Sector Table: Health & Wellbeing
The Health and Wellbeing Sector Table works to improve physical and mental health outcomes for immigrants and refugees in Ottawa. Current initiatives focus on innovative service provision to ensure equity in health outcomes, including preventive measures through health literacy capacity-building and capitalizing on the unique knowledge and community relationships of immigrant lay health workers. Partners also aim to counteract immigrants’ deteriorating health status after their initial arrival in Canada, a trend that is well-documented. The overarching objective is to ensure that the right person is offering the right services in the right place.
Priority #1: To improve newcomers’ access to health care, including preventive services, primary health care, and dental services.
Priority #2: To improve newcomers’ access to mental health care, through: a) greater access preventive services and mental health promotion; b) training of counselors, and c) establishment of culturally relevant trauma counseling.
Priority #3: To enhance health literacy among immigrants and refugees, and to build capacity to support this goal.
Priority #4: To enhance intercultural competencies, diversity, and other related capacities among health care providers, as well as promoting the hiring and retention of racialized medical professionals and lay health workers.
Priority #5: To elevate the importance that health organizations attach to the provision of immigrant and refugee health services and to improve service coordination by agencies.
Priority #6: To improve the quality and accessibility of local health care data bearing on the health and service outcomes of newcomers, and to stimulate related research.
OLIP Partners at the Health and Wellbeing Sector Table
Name | Organizational Affiliation |
Elaine Medline | Director of Communications, Champlain Local Health Integration Network, Co-chair of the OLIP Health and Wellbeing Sector Table |
Nitsuh Mekonnen | Outreach Coordinator, Planned Parenthood |
Hodan Aden | Public Health Nurse and Team lead for Multicultural and Newcomer Mental Health, Ottawa Public Health |
Dr. Josephine Etowa | Associate Professor, School of Nursing/École des sciences Infirmières, University of Ottawa |
Dr. Kevin Pottie | MD, Champlain Immigrant Health Network/Institute of Population Health, University of Ottawa |
Bonita Varga | Knowledge Broker, Knowledge Exchange Centre, Mental Health Commission of Canada |
Dr. Doug Grüner | MD, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa |
Jacinthe Desaulniers | Executive Director, Réseau des Services de Santé en Français de l’Est de l’Ontario |
Laurent Touchant | Coordonnatrice, Relations et développement communautaire, Centre de ressources communautaires Rideau-Rockcliffe |
Ghassan Arabieh | Mental Health Counselor, Psychotherapist, Somerset West Community Health Centre |
Siffan Rahman | Manager, The Ottawa Newcomer Clinic, Somerset West Community Health Centre |
Lucila Cabrera | Manager, Catholic Centre for Immigrants |
Paul Soublière | Program Manager, Catholic Centre for Immigrants |
Hector Addison | Community Developer, African and Caribbean Health Initiative, Somerset West Community Health Centre |
Dr. Azaad Kassam | Queensway Carleton Hospital Department of Psychiatry | Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Ottawa University |
Dr. Khalid Bazaid | MD, FRCPC, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Mental Health Patient Service Unit, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) |
Anca Kimel | M.S.W, RSW, Professional Practice Leader and Co-Ordinator for the Discipline of Social Work, The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) |
Michelle James | Job Developer, Career Transitions for International Medical Doctors and Health Professionals, Catholic Centre for Immigrants |
Naini Cloutier | Executive Director, Somerset West Community Health Centre |
Aditya Rao | Sanctuary City Network |
Jennifer Ridgley | Sanctuary City Network |
Wendy Tang | Project Coordinator, Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre |
St Phard Desir | Executive Director, Conseil Économique et Social d’Ottawa Carleton |
Lori Bain | Regional Advisor Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Ministries of Tourism, Culture and Sport Regional Services Branch |
Kathleen Fairnie |
Regional Advisor Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration |
Donnielle Roman | Chief Program Officer, OCISO |