Integrating traditional practitioners within primary healthcare teams: Development of an accreditation framework

Abstract

While the work of Traditional Healing and its practice is centuries old, many mainstream healthcare providers do not recognize its value. A priority for the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC) is to support Indigenous people, communities, and partners in the work of reclaiming safe spaces for Traditional Healing within primary healthcare settings. The primary goal of this IPHCC-led initiative was to understand barriers for organizations to integrate Traditional Healing and cultural services and from this information design an accreditation model for Traditional Healing Practitioners. This included the protection and maintenance of the experiences and knowledge of our Traditional Healing Practitioners through promoting and delivering Traditional Healing training and mentorship opportunities for the next seven generations of practitioners; and the creation of curriculum that will embed the concept of Two-Eyed Seeing as it relates to integrated Traditional Healing within mainstream practice.