Untitled - Phoenix Sinclair Inquiry

Overtime, the desired outcomes for First Nation infants and young families include:
• Healthy birth weights and development of infant and child
• Decreased morbidity and mortality (e.g., injury related, respiratory
infections and otitis media, dental decay)
• Reduced rates of family violence
• Reduced maternal risk
The ultimate goal of MCH is to “improve maternal, infant, child and family health outcomes so
that young families can maximize their potential by providing community based MCH health
services to First Nations from preconception through childhood” (National Strategy for Maternal
Child Health in First Nation Communities by Kishk Anaquot Health Research, 2006: 5).
EVALUATION PLAN DEVELOPMENT
The MCH Treasury Board submission specifies that an evaluation plan is to be completed
during the first year of operation and will be linked to the FNIHB 10-year evaluation strategy.
A schedule was outlined for performance and evaluation reports. The information gathered
from all of the reports will be used to renew the MCH mandate. Government policy on
evaluation requires departments to embed evaluation into their management practices with
specific consideration of a variety of issues related to planning, performance and accountability
reporting particularly with respect to expectations identified and conveyed to the Treasury
Board on those resulting from Cabinet decisions requesting evaluation information. The policy
requires that departments consider program relevance, success and cost-effectiveness:
Relevance | is the program consistent with departmental and government priorities and
does it realistically address an actual need?
Success | is the program effective in meeting its objectives, within budget and without
unwanted outcomes?
Cost effectiveness | are the most appropriate and efficient means being used to achieve
objectives in comparison with other approaches?
National Standards and criteria used to judge the quality of the evaluation are:
Meaningful stakeholder involvement (community voice and participation) is apparent
throughout all aspects of the program.
There is a clear desire for meaningful participation at each stage of the evaluation process.
It is anticipated that the evaluation strategy will be judged by the extent to which it engages
First Nations in a meaningful way, answers key evaluation questions, shares community
experience and provides for the future (Kishk Anaquot Health Research, 2006: 8-9).
The evaluation is First Nation ownership, access, control and possession of data (OCAP).
In keeping with emerging ethical standards for research with Aboriginal peoples, information
resulting from the MCH evaluation should be owned, controlled and possessed by participating
First Nation communities who will also retain full access to all information generated from
community-based evaluations (ibid, 2006: 8).
A variety of opportunities with different skill levels for building evaluation capacity in the
Manitoba First Nation Strengthening Families Maternal Child Health Pilot Project | 33