Jordan’s Principle is a federally funded child-first program that first began to support NCN families in 2016. It ensures all Children and Youth living with special needs and/or disabilities have access to services, equipment and supports they need in a timely, efficient manner. The aim is to remove any barriers to a “typical life”, and even to enhance the client’s experiences and quality of life.

Services Offered

• Respite care & child-minding
• Speech & occupational therapies
• Educational supports
• Medical equipment
• Mental health services
• Telehealth sessions
• Cultural activities
• Transportation support

To support clients & their families so that no service, product or resource will be denied, delayed or disrupted.

Jordan’s Principle assistance is available for children living on-reserve with their birth, adoptive or extended families, and awareness of the program is increasing every year. Most clients become involved with Jordan’s Principle through a referral from school, JP staff, family or friends, or another health program in the community.

If any information described here has you questioning your child’s need for support, please do not hesitate to call.

Children who have or may show signs of the following:

• Developmental delays
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Permanent physical disabilities
• Speech impairment/delays
• Attention deficit disorder
• Attention deficit hyperactive disorder
• Medical needs

If you have a child that needs additional supports, funding may be available to you. Some examples of what has been funded under Jordan’s Principle include:

HEALTH CARE:

• mobility aids
• wheelchair ramps
• addiction services
• services from Elders
• mental health services
• specialized hearing aids
• traditional healing services
• services for children in care
• assessments and screenings
• transportation to appointments
• medical supplies and equipment
• long-term care for children with specialized needs
• therapeutic services for individuals or groups (speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy)

SOCIAL CARE:

• social worker
• land-based activities
• personal support worker
• specialized summer camps
• respite care (individual or group)
• specialized programs based on cultural
• beliefs and practices

EDUCATION

• school supplies
• tutoring services
• teaching assistants
• specialized school transportation
• psycho-educational assessments
• assistive technologies and electronics

Occupational therapy:

Helps your child with hand skills for play and everyday tasks. Examples include:

• Learning to listen
• Calm down
• New playing skills
• Holding objects
• Toilet use
• Hand washing

Physiotherapy:

Helps your child with the ability to move, roll, crawl, or walk. Helps a child develop coordination skills to sit and balance. Jumping, running, catching, throwing, are movement activities that a child can build on for strength using specialized equipment.

Speech Pathologists:

Helps your child with using words, understanding words, sentence structure, technology for communication and making friends.

Autism:

We work with children with autism.

Did you know:

• There’s no single known cause
• Children show repetitive behaviour patterns
• Children have difficulty in communicating and social interaction
• There is no known cure

The Specialized Services for Children & Youth (SSCY) Rehabilitation Centre For Children

Which include:

• Occupational Therapists (OT) help child with: Hand skills for play and everyday tasks. (e.g. holding a bottle or holding a crayon), paying attention, making and with friends (e.g. learning to take turns, peek-a-boo), learning to listen, learning to listen, learning to calm down, learning new play skills, hearing, dressing, using the toilet, hand and community access for wheelchair or walker users.
• Speech Language Pathologists (SLP) help children with: using words, understanding words, making sounds for speaking, speaking in sentences, making friends, technology for communication.
• Physiotherapists (PT) help children with: moving-rolling, crawling and walking, learning to sit, coordination, strength and balance, jumping and running, catching and throwing a ball, movement games, using special equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers.

St. Amant

St. Amant provide service for children of NCN, St. Amant services available through Jordan’s Principle include Psychology services, nurse consultation, family care social work services, counselling services, dietitian services.

Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin Inc.

Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin Inc. (KIM) Northern Peoples’ Wellness provide services for Jordan’s Principle such as pediatrician and clinical health psychology.

The Manitoba Adolescent Treatment Centre

The Manitoba Adolescent Treatment Centre (MATC) Rural and Northern Telehealth Service provides supportive counselling and psychiatric services to children and youth for mental health.

Jordan was born in 1999 with multiple disabilities and stayed in the hospital from birth. When he was 2 years old, doctors said he could move to a special home for his medical needs. However, the federal and provincial governments could not agree on who should pay for his home-based care. Jordan stayed in the hospital until he passed away at the age of 5.

In 2007, the House of Commons passed Jordan’s Principle in memory of Jordan. It was a commitment that First Nations children would get the products, services and supports they need, when they need them. Payments would be worked out later.

Today, Jordan’s Principle is a legal obligation, which means it has no end date.

While programs and initiatives to support it may only exist for short periods of time, Jordan’s Principle will always be there and will support First Nations children for generations to come.