interCultural Online Health Network (iCON)The interCultural Online Health Network (iCON) began in 2007 to partner with communities and health authorities to provide culturally relevant health information for the prevention and management of chronic diseases, including: diabetes, heart disease, dementia and liver disease.
In 2010, iCON expanded to include activities to meet the needs of specific Indigenous communities and health priorities. These efforts have focused on engaging communities, patients, practitioners, administrators, and policy makers in dialogues around culturally safe care, and ways to meet the Call to Action #22 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission:
We call upon those who can effect change within the Canadian health-care system to recognize the value of Aboriginal healing practices and use them in the treatment of Aboriginal patients in collaboration with Aboriginal healers and Elders where requested by Aboriginal patients.
In collaboration with health authorities and various Indigenous communities across BC, iCON has focused on the integration of traditional practices into western primary and acute care settings.