The RIHM and RREES Innovation and Leadership Fund in Rehabilitation Science for Indigenous Health
In the spirit of the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Final Report, The RTW/RREES Innovation and Leadership Fund in Rehabilitation Science for Indigenous Health is available to graduate students who are enrolled in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute for the purpose of conducting Indigenous health-related rehabilitation science research with clinical and/or public health policy relevance including cultural rehabilitation/revival practices which have demonstrated positive physical, emotional/mental health, spiritual effects on the individual, family and/or community levels. It is also anticipated that the scholars' work will inform the broader community of the positive climate change implications of traditional Indigenous cultural and lifestyle practices, and restoration thereof. Preference will be given to Indigenous students. Indeed the mandate of the fund has been well exemplified by its first recipient, PhD student Lisa Boivin, who has gone on to be awarded the Outstanding Indigenous Student Award at the University of Toronto. For more information on eligibility, please refer to the Upcoming Award Deadlines tab on the RSI website or contact Loida Ares at rsi.admin@utoronto.ca.
RTW Integrated Health Management (RIHM) has used a social enterprise (B Corp certification pending) model to pioneer and provide services in the public and private spheres with a focus on enhancing general and especially Indigenous public health care and rehabilitation through innovation, evolving evidence-based care, a focus on the social determinants of health, social/environmental justice advocacy and related professional education training and initiatives. RIHMs evolving evidence-based care model and related interventions are supported by research initiatives by Rehabilitation Research, Education and Evaluation Services (RREES) in partnership with the Department of Psychology - University of Toronto Scarborough, and in particular Assoc. Chair Mental Health Co-op (Science) Prof. Dr. K. Zakzanis' lab , Multi-Health Systems and Mitacs Accelerate , among others. With an ongoing commitment to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Final Report, RIHM and RREES have also recently signed The Philanthropic Community’s Declaration of Action. The Declaration is a call to action inviting others to join in moving forward in an atmosphere of understanding, dignity and respect towards the shared goal of reconciliation.
The Rehabilitation Sciences Institute thanks RIHM and RREES for their thoughtful generosity and unprecedented support of rehabilitation science research, innovation and leadership.
If you wish to contribute to this fund, please visit: https://donate.utoronto.ca/give/show/181 or contact Katie Rock, Senior Development Officer, at 416-559-2731 or katie.rock@utoronto.ca.