The Blood Tribe Department of Health has published its Summer 2026 newsletter, bringing residents of Stand Off the latest seasonal health information and program updates. The newsletter, released on July 23, 2026, is a key way the department shares important public health guidance and community resources with Blood Tribe members.
The Blood Tribe Department of Health has served the community since 1984, with about 500 employees offering culturally competent and accessible health services. The department runs programs like Health Administration, Emergency Services, Community Health, Wellness, and the Lethbridge Wellness Shelter. Community Health services include immunizations, communicable disease tracking, prenatal and infant care, a children’s oral health initiative, and the Kainai Diabetes Program.
The newsletter comes on the heels of major developments for the Blood Tribe. The Blood Tribe Iitakamotsiipiohsopi Recovery Community opened in April 2026 as Alberta’s first Indigenous-led recovery community. The facility has 75 beds for long-term addiction treatment, allowing community members to get help without leaving their home area and incorporating Blackfoot cultural and traditional practices. BTDH CEO Kash Shade said the recovery community is “the last piece to fill to prevent those kinds of barriers for our community members.”
Another recent partnership with Alberta Health Services expanded long-term care at the Kainai Continuing Care Centre in Stand Off from 12 to 25 beds. This means more Blood Tribe members can receive culturally safe care close to home. These initiatives reflect BTDH’s ongoing work to improve health services for the Kainai Nation, which has a registered population of nearly 13,000 and about 4,572 on-reserve residents on Blood 148, the country’s largest reserve.
The Summer 2026 newsletter arrives as BTDH continues to build on its mission of delivering holistic health and wellness services rooted in community needs. Residents can find the full newsletter on the department’s website.
