2009 Federal Budget day

Oh, the anticipation, as we wait for 4pm to roll around!

The Conservative government has given us some sneak peeks of their 2009 federal budget, ranging from , including $2 billion towards social housing and likely tax cuts for middle class workers earing under $80,000.

What will be the impact of the budget on marginalized communities?

Here are some interesting resources and viewpoints:

CBC news online (Jan 29/09): "Tories hint at tax cuts for those earning under $80,000"
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/01/26/budgetadvancer.html

National Post - Live blog coverage of the 2009 federal budget
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2009/01/27/live-blog-canada-s-federal-budget.aspx

Community Foundations of Canada
How the 2009 Federal Budget can Strengthen Canada's charities
http://www.cfc-fcc.ca/news/news.cfm?intNewsID=1200

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives' Alternative Budget
Beyond the Crisis: A Budget for a Strong and Sustainable Future

http://www.policyalternatives.ca/reports/2009/01/reportsstudies2079/?pa=BB736455

C.D. Howe Institute
Lasting Bang for the Stimulus Buck: Priorities for the 2009 Federal Budget

http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/ebrief_70.pdf




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Maytree Scholarship for Protected Persons - Application deadline: March 27/2009

From the Settlement.org at Work listserv:

Scholarship for Protected Persons

The Maytree Foundation has 2 scholarship programs for protected persons or permanent residents who were protected persons living without parents in Toronto. These programs provide financial support to students entering their first or second year of post-secondary education. The deadline for applications is March 27, 2009.
http://settlement.org/sys/link_redirect.asp?anno_id=2007799

For more news for and about newcomers in Ontario, visit Settlement News:
http://www.settlement.org/site/CTH/news.asp
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Call for Papers: SOCIAL SOURCES OF DISPARITIES IN HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE AND LINKAGES TO POLICY, POPULATION CONCERNS AND PROVIDERS OF CARE.

From the Health Equity Council listserv:

Papers are being sought for volume 27 of Research in The Sociology of Health Care published formerly by Elsevier Press and now by Emerald Press. The major theme for this volume is SOCIAL SOURCES OF DISPARITIES IN HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE AND LINKAGES TO POLICY, POPULATION CONCERNS AND PROVIDERS OF CARE.

Papers dealing with macro-level system issues and micro-level issues involving social sources of disparities in health and health care are sought. This includes examination of social, demographic and structural sources of disparities in health and health care. This also includes papers that try to link an understanding of the causal processes between disadvantage and health disparities. This includes a consideration of social sources of disparities across the life course.





Papers that focus on linkages to policy, population concerns and providers of care as ways to meet health care needs of people both in the US and in other countries would be welcome. The focus can be from a consumer side or a provider or policy perspective. Papers that raise issues of the availability of services, access to those services, quality of services and the role of government in services provision would all be appropriate.

For papers examining social sources of disparity in health and health care delivery systems in other countries, the focus could be on issues of delivery systems in those countries and ways in which revisions and changes impact population health, especially if those are then also related to broader concerns in health care in the US or other countries as well.

The volume will contain 10 to 14 papers, generally between 20 and 40 pages in length. Send completed manuscripts or detailed outlines for review by February 15, 2009.

Send to:

Jennie Jacobs Kronenfeld, Sociology Program, School of Social and Family Dynamics, Box 873701, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4802 (phone 480 965-8053; E-mail, Jennie.Kronenfeld@asu.edu). Initial inquiries can be by email.




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Family Literacy Day

Today is Family Literacy Day! Visit the ABC Canada website to learn more about literacy and today's special events in your community:

http://www.abc-canada.org/en/family_literacy/family_literacy_day/
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Incredible...

What an incredible day!

http://www.cbc.ca/video/popup.html?http://www.cbc.ca/livemedia/special/cbcvideo-special-d.asx#

http://www.cbc.ca/listen/streams/r1_calgary_32.html
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URGENT - Support for Ontario's Refugees: Proposed changes to OHIP eligibility requirements

UPDATE on response from Minister’s office:

Organizers of the letter below confirmed that the issue has been resolved and the efforts to impose the 90 day wait were withdrawn, thanks to the support of the Toronto Refugee Health Network in mobilizing so quickly on this issue.

Please read this important letter from Meb Rashid at Access Alliance Multicultural Community Health Centre. I will continue to post updates on this situation on the blog.

The letter of support is attached below:

Many of you may have heard that there is a proposal circulating that may lead to a change in the residency period required for refugees before they are eligible for OHIP. Currently refugees, both government assisted refugees and accepted refugee claimants, are exempt from the 90 day residency requirement and thus receive OHIP soon upon arrival (or as soon as a refugee claim is accepted in the case of claimants). There is currently a proposal to impose this 90 day wait on refugees. This proposal is likely due to the assumption that the Interim Federal Health program can provide adequate insurance during these first three months.

Those of us that work with refugees recognize that IFH cannot provide adequate health insurance. We also believe that it becomes critical for refugees to obtain adequate assessments as well as preventative services soon upon arrival. This benefits not only the refugees but we also believe it is in the best interests of the rest of Ontario society.

We are confident that the provincial government will not proceed with these proposed changes if they become aware of the issues involved. We believe that they will be considering these changes in an upcoming committee meeting that may be on Jan. 29^th. We have drafted a letter that we are hoping to have supported by as many health care providers as possible. We will pass this on to committee members as we are certain that they will be interested in the consequences of such changes. At present we would like to have as many MD’s, RN’s, RNEC’s, dietitians, social workers, dental professionals etc.. sign off on this letter as possible. Please send me your name, title and affiliations (optional) if you would like to support the attached letter. Also feel free to forward this email to anyone you feel would be interested.

