EXCHANGE CONFERENCE 2017 BUILDING TOGETHER SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES SYSTEM he Community Health and aux services en langue anglaise, ministère de de Montréal, even though she works almost Social Services Network (CHSSN) la Santé et des Services sociaux. They made exclusively in French for a lawyers’ firm coordinates a Quebec-wide health it clear their involvement is personal, not in Laval, my wife goes out of her way to and social services “Adaptation just professional, in better access in English obtain these services in her mother tongue TProgram” designed to enhance the vitality to existing services. at the ‘Jewish’ Hospital.” of English-speaking minority communities in Quebec by increasing access to existing WHAT DIFFERENCE DO ADAPTATION WHY IT’S IMPORTANT health and social services for English- PROJECTS MAKE FOR PATIENTS? Building Together created a better under- speaking Quebecers. Coming to Quebec City from the United standing of the issues facing English-speak- The program is supported by an investment States in the 1990s, Johnson needed medical ing communities and how to address them from Health Canada and has been undertaken care during her pregnancy. through creative programing and adaptation in partnership with the ministère de la Santé et “I was alone,” she remembered to the of services. And it recognized how commu- des Services sociaux (MSSS). An implementation conference “Even though I spoke French nity-system partnerships have an impact. agreement between CHSSN and the MSSS was quite well and all of the health professionals “Every one of you are here to help make concluded to incorporate the projects into that I met were kind, they never connected this happen in a different way, and from Quebec’s initiatives to improve access to health to me.” Her experience left her feeling the bottom of my heart I want to thank you and social services in English through partner- isolated and vulnerable. for all that you do,” said Johnson. ships between local English-speaking communi- Johnson went on to say: “This is how ties and health and social services system. I wish things had gone down: That the local CLSC or the multiple doctors’ offices WHAT’S BUILDING TOGETHER? I contacted had known that the Jeffery Hale The Building Together conference gathered all of served the English-speaking community CHSSN’s partners in Quebec City, November 23 and had sent me directly there. That I had and 24, 2017, to review and discuss the results received prenatal classes and information in and lessons learned from these local initiatives. English to lower the stress level for an already The event highlighted several Adaptation difficult pregnancy. That during my hospital projects that were carried out in 2013–2018, stay I had at least one person on the team considered best practices and priorities for who was communicating with me in English.” new projects in 2018–2023, and encouraged Martin shared his own perspective networking between all CHSSN community on of the importance of wider access in and system partners. English through the experience of his wife, The two day session was co-chaired by an anglophone Montrealer: “Even though Jennifer Johnson, Executive Director of CHSSN, she’s perfectly bilingual, even though she Iannick Martin, Jennifer Johnson & CHSSN President Ron Creary and Iannick Martin, Coordonnateur à l’accès did her studies in French at the Université CONTENTS Robyn Graham & partners from the Montérégie Encouraging Greater Access to Services Innovative “English-speaking Collaboration P2 in PEI P4 Agent” in Abitibi P6 A Regional Approach with Public Health for an Underserved Evidence-Based Responses Big Results P3 Minority in Estrie P5 to Public Health Challenges P6 Health Canada Invests in Responding to ASD Needs Taking Some of the Pain out Health & Vitality P4 in Laval P5 of Interregional Health Care P7 Photographer: Jacques Boissinot Pierre Lafleur Dr. Gaétan Barrette & Tania Callendar A REGIONAL APPROACH WITH One of the biggest teams to take the stage at Building Together BIG RESULTS came from the Montérégie. heir presentation, “Partnerships Promoting Access to To achieve this, the program currently funds 20 community HEALTH MINISTER GAÉTAN BARRETTE Services for English-speaking Clients,” was an impressive health and social service networks (NPIs). & ADM PIERRE LAFLEUR ENCOURAGE account of how deeply and effectively community-based These networks sensitize local and regional authorities to the groups can work with the health and social services challenges and realities facing their community members and have Tsystem to improve health and social services care for English- built hundreds of partnerships to improve access to health and social speaking people. services in English. They are key players in helping local health au- GREATER COLLABORATION “Our goal is to increase access to health and social services thorities and programs connect with English-speaking communities. based on the needs of the community, increase availability of Myriam Tessier, Agente de liaison pour