Story Posted: 2025-08-06
Fostering Collaborative Partnerships and Innovation: Sawēyihtotān Outreach Team
From the St. Paul’s Hospital and Foundation 2024-2025 Annual Review
In 2023, a transformative partnership was formed between St. Paul’s Hospital, the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and the Sawēyihtotān Outreach Team. This partnership aims to provide compassionate care to individuals facing food and housing insecurities who seek support at St. Paul’s Hospital.
The introduction of the Sawēyihtotān Outreach Team to St. Paul’s ensures a daily supportive presence in the hospital’s emergency department, offering advocacy and assistance in finding safe places and supports for those who need it. Sawēyihtotān, an initiative of the Saskatoon Tribal Council, uses a model based on Indigenous kinship and ways of knowing to provide support to individuals—referred to as wâhkômâkanak (Relatives)—with a focus on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It is rooted in the Medicine Wheel and traditional teachings, recognizing the interconnectedness of personal, family, and community health.
Many Outreach Team members bring their own lived experience to the program, using their personal experiences in overcoming barriers to mental health, sobriety, and housing access to support others. Starting as a street outreach service in downtown Saskatoon during the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative has expanded its reach throughout the city and even into other communities.
A team maintains a presence at St. Paul’s from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., but the street Outreach Team operates 24/7, ensuring individuals have access to support at any time and that they can respond to emergencies at the hospital.
“Our partnership with St. Paul’s strengthens our ability to serve our Relatives,” explains Tracey Grand’Maison, Supervisor with Sawēyihtotān Outreach. “When we can serve those in need, it benefits our community as a whole.”
Services include cultural support, emergency housing, income assistance, mental health and addiction support, Elder support, and community-based advocacy. The Outreach Team works with individuals to navigate barriers to housing, providing ongoing assistance even after they are housed.
This partnership represents a powerful example of how community-driven care, grounded in cultural values and focused on treating every individual with dignity, can have a meaningful impact.