The 2023 awards were presented at the CPS conference in Halifax. Award recipients this year were:

the Eastern Door Centre in Elsipogtog, New Brunswick. The Eastern Door is an Indigenous centre for assessment, intervention and prevention of complex developmental conditions related to generational trauma like FASD. It integrates western health practice with the healing traditions of the community. The name Eastern Door was given by Elder Eva Sock one of the first Directors.

The Mi’kmaq people are known as the people of the Eastern Doorway – they live where the sun first appears. The Eastern Door Centre works as a doorway to help the youth who come to the centre connect to the services they need to grow and develop.

New Brunswick Social Pediatrics in Saint John, NB. There are three components in this program: The Community Social Pediatrics Clinic is an interdisciplinary “kitchen table” approach to pediatric care. The clinic brings the child, their family, and professionals together to help mitigate the social determinants of health on the child and eliminate any other barriers to care. The Parent Child Assistance Program provides personalized support for women/birthing people who use substances by pairing them with an Advocate for three years. Advocates work with clients to identify, set, and achieve their goals.

Together, Advocates and clients connect with community resources, and navigate complex systems to build the client’s personal assets and autonomy. The research component operates under Horizon Health Network, an interprofessional team that is implementing a new model of care for children and families in southern New Brunswick.