AN INDIGENOUS - LED HEALTHCARE SOLUTION
An Indigenous-Led Healthcare Organization
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Turtle Island Health and Research Society is an indigenous-led organization, founded by James Hiebert, whose mission is to support solutions to our country's most challenging healthcare problems through an aboriginal lens of leadership.
Our organization has identified the opportunity to research and support ultra-high needs, at-risk residents living in the Downtown Vancouver core, as well as Indigenous citizens living in rural areas, all of whom have been unsuccessful in accessing the current healthcare system.
Turtle Island Society aims to become the national pioneer for partnership-based research and outreach servicing the at-risk population in our nation’s urban cores.
The Principle That Guides Us at Turtle Island Society
Our guiding principles are compassion, partnership and evidence-based patient care.
To that end, Turtle Island Society supports multiple research initiatives that deal with at-risk individuals of diverse cultural backgrounds (specifically those of First Nations descent), who suffer from co-occurring addiction, infection, severe mental health, multiple chronic conditions, and social isolation.
It is also our intention to fund and operate unique and innovative healthcare programs with like- minded partners in our nation's inner cities.
A New Approach For a Better Future
Turtle Island Health and Research Society understands that our traditional approach to inner city health care and first nation engagement was fundamentally flawed. We are seeking opportunities to examine how our society might move forward and discover best practices in supporting at-risk citizens, wherever they may live and whatever their heritage. Our approach is informed by some of the innovative and courageous research projects that have taken place in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside over the last 15 years and continue to lead the world in novel approaches to at-risk care.
