Le gouvernement du Canada investit près de 4 millions de dollars dans l’Alliance pour des communautés en santé en vue de favoriser la santé mentale

Date: 
Friday, March 3, 2023

Le gouvernement du Canada est résolu à favoriser une santé mentale positive pour tous, en particulier pour les personnes qui font face à des obstacles disproportionnés pour des motifs de discrimination, de statut socio-économique ou d’exclusion sociale.

L’honorable Carolyn Bennett, ministre de la Santé mentale et des Dépendances et ministre associée de la Santé, accompagnée de l’honorable Marco Mendicino, ministre de la Sécurité́ publique, annonce aujourd’hui le versement à l’Alliance pour des communautés en santé d’un financement de près de 4 millions de dollars en vue de l’expansion de son projet de « prescription sociale » pour une meilleure santé mentale partout en Ontario. Cette initiative vise à promouvoir la santé mentale et à prévenir les maladies mentales des gens grâce à la « prescription sociale » d’une gamme de programmes sociaux non cliniques, comme joindre un groupe d’exercice physique, participer à des activités artisanales ponctuelles ou faire du bénévolat dans un jardin communautaire.

Dans le contexte de ce projet, de la formation et des ressources sont offertes à jusqu’à 28 centres de santé communautaires en Ontario pour appuyer la mise en œuvre de la « prescription sociale » et améliorer des programmes communautaires de promotion de la santé mentale. Le projet aide aussi le service Ontario 211 à renforcer ses capacités pour offrir des « prescriptions sociales » aux personnes qui ont accès à ses services. Il est attendu que le projet rejoindra au moins 500 professionnels de la santé ainsi que de 5 000 à 7 500 personnes, notamment des personnes Noires, Autochtones et racisées, des personnes qui résident dans des refuges pour sans-abri et d’autres hébergements collectifs, les personnes aînées isolées, ainsi que des personnes et des familles à faible revenu qui sont mal logées.

L’investissement d’aujourd’hui s’inscrit dans la foulée de l’annonce historique faite par le gouvernement du Canada en février dernier, soit un investissement de 198,6 milliards de dollars sur 10 ans pour améliorer les services de soins de santé offerts aux Canadiens, réduire les arriérés de chirurgie, soutenir les travailleurs de la santé et améliorer les services intégrés de santé mentale et de consommation de substances. Nous continuerons à faire tout ce qu’il faut pour que tous les Canadiens disposent des services de soutien en matière de santé mentale et de consommation de substances dont ils ont besoin pour maintenir leur bien-être maintenant et dans l’avenir.

#Citations

« La “prescription sociale” consiste à écouter très attentivement, à fournir les mesures de soutien nécessaires et à permettre aux gens d’être des cocréateurs de l’amélioration de leur bien-être et de leur santé mentale, tout en créant des liens au sein de leurs collectivités. Dans le cadre de notre collaboration avec les provinces et les territoires pour améliorer notre système de soins de santé universel et offrir un meilleur accès aux services de soutien en santé mentale et consommation de substances, ce financement aidera à renforcer notre capacité d’améliorer les résultats en santé mentale dans toutes les collectivités de l’Ontario, plus particulièrement pour les populations qui font face à des obstacles à l’accessibilité à ces services. »

L’honorable Carolyn Bennett
Ministre de la Santé mentale et des Dépendances et ministre associée de la Santé

« Les enjeux liés à la santé mentale ont touché bon nombre de Canadiennes et de Canadiens au cours des dernières années. Voilà pourquoi je suis fier de participer à l’annonce de financement d’aujourd’hui pour l’Alliance pour des communautés en santé, laquelle fournira un soutien direct aux personnes d’Eglington-Lawrence qui ont été le plus touchées par la pandémie de COVID-19. Notre gouvernement tient à améliorer les services de santé mentale et à offrir des programmes de soins à ceux qui en ont besoin. »

L’honorable Marco Mendicino
Ministre de la Sécurité publique

« Le financement et le soutien du gouvernement fédéral au programme de prescription sociale permettront aux organismes de santé communautaires de poursuivre leur travail de soutien aux personnes dont la santé mentale est la plus touchée par la pandémie. Notre recherche nous apprend qu’en aidant les gens à créer des liens sociaux par le biais de la prescription sociale, nous pouvons les aider à améliorer leur santé mentale et réduire la charge de travail des prestataires de soins primaires afin qu’ils puissent voir plus de patients. Les impacts positifs de la prescription sociale vont bien au-delà de la santé et du bien-être individuels de chaque personne, pour des communautés entières et le système de santé à un niveau plus étendu. »

