternal and Perinatal Health Outcomes Among the Métis in Alberta and the Influence of Proximal, Intermediate, and Distal Determinants of Health research project was developed in partnership with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta, and McMaster University.
Through an epidemiological analysis of administrative health data, we saw where Métis women and babies experienced different health outcomes compared to non-Métis women and babies. The Ehawawisit project activities were completed in April 2021 and the findings were compiled into three reports.