Health & Wellness
About
Wondering why it can take up to thirty days to hear back from the VNFC Primary Care Clinic about scheduling your first intake appointment? As we work through intake for a waitlist of hundreds, we ensure that those with urgent, life-threatening medical needs are attached to a doctor or nurse practitioner as soon as possible.
If you are applying to become a patient and have an urgent need for care (i.e. a new cancer diagnosis or other serious medical condition) please let us know when you apply.
In addition, our base appointments are 30 minutes – we are not going to rush patient care, and we will meet individuals and families where they are at in their health journeys. As we expand from 1800 patient attachments to 4500, we thank you for your patience and understanding.
Our Health and Wellness Services are available to help Indigenous people living in southern Vancouver Island, or those accessing health services of the Vancouver Island Health Authority – South Island. These include our Health Services, Wellness Clinic and Primary Care Clinic.
Services
How to Reach Us
Health Services
8:30am – 4:30pm
Monday to Friday
Intake is required
231 Regina Avenue
Victoria, BC
V8Z 1J6
Tel.: (250) 384-3211
Email: intake@vnfc.ca
Grey Showler, Director
Christina Kante, Coordinator
Wellness Clinic
8:30am – 4:30pm
Monday to Friday
Intake is not required
231 Regina Avenue
Victoria, BC
V8Z 1J6
Tel.: (250) 384-3211
Email: reception@vnfc.ca
Christina Kante, Coordinator
Primary Care Clinic
9:30am – 3:00pm
Monday to Friday (closed holidays and weekends)
Unit 209-2951 Tillicum Road
Victoria, BC
V9A 2A6
Tel.: (250) 940-2669
Grey Showler, Director
Events Calendar
Holiday Newsletter
Food and Medicine Garden
The VNFC Food and Medicine Garden is planted year-round, growing fresh, organic vegetables and plant medicines. The garden is tended to by a team of dedicated staff and volunteers.
The harvested food is shared with our Kitchen and Hamper programs and is included in the Community Soup Lunch and other VNFC program meals. Plant medicines are processed on-site and shared with Community members in our workshops or upon request.
Our garden team offers hands-on workshops that focus on topics including home gardening, introduction to medicinal plants, and food processing for preservation.
If you are interested in volunteering or being on our email list for workshops, please email garden@vnfc.ca.
Health Services
The VNFC Health Services team includes Indigenous Health Support Workers, Mental Health and Substance Use Counsellors, and a Mental Health Liaison. Our Health Services team provide holistic and culturally safe health and wellness services to people who identify as Indigenous and their families.
Health Support Workers
Provide one-on-one support for people with health challenges, including:
- Navigate access to health care and wellness services
- Advocate on client’s behalf within the health care system
- Assist with accessing health benefits funding for services, equipment, and medications
- Provide transportation to appointments for clients with mobility issues
Provide group support and education, including:
- Lunch & Learns
- Drop-in monthly information sharing about health issues and resources
- Footcare
- Services and assessment provided by a Footcare Nurse for Elders and people with diabetes. Registration is required
- Health Support Circles and Cultural Sharing
- Sharing circles and cultural activities (art, music, food) help to support mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health and wellbeing
Mental Health and Substance Use Supports
- One-on-one counselling for people with substance use issues in all stages of change
- Client-centred goal setting and help with developing healthy living skills
- harm reduction, abstinence, setting boundaries, stress management
- Information about and referrals to other mental health and substance use services for healing and recovery, such as support groups, other agencies, and residential treatment centers
- Advocacy and support in navigating the mental health and substance use systems
- Culturally safe group supports, including talking circles, grief support circles, and cultural activities and teachings
- Community education on mental health and mental health resources and services
How to Access Health Services
To access our one-on-one Health Services, an intake is required. Intake can be completed from 1pm –4pm, Monday to Friday, by either coming in person to the VNFC or calling us at (250) 384-3211. Details about drop-in and group programming can be found on our Health calendar.
How to Reach Us
8:30am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday
Intake is required*
231 Regina Avenue
Victoria, BC
V8Z 1J6
Tel: (250) 384-3211
Email: intake@vnfc.ca
Director: Grey Showler
Coordinator: Christina Kante
*Intake is by phone (250) 384-3211 or in person between the hours of 1:00pm and 4:00pm Monday to Friday. All referrals must go through intake.
Wellness Clinic
The VNFC Wellness Clinic provides access to healing and wellness modalities for Indigenous community members and people accessing VNFC services. We have partnered with the Pacific Rim College (PRC), the West Coast College of Massage Therapy (WCCMT) and local health providers to bring services in a culturally friendly and supportive environment. All services are free of charge and are by appointment.
Herbal Medicine
Pacific Rim College students provided information and consultations about herbal and plant medicines. Herbal tinctures, teas and capsules are offered to treat a range of conditions.
Acupuncture
Pacific Rim College students provide acupuncture specific to your health needs. Along with acupuncture, your session may include fire cupping, gua sha and tui na massage. Monday 8:45am – 2:15pm
Community Massage
Students from West Coast College of Massage Therapy provide 50-minute massages. Thursday 10:00am – 1:00pm
Foot Care
Footcare clinics are offered to Indigenous Community members by Registered Nurses and are for people with diabetes and elders. They are scheduled once a month, are by appointment only, and cannot be booked through reception. Please contact Scott or Isobel to sign up (scott.i@vnfc.ca or isobel.d@vnfc.ca).
How to Access the Wellness Clinic
Appointments for the VNFC Wellness Clinic can be booked through VNFC Reception (except foot care – see above). Call 250-384-3211 or email reception@vnfc.ca. Please arrive 10-15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.
How to Reach Us
8:30am – 4:30pmMonday – Friday
Intake is not required
231 Regina Avenue
Victoria, BC
V8Z 1J6
Tel: (250) 384-3211
Email: intake@vnfc.ca
Coordinator: Christina Kante
Primary Care Clinic
We provide longitudinal primary health care services provided by nurse practitioners and family physicians. Primary care services are culturally safe and integrated with VNFCs wide range of health and wellness services.
Our primary care services are processing a large number of new patient applications and now have a waitlist to attach community members to a provider (Nurse Practitioner or Family Physician). If you a leave a voicemail on our intake voicemail, it may take up to 3 weeks for our team to return your call. Once we contact you, it may take up to 3 months for an intake appointment. We are doing our best to place community members with a provider as soon as possible and appreciate your patience.
In general, we attach community members on a first-come, first-served basis, but we do prioritize people with urgent health care needs. If you are applying to become a patient and have an urgent need for care (for example, a new cancer diagnosis or other new serious medical condition), please let us know when you fill out an intake form or leave a voicemail on our intake line.
VNFC primary care services do not provide emergency medical care. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call emergency services at 911 or Healthlink at 811.
You must be an Indigenous person (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit) or their immediate family member to access primary care services at the VNFC.
How to Reach Us
To learn more about how to get connected to a nurse practitioner or family physician for primary care, please call the clinic phone line at (250) 940 – 2669 between 9:30am – 3:00pm, Monday to Friday (closed holidays and weekends).
9:00am – 4:00pm
Monday – Friday
Unit 209 – 2951 Tillicum Rd.
Victoria, BC
V9A 2A6
Tel: (250) 940-2669
Director: Grey Showler
Inquiry Form
Intake is by phone (250) 384-3211 or in person between the hours of 1:00pm and 4:00pm Monday to Friday. Inquiries for intake can be done by completing the below form. All referrals must go through Intake.
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