Sarah Hobbs, cheffe de la direction
Alliance pour des communautés en santé

#Faits en bref

  • Cette annonce fait partie d’un investissement de 100 millions de dollars prévu dans le budget 2021 pour des projets qui visent à favoriser la santé mentale et à prévenir la maladie mentale au sein des populations touchées de manière disproportionnée par la pandémie de COVID-19, notamment les jeunes, les aînés, les membres des Premières Nations, les Inuits et les Métis, les Canadiens Noirs et racisés, les travailleurs de première ligne et les autres travailleurs essentiels ainsi que d’autres personnes dont la santé mentale a été, et continue d’être, particulièrement touchée en raison de la pandémie.

  • La promotion de la santé mentale et la prévention de la maladie mentale sont des éléments essentiels au bien-être, et elles peuvent contribuer à réduire le recours au système de santé. Des projets communautaires axés sur la promotion de la santé mentale peuvent améliorer les résultats sur la santé tout au long de la vie.

  • Le gouvernement du Canada a annoncé le 7 février 2023 qu’il a l’intention de travailler en collaboration avec les provinces et les territoires par rapport à leurs priorités communes en santé en vue d’améliorer les services de santé intégrés offerts à la population canadienne, y compris d’améliorer l’accès à des services de qualité en matière de santé mentale et de consommation de substances.

  • Le Collège universitaire Renison de l’Université de Waterloo héberge un Carrefour de développement et d’échange de connaissances (Carrefour DÉC) en matière de promotion de la santé mentale pour appuyer les projets financés au moyen de cet investissement. Le but est de bâtir une communauté de personnes ayant pour intérêt commun d’optimiser la promotion de la santé mentale ainsi que la prévention de la maladie mentale dans l’ensemble du Canada.

  • Le portail Espace mieux-être Canada offre accès gratuitement à des contenus éducatifs, à des thérapies autogérées, à un soutien par les pairs avec modérateur et à du counseling individuel offert par des professionnels de la santé compétents. Si vous ou l’un de vos proches avez des difficultés, vous pouvez avoir accès au portail Espace mieux-être Canada, téléphoner
    au 1-866-585-0445 ou texter MIEUX au 741741 (adultes) ou au 686868 (jeunes).

  • Jeunesse, J’écoute offre 24 heures sur 24, sept jours sur sept, des services de santé mentale en ligne qui fournissent un soutien gratuit et confidentiel aux jeunes en français et en anglais.

Lire le communiqué de presse officiel ici.

#Liens supplémentaires :

La prescription sociale en Ontario

Communautés de pratique sur la prescription sociale

Government of Canada invests nearly $4 million in the Alliance for Healthier Communities to promote mental health

Date: 
Friday, March 3, 2023

The Government of Canada is committed to promoting positive mental health for everyone, particularly those who face disproportionate challenges because of discrimination, socio-economic status or social exclusion.

Today, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, accompanied by the Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, announced nearly $4 million to the Alliance for Healthier Communities for the expansion of their project, Social Prescribing for Better Mental Health across Ontario. This initiative aims to promote positive mental health and prevent mental illness by “socially prescribing” people a variety of non-clinical social programs, such as an exercise group, arts drop-in, or volunteering at a community garden.

As part of this project, training and resources are being provided to up to 28 Ontario-based, Community Health Centres, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics, Indigenous Primary Health Care Organizations and community Family Health Teams to support the implementation of social prescribing and enhance community-based mental health promotion programs. The project is also supporting Ontario 211 in enhancing its capacity to offer social prescribing for individuals accessing its services. The project expects to reach at least 500 health providers and 5,000 to 7,500 individuals, including Black, Indigenous and other racialized people, people who live in homeless shelters and other group settings, isolated seniors, and individuals and families with lower incomes who are under-housed.

Today’s investment builds on the historic announcement the Government of Canada made in February of $198.6 billion over 10 years to improve health care services for Canadians, reduce surgical backlogs, support health workers, and improve integrated mental health and substance use services. We will continue to do whatever it takes to ensure that all Canadians have the mental health and substance use supports they need to maintain their well-being now, and into the future.

#Quotes

“Social prescribing is about listening deeply, providing necessary supports, and empowering people to be co-creators in improving their own mental health and wellbeing, all while becoming more connected to their communities. As we work with provinces and territories to enhance our universal health care system and improve access to mental health and substance use supports, this funding will help enhance our capacity to improve mental health outcomes in communities across Ontario, particularly for populations that face barriers.”

