Welcome to CHIGAMIK Community Health Centre’s Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) page. Here, you’ll learn about our journey as an RNAO Indigenous-focused BPSO, our commitment to culturally safe care, and the ways we’re putting evidence into action to support community wellness.
The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) is the professional association for registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and nursing students across Ontario. Since 1925, the RNAO has been a strong voice for nursing, advocating for healthy public policy, promoting excellence in practice, and improving health outcomes for people and communities.
The RNAO develops Best Practice Guidelines (BPGs)—evidence-based resources designed to help nurses, health professionals, community workers, and educators deliver the best care possible. These guidelines follow rigorous international standards and are used worldwide to improve outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.
The BPSO program is the RNAO’s way of putting these guidelines into action. Health organizations partner with the RNAO (or a Host organization) to implement multiple guidelines over time. The goal:
Launched in 2019, the Indigenous-focused BPSO program was created in partnership with Indigenous communities. It:
CHIGAMIK became an Indigenous-focused BPSO in 2019. 22 per cent of CHIGAMIK staff are BPSO Champions, leading best practice initiatives.
Registered Indigenous Social Worker & BPSO Lead
Registered Nurse & BPSO Lead
Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Coordinator & BPSO Lead
Director, Clinical and Allied Health Services
French Language System Navigator
Indigenous Perinatal Mental Health Counsellor
Registered Nurse
Psychotherapist, Mental Health & Addiction
Nurse Practitioner
At CHIGAMIK, we introduce a new guideline every two years. Here’s what we’ve implemented so far (add image of BPG beside each guideline):
CHIGAMIK took part in a two-year project to review BPSO Champion training, ensuring the material reflects an Indigenous Two-Eyed Seeing approach, blending western knowledge with Indigenous teachings.
Cassandra Forget is an Indigenous social worker at Chigamik Community Health Centre, a BPSO since 2019. She has worked closely with nursing colleagues to implement RNAO’s perinatal depression best practice guideline.