Our Story
The Urban Indigenous Health & Healing Cooperative was established following our experiences with the Vancouver Indigenous Elders Partnership (VIP) programme -- a pilot project to provide traditional Indigenous healing alongside routine primary care within Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
Evaluation of the VIP program demonstrated consistent positive impacts on well-being, mental health and decreased use of crisis-oriented Emergency Services. Participants in the VIP program voiced their demand to expand access to Indigenous Elders within the Downtown Eastside primary care system. We have answered their call.
After careful consideration, and out of care and respect for the community, we have taken the steps necessary to create a new Indigenous-focused health centre in the DTES that will uphold the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action.