The Honourable Carolyn Bennett
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

“Mental health challenges have affected many Canadians these past few years. That’s why I’m proud to be a part of today’s funding announcement for the Alliance for Healthier Communities, which will provide direct support to people in Eglington-Lawrence who’ve been most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our government is committed to improving mental health services and offering care programs to those who need it.”

The Honourable Marco Mendicino
Minister of Public Safety

“The federal government’s funding and support of the Social Prescribing for Better Mental Health project will allow community health organizations to continue their work supporting people whose mental health is most impacted by the pandemic. We know from our research that by supporting people to create social connections through social prescribing, we can help people improve their mental health and reduce the workload on primary care providers so they can see more patients. Positive impacts of social prescribing go well beyond each person’s individual health and wellbeing, for entire communities and the healthcare system at a wider level.”

Sarah Hobbs, CEO
Alliance for Healthier Communities

#Quick facts

  • This announcement is part of a $100 million investment provided in Budget 2021 to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These include youth, seniors, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Black and other racialized people in Canada, frontline and other essential workers, and others whose mental health has been - and continues to be - especially impacted by the pandemic.

  • Mental health promotion and mental illness prevention are critical components for wellbeing and can help reduce demands on the health care system. Community-based projects focussed on mental health promotion have the potential to improve health outcomes over the life course.

  • On February 7, 2023, The Government of Canada announced that it intends to work collaboratively with provinces and territories on shared health priorities to improve integrated health care for Canadians, including improved access to quality mental health and substance use services.

  • Renison University College, at the University of Waterloo, is hosting a Knowledge Development and Exchange Hub (KDE Hub) for Mental Health Promotion to support the projects funded through this investment helping to build a community with shared interests in optimizing mental health promotion and mental illness prevention across Canada.

  • The Wellness Together Canada portal provides free access to educational content, self-guided therapy, moderated peer-to-peer support, and one-to-one counselling with qualified health professionals. If you or a loved one is struggling, you can access the Wellness Together Canada portal, or call 1-866-585-0445 or text WELLNESS to 741741 (adults) or 686868 (youth).

  • Kids Help Phone is also available 24/7 with e-mental health service offering free, confidential support to young people in English and French.

Read the official press release here.. 

Social Prescribing in Ontario

Social Prescribing Communities of Practice

Webinar: You Talked, We Listened: What is next for Health Promotion Canada?

This event will take place in English, with closed captioning in English and simultaneous French interpretation.

 

Health promotion is a universal approach for creating a healthy society. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion lays the foundation to achieving health built on five core actions: build healthy public policy, create supportive environments, strengthen community actions, develop personal skills, and reorient health services. The Charter has provided the foundation for public and population health work in Canada for decades, including public health mandates, health professional training, policy development, academic research, and underpinning the development of national and global strategies.

Join volunteer leaders from Health Promotion Canada as they share findings from a recent survey of health promotion practitioners and academics in Canada. This webinar will explore themes related to the need for a Canadian health promotion organization or network to support intersectoral and interdisciplinary action to address the social and structural determinants of health. Participants in the webinar will contribute to a discussion of possible options including structures to support the renewal and sustainability of Health Promotion Canada. 

#Participants will learn about: 

  • Results of a survey of health promotion practitioners on the options for renewal and sustainability of Health Promotion Canada
  • Opportunities for increasing the application of a health promotion approach in academia, public health, community, and other sectors
  • Using a network-of-networks to connect practitioners and increase the capacity for health promotion practice in Canada

This webinar will be of interest to practitioners, educators, policymakers, academics, researchers and organizations working towards health equity using a health promotion approach. It will also support advocates of a health promotion approach in fields such as nursing, dietetics, social work, academia, program planning, epidemiology, policy, and non-profit community work.

 

Details
Thursday, March 9, 2023 - 13:00
1 - 2 PM ET
Cost: 
Free
Internal/External: 
Community Event
Register Here
Location

Des données sur la santé pour toutes et tous: partage des idées et des priorités

Des données sur la santé pour toutes et tous: partage des idées et des priorités est un forum hybride en personne et en ligne pour les chercheurs et le public permettant de se renseigner sur le travail du RRDS Canada et de partager leurs idées et préoccupations sur la façon dont les données sur la santé au Canada sont et devraient être utilisées.

Le forum aura lieu le MARDI 25 AVRIL via Zoom et en personne au Fairmont Winnipeg.

Il y aura une traduction française en direct pendant l'événement.

Notre conférencière principale est Rachel Plachcinski, une chercheuse basée à l'Université d'Oxford qui se spécialise dans la participation des parents, des patients et du public aux soins de santé. Rachel siège également au conseil consultatif public de Health Data Research UK.

