Francophone community members meet with Ministry, LHIN officials on next Integrated Health Services Plan

Francophone community members recently had a chance to provide some feedback on their local health care systems with a focus on the 10-year mental health and addiction strategy.

The Toronto Central LHIN's first Integrated Health Services Plan (IHSP) was created with extensive input from community members, health care consumers and health care providers. It concludes this year, and the second plan (or "IHSP-2") builds on the progress made to improve local health care since 2007. With health equity in mind the Toronto Central LHIN with members of the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care (MOHLTC), met at CAMH to consult on the IHSP-2 with the Francophone community.

Joyce Irvine (L), senior regional consultant, French Language Health Services, led the Toronto Central LHIN's Integrated Health Services Plan (IHSP) 2 consultation at CAMH.

“Participants at the session included consumers survivors, family members and caregivers as well as mental health and addictions professionals, providers and those involved in system planning, primarily French language services,” said Joyce Irvine, Senior Regional Consultant, French Language Health Services who facilitated the session.

Members of the French-speaking communities have been able to voice their concerns through several recommendations made to the Toronto Central LHIN IHSP-2.

“Certain activities are moving in the right direction, for example, the idea of a common access point, an electronic referral system, and support for system navigation and doing more research,” noted Antoine Dérose, CAMH Program Consultant, GTA West Area.

Some of the feedback given indicated that:

• Services must be culturally and linguistically adapted to the client and his/her family.
• Language and culture should play primary roles in the treatment of mental illnesses and dependencies. There is a lack of services in French. Even when the services are available, there is no active offer, so people do not know they can ask to be served in French.
• There should also be a clear indication of what services are available in French and there must be a mechanism in place to guide Francophones through the system. A one-stop entry point for French language services would be useful.

Dr. Benoit Mulsant (upper, centre), CAMH Physician-in-Chief, and Antoine Dérose (lower, centre), CAMH program consultant, GTA West Area, engaged Francophone stakeholders including consumers, families and caregivers about the Mental Health and Addictions Strategy.

“An essential component of such an approach is identifying the client’s language and culture at the point of entry into the system. Services provided in French must be quality services and really be available. Practitioners must be able to clearly understand the client and be understood by the client,” added Antoine.

The 10-year Mental Health and Addictions Strategy
The Mental Health and Addictions unit, in partnership with the MOHLTC’s French Language Health Services Office, hosted a Francophone Mental Health and Addictions Roundtable at CAMH recently. The purpose was to provide Francophone health care organizations, consumers and the public with information to promote understanding of the 10-year Mental Health and Addictions strategy goals, objectives and proposed recommendations for changing future service delivery. Getting feedback and recommendations on the proposed strategy and on Francophone community needs, service gaps, and opportunities for service coordination and integration was also on the agenda.

“Forty-five people participated at the roundtable. Stakeholders were drawn from Francophone consumers, their families and caregivers, members of the public, health care providers that have programs delivered in French and Francophone professionals that that play a critical role in delivery of services, of which Dr. Benoit Mulsant [CAMH’s Physician-in-Chief] was one,” said Antoine.

The atmosphere was jovial and the discussions good-tempered, animated and productive. The process was responsive to the needs and input of the participants. At the conclusion there was a mutual understanding and acceptance of the process and outcomes of the day’s discussions.

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