l’accès en langue anglaise, He recognized that issues and challenges varied widely across health and social service information in English and be the leaders CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest, explained their region’s success this Both the Minister of Health and Social regions but insisted, “Ensemble nous sommes plus que séparés — of change in our community,” said Pauline Wiedow, Executive way: “Le secret dans nos CISSSs, c’est savoir à qui parler.” Services, Dr. Gaétan Barrette, and MSSS this is something on which we can build a better Quebec Director of Montérégie West Community Network, one of the Assistant Deputy Minister Pierre Lafleur spoke for everyone.” NPIs partnered with the three Montérégie CISSSs in the effort. WHO FUNDS THESE PROJECTS? Pierre Lafleur, Sous-ministre adjoint — Direction générale de la “We are really excited to showcase the strength and the Since 2003 the Federal Government has supported the vitality of at the Building Together conference, praising coordination réseau et ministérielle, ministère de la Santé et des collaboration in Montérégie,” added Robyn Graham, Project Official-Language Minority Communities in Canada through a series progress to date and encouraging wider Services sociaux, spoke in the same spirit but focused his remarks Coordinator, Assistance and Referral Centre. of five-year funding programs. Health has been identified as one on the need for even greater collaboration and looked forward of the key determinants of strong, vital communities and Health and deeper partnerships. to increased partnering. WHAT’S AN NPI? Canada invested over $120 million in French-speaking communities “When we’re at the Ministère de la Santé, we’re often very The Networking and Partnership Initiative (NPI) is a CHSSN outside of Quebec and more than $40 million in English-speaking e are there for you,” said the Health Minister simply far away and being in contact with an organization (such as the program designed to support Quebec’s minority English-speaking communities in Quebec over the past five years. and directly in his remarks. “I feel it is an absolute CHSSN) that works directly on the ground is invaluable to us.” communities in improving and maintaining access in English to That investment includes support for the 20 NPI community- necessity to be the minister for everyone.” “This special relationship we have with the CHSSN is extremely the full range of health and social services. This initiative is funded based health networks across the province as well as adaptation Dr. Barrette recognized the historic commitment important to me,” he continued. “We developed our partnership under Health Canada’s OLMC program offering and CHSSN is the partnerships like the one in Montérégie. Central to the success of Wof the English-speaking community to excellent health care institutions: with quite pivotal and important projects. The planets are aligned designated recipient of the funding in Quebec. NPIs is our program implementation agreement with the Quebec “What you built in the past — your institutions, your foundations, your re- for a very big 2018.” The program supports the capacity of Quebec’s English- Ministry of Health and Social Services. NPIs fully respect provincial lationship with the health care network — is to be protected, maintained.” speaking communities to ensure their vitality through cooperation jurisdiction in health and social services. and partnership with the health and social services system. 2 CHSSN EXCHANGE CONFERENCE 2017 | CHSSN.ORG CHSSN EXCHANGE CONFERENCE 2017 | CHSSN.ORG 3 HEALTH CANADA INVESTS Sally Scott IN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE 28 ADDITIONAL MINORITY COMMUNITY HOURS PER WEEK HEALTH & VITALITY OF SERVICE truly am inspired by the great work that is being done by the NPI network in partnership with the health and social services RESPONDING I system,” said Sally Scott, Director of Health Care Programs Dr. Mélissa Généreux within the Strategic Policy Branch at Health Canada in her remarks TO ASD NEEDS to the conference. “I’ve had the chance to speak with many of you at this IN LAVAL conference, to learn more about your networks and the services PUBLIC HEALTH that you provide and the important things you are doing to support THE CHALLENGE the anglophone community in Quebec.” FOR AN UNDERSERVED As in other regions in Quebec, an increase in the number of people CHSSN’s Adaptation projects are funded by Health Canada with diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been apparent approval by the MSSS according to a protocol that respects fully MINORITY IN ESTRIE in Laval. Despite best efforts by CISSS de Laval to reduce the wait time Quebec’s jurisdiction in health and social services. for access to services for all in need, English-speaking children with “I look forward to our ongoing collaboration and the Dr. Mélissa Généreux, Directrice de santé publique de l’Estrie, ASD (6 – 18 years old) were waiting longer to receive their first services opportunity to continue ‘building together’,” concluded Scott.