Parmi les autres conférenciers, mentionnons le Dr Kim McGrail, directrice scientifique du RRDS Canada, Julia Burt, chargée de l'engagement du public au RRDS Canada, et le Dr Amy Freir, qui dirige l'équipe chargée de l'inclusion, de la diversité, de l'équité et de l'accessibilité au RRDS Canada. Des membres du Conseil de consultation publique du RRDS Canada participeront également à l'événement.

Details
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 - 09:30
9:30 am - 5:30 PM EDT / 8:30 am - 4:30 PM CDT
Cost: 
Free
Event Type: 
Learning Events
Pour plus d'informations et inscription
Location

Health Data for All of Us: Sharing Ideas & Priorities

A hybrid in-person and online event to learn about the work of HDRN Canada and discuss how health data in Canada should be used.

By HDRN 

Health Data for All of Us: Sharing Ideas & Priorities is a hybrid in-person and online forum for researchers and members of the public to learn about the work of HDRN Canada and to share their thoughts and concerns about how health data in Canada should be used. By the end of the day, we will collectively identify priorities as action items to take forward.

It takes place on TUESDAY, APRIL 25 via Zoom and in-person at the Fairmont Winnipeg.

There will be live French translation during the event.

Our keynote speaker is Rachel Plachcinski, a researcher based at Oxford University who specializes in parent, patient and public involvement in health care. Rachel also sits on the Public Advisory Board for Health Data Research UK.

Other speakers include Dr. Kim McGrail, Scientific Director of HDRN Canada, Julia Burt, HDRN Canada's Public Engagement Fellow and Dr. Amy Freir, who leads the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Team at HDRN Canada. Members of HDRN Canada's Public Advisory Council will also participate in the event.

Details
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 - 09:30
9:30 am - 5:30 PM EDT / 8:30 am - 4:30 PM CDT
Cost: 
Free
Internal/External: 
Community Event
Event Type: 
Learning Events
Learn more and register here
Location

QI Innovations: Better Data, Better Decisions, Better Outcomes

Regardless of where you are there are lessons to be learned and things that were learned “the hard way” to achieve better outcomes. This year’s QI Innovations conference will explore four themes related to the ‘data journey’:

  • Getting Started: What Do I Do with All This Data?
  • Adjusting: Data Exhaustion Strategies and Learnings
  • Progressing: Telling Your Data Story and Engagement in QI, and
  • Contribution to the System

This conference is for mental health and addiction providers and system planners who are interested in data driven decision making and quality improvement. This one-day virtual event will offer networking opportunities, poster presentations, concurrent sessions, wellness activities and more!

Conference participants will increase their knowledge of:

  • How to use the data they collect from standardized tools for quality improvement
  • How other community mental health and addiction organizations (or integrated care systems like Ontario health Teams) are leveraging existing data to improve care
  • The linkage between local data, performance management and system priorities

The Excellence through Quality Improvement Project (E-QIP) is pleased to deliver this conference in partnership with Ontario Health, the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions and the Centre for Addiction and mental Health (CAMH.)

Any questions, please contact Sherry Sim, Event Manager at 1-866-655-8548 or by email: sherry@innovative4you.com

Details
Friday, April 28, 2023 - 09:00
9:00 am - 5:00 pm EDT
Cost: 
Free
Internal/External: 
Community Event
Event Type: 
Learning Events
Learn more and register here
Location

La prescription sociale à l’honneur : une tournée virtuelle d’un bout à l’autre du Canada

Lors de la Journée internationale de la prescription sociale 2023, joignez-vous à des chefs de file de la prescription sociale de partout au Canada pour une tournée éclair visant à souligner cette pratique et les possibilités émergentes dans diverses régions, et à nous en inspirer. Nous ferons également une brève escale internationale pour discuter avec des chefs de file d’ailleurs dans le monde réunis à Londres au Royaume-Uni pour marquer cette journée.

Cet évènement est organisé conjointement par l’Institut canadien de prescription sociale, l’Alliance pour des communautés en santé, Centraide – Colombie-Britannique et le Collectif étudiant canadien de prescription sociale. Ce webinaire sera offert en français et en anglais.

Pour plus d'informations et inscription >>

Details
Thursday, March 9, 2023 - 13:00
10 am PT / 1 pm ET
Cost: 
Gratuit
External Link: 
Plus de reseignements
Event Type: 
Learning Events
Enregistrez-vous ici
Location

Celebrating Social Prescribing: A Virtual Tour Across Canada

On International Social Prescribing Day 2023, join social prescribing leaders from across Canada for a whistle-stop tour around the country to celebrate and be inspired by the current state of this work and emerging opportunities in different regions. We will also make a brief international stop to hear from global leaders gathered in London, UK to mark the day.

