Statement on the Ontario Budget: Strengthening Primary Health Care and Expanding Attachment
The Alliance for Healthier Communities welcomes continued progress in strengthening primary health care across the province, along with the supports outlined to expand access to care, including those introduced through the last provincial budget. We are pleased to share that many Alliance members have already received new funding, and we commend the government’s progress as the province works toward 100 per cent attachment to primary care by 2029.
Our priorities as an alliance remain focused on strengthening the connection between primary health care and community services. The Neighbourhood Health Home model is central to that work. The model that our members have implemented and have called on the government to integrate clinical care with community services addresses social determinants of health and ensures services are locally responsive. We urge the government to embed support for the Neighbourhood Health Homes model in the Primary Care Action Plan to increase attachment and reduce unnecessary hospital costs for taxpayers.
In parallel with the Neighbourhood Health Home, we have been advocating for dedicated investments in Link Workers [case study]. Link Workers bridge primary care and community resources, helping people access housing, income supports, mental health and substance use services, and other social supports that drive better health outcomes. Scaling and sustaining Link Workers is essential to relieving pressure on primary care teams and emergency departments across the province and to ensure people receive holistic, community-centred care.
Our Alliance members will continue to support efforts to ensure those funds remain in the community and to secure additional investment in supportive housing, an essential complement to the Neighbourhood Health Home and to efforts to attach people to primary care.
The Alliance looks forward to working with the provincial government to strengthen the connection between primary health care and community health through the Neighbourhood Health Home model, Link Workers and sustained, equity-focused investments.