We are also encouraging people to contact members of the Health Education and Social Policy Committee (http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/team/committee.asp?Team=13 ). They may not yet be aware of this upcoming proposal but we would like to have them ready to comment on it when it is presented to them likely later this month. I have attached a document that has their contact numbers.

Thank you all for your support.

Meb Rashid

____________________________________________________________

Jan 12, 2009



To Whom It May Concern,


We are a group of Ontario health care providers from numerous different disciplines. It has come to our attention that there are legislative changes proposed by the provincial government that will impose a 90 day residency requirement on refugees that arrive in Ontario. We are deeply concerned about this current proposal and are writing this letter to document our concerns.

We strongly believe that refugees comprise some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Many of us have had the privilege of working with refugee patients soon upon arrival in Ontario. The majority of these patients have lived through very severe physical and mental trauma. Many have lost family members or have suffered from torture. Nevertheless they usually arrive in Ontario with immense optimism and a tremendous commitment to rebuild their lives. Despite the numerous cultural, economic and social challenges, many refugees flourish upon arrival in Ontario.

We are tremendously disappointed at the attempt to impose a 90 day wait to obtain provincial health insurance upon this group. We feel strongly that refugees should be provided with health assessments soon upon arrival in Ontario. Early assessment allows for the identification of subclinical illnesses and for the implementation of preventative strategies. We feel this will facilitate the integration of newly arrived refugees and will also serve to identify illness at a point before treatments become more expensive. Early assessment also serves for public health concerns to be addressed. For example, identification of people that may be carrying tuberculosis may allow for treatment before active tuberculosis becomes an issue. Detection of hepatitis B carriers may allow for vaccination of contacts before they are infected. We believe that any impediment to accessing health care, particularly in the early periods of migration, will delay the diagnosis of illness. This does not serve the interests of refugees nor the rest of Ontario society.

We recognize that there are other forms of health insurance coverage. The costs of private insurance make it unrealistic for refugees. The Interim Federal Health (IFH) program is available to refugees soon upon arrival in Canada. We want to draw your attention to the perceived limitations of this program. Many physicians and other institutions do not accept IFH and it becomes an unreasonable expectation for newly arrived refugees to be able to negotiate the health care system when their coverage is denied by a health care provider. We are concerned that these refugees will not have their concerns addressed until their OHIP coverage takes effect. IFH is a program that provides emergency services. Many health care workers will not access it for services such as immunizations, TB testing or even what they perceive as minor illnesses. Unfortunately some of these minor illnesses can lead to more severe illnesses if not addressed early. Delaying preventative interventions can also result in significant illnesses. We do not feel that IFH can provide the insurance coverage to provide adequate health care to this group.

We are asking you to carefully consider this proposed change. We feel strongly that refugees should be entitled to provincial health insurance upon arrival in Ontario. We believe that this government is sensitive to the plight of this vulnerable population and we are confident that you will reconsider your decision.

Sincerely,

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PAHO/WHO COMPETITION: Best Practices that incorporate a gender/ethnic equality perspective in health

From the PAHO/WHO Equity listserv:

REMINDER: Best Practices that incorporate a gender/ethnic equality perspective in health

Website: http://devserver.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=457&Itemid=207&lang=en

DEADLINE: 31 January 2009

The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) is convening the second competition of Best Practices that incorporate a gender/ethnic equality perspective in health, within the framework of the celebration of the International Women’s Day that will take place in Washington DC. In this competition, two experiences will be selected and rewarded. During the Celebration, an award will be given to the winning Best Practice for each of the following categories:

• An organization related to the public sector (Ministry of Health, another Sector–Education, Ministry of Women - , NGO or academic institution that works with the public health sector) that has developed a Best Practice incorporating a gender perspective in health that includes populations of ethnic origin (indigenous population, African descent, migrant, displaced).
• A regional, national or local project and/or program developed or supported by PAHO that includes a gender equality approach.

A representative per each of the two winning Best Practice will be invited by the Director of PAHO, Dr Mirta Roses, to present the experience during the International Women’s Day celebration on 9 March 2009 in Washington, D.C. Furthermore, each institution that represents the winning experience will receive five thousand dollars in order to publish the Best Practice and lessons learned, using a PAHO Best Practice template, that then will be disseminated and included in PAHO database of Best Practices for Mainstreaming Gender Equality in Health.

The call for applications are opened from 15 December 2008 up to 31 January 2009. For more information please send an e-mail to: buenasprac@paho.org

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funding, funding, funding...

I just learned about a resource called the Funders Directory, hosted by Stewardship Canada. This resource shares information about new grants or funding sources by allowing you to search its list of funders.

Check it out here:
http://www.stewardshipcanada.ca/stewardshipcanada/funders/index.asp?type=static&page=funderhome.asp

Please let me know if this resource is helpful and if you know of any others!
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new year, new adventures...

I hope everyone enjoyed a well deserved break over the holidays. The New Year gave us a chance to reflect on successes and learnings from 2008 and our plans for 2009.

Some of our 2008 highlights:

• Developing our project Steering Committee
• Completing the Initial Assessment report
• Presenting at the Building Equitable Partnerships conference
• Building relationships and partnerships!
• Starting to build our archive of tools and resources for equity change
• Drafting a prototype for our web resource and...
• ...the Small Steps blog!

As we head into 2009, our team is excited about:

• Consultations! We are busy conducting extensive consultations with our prospective audience, content experts and process experts (people who have done this before!).
• Finalizing our project's name
• Building our Advisory Committee (let us know if you are interested!)
• Planning our project's future
• and, of course, developing our web resource, among many other things!

We will keep you posted on our news. Stay tuned...

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