This event is jointly hosted by the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing, the Alliance for Healthier Communities, the United Way British Columbia, and the Canadian Social Prescribing Student Collective. This webinar is available in English and French.

For more information and registration >>

Details
Thursday, March 9, 2023 - 13:00
10 am PT / 1 pm ET
Cost: 
Free
Internal/External: 
Community Event
External Link: 
More information
Event Type: 
Learning Events
Register here
Location
The image has text which reads Celebrating Social Prescribing: A Virtual Tour Across Canada in the center and three hexagons towards the right with pictures of people practicing social prescribing.

Bring Your Own Breakfast Webinar: Be Part of the CanTreatCOVID Clinical Trial

This webinar took place on March 28, 2023. The recording and slide deck, as well as related resources, can be found here.

CanTreatCOVID is a clinical trial taking place all across Canada. It is looking at a variety of different treatment options for COVID-19, with a goal of understanding which treatments work best and for whom. Over 30 universities and research organizations are taking part in this study.

The Alliance is participating in this clinical trial, which is good news for the clients served by our sector. Dr. Jennifer Rayner, Director of Research and Policy at the Alliance for Healthier Communities, is one of the co-investigators in the CanTreatCOVID project. Linked practice and administrative datasets, made possible through our sector's Business Intelligence Reporting Tool (BIRT) as well as our data-sharing agreement with ICES, ensures that our members' clients can participate. This is important, because it will ensure that the findings of the study are applicable to people who experience barriers to health and wellbeing, including those with complex health and social care needs and those who are members of marginalized populations.

CanTreatCOVID has recently begun recruiting participants in Ontario. 

This webinar will provide a brief overview of the project, an update on its progress, and information on how Alliance-member primary health care organizations can participate. 

#Panelists

A colour headshot of Dr. Jennifer Rayner, who is facing the camera and smiling. She has short, light hair and glasses.
 Jennifer Rayner is the Director of Research and Policy at the Alliance for Healthier Communities. She has a PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics and is an adjunct Research Professor at in the Centre for Studies in Family Medicine and University of Toronto in Family Medicine and with the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. She has worked within the Community Health Centre sector for over 20 years and is interested in comprehensive primary health care, interprofessional teams and health equity. Dr. Rayner was an advisor to the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table.
A black and white headshot of Dr. Andrew Pinto, who is smiling. He has short, dark hair, glasses, and a beard.

 

 Dr. Andrew Pinto is the founder and director of the Upstream Lab, a research team focused on tackling social determinants, population health management and using data to enable proactive care. He holds the CIHR Applied Public Health Chair in Upstream Prevention. He is a Public Health and Preventive Medicine specialist and family physician at St. Michael's Hospital in downtown Toronto, and an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. He is the Associate Director for Clinical Research at the University of Toronto Practice-Based Research Network (UTOPIAN) and the lead for artificial intelligence in a new initiative at the Department of Family and Community Medicine on how new technologies will change healthcare.

 

Details
Tuesday, March 28, 2023 - 08:00
8:00-9:00 am
Cost: 
Free
Internal/External: 
Alliance Event
Event Type: 
Learning Events
Register Here
Location
Webinar

Alliance asks Government to invest in Comprehensive Primary Health Care

Thursday, February 16, 2023
Alliance asks Government to invest in Comprehensive Primary Health Care

Alliance for Healthier Communities’ CEO Sarah Hobbs presented our Pre-Budget Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on February 15. Alliance previously submitted our 2023 Pre-Budget Submission, Investing in Comprehensive Primary Health Care: the foundation of an integrated health system (version française ici).

Our submission proposed investments in three key areas to help keep people in the community and out of emergency rooms and hospitals. We urge the Government to firmly address health inequities that impact hospital system use by providing sustainable supports for primary health care organizations through base budget funding

We amplified our members' concerns during our presentation to the Committee and called on the government to work with primary healthcare organizations. The rising costs of operating in this economic environment and the lack of investments in community-governed primary healthcare organizations have left our members asking the Government to respond swiftly. Lastly, we conveyed to Committee that current government priorities for a connected, comprehensive, and convenient healthcare system align best with the primary care healthcare sector's nimble and community-governed approach.

[Pre-Budget Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs at Queen's Park on February 15, 2023]

Pre-Budget Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs at Queen's Park on February 15, 2023