Community Planning Forum on Immigrant/Refugee/Non-Status and Racialized PHAs (Toronto) - January 27

From the Health Equity Council listserv:

Dear Friends,

On behalf of Committee for Accessible AIDS Treatment (CAAT), I am writing to invite/remind you to join us for a very important full day community planning forum on immigrant/refugee/non-status and racialized PHAs we are organizing for next Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 at the Ramada Plaza Toronto on 300 Jarvis Street in downtown Toronto.

We are organizing this forum to get your input on the key issues, emerging needs and challenges facing immigrant, refugee, non-status and racialized PHAs and how CAAT can work more effectively with its partners to address these issues. This is a critically timely discussion to help prepare us to develop strategies to ensure that our communities' needs are equitably addressed through the new provincial and federal AIDS strategies currently in development.

Tentative Forum Agenda:

9:20 a.m. Registration and Breakfast

10:00-10:45 Introduction, history of CAAT, report card on key activities since last strategic planning session

10:45-11:30 Current statistics, issues and research evidence on immigrant/refugee/non-status PHAs, Report card

11:30-12:15 Identification of key emerging issues, challenges and unmet needs

12:15-1:00 Lunch

1:00-2:30 Planning exercises to identify current strategies and remaining gaps

2:30-3:20 Identification of priority issues for program development, research and policy work

3:20-4:00 Action Planning and next steps

4:00-4:15 Wrap-up/ Evaluation

Your participation and input is very important to us, so please join us for as much of the day as you can. It would be great if you can join us for the whole day but do try to come even if you can only attend part of the day.

Kindly RSVP to maureeno[at]regentparkchc.org or Tel: 416 364 2261

I look forward to working with you on January 27th, 2010.

Thanks

Alan Li

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MA Program in Critical Disability Studies (York University) - Deadline: March 15, 2010

The MA Program in Critical Disability Studies at York University, Toronto, Canada is accepting admission applications for September 2010 entry until March 15, 2010.

Detailed information about this pioneer MA program is available at: www.yorku.ca/gradcdis/ma/index.html
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Great health equity video - Louisville Department of Health & Wellness

This simple and clear video shares information about health inequities in the U.S. and the Centre for Health Equity at the Louisville Department of Health and Wellness:



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and speaking of the power of women of colour for community building...

I am still reeling from the Shades of Power dinner last night. The event was a volunteer-organized fundraiser to raise awareness about women of colour's mental health. Funds were raised to support Across Boundaries, a mental health centre providing support to people of colour in the GTA.

I was moved and inspired by the courage and energy of the women of colour who performed, shared experiences and organized the event. The speaker and performers' words reflected the painful realities of the health inequities experienced by women of colour in Ontario and beyond -- the impacts of racialized and gendered violence, migration, racism, displacement, isolation, navigating the mental health system, housing, legal system, mothering and family relationships, what it means and takes to feel good and beautiful as a woman of colour -- and the beauty and joy of the support systems of community, friends and family.

This event was organized through the initiative, passion and energy of volunteer Mya Vijendran. Thank you, Mya, for this incredible event!
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This bridge called my back: A retro look at women of color and power

An interesting essay about the vital importance and power of women of colour for social justice by Nisha Agarwal, Director of the Health Justice Program at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest:

http://www.race-talk.org/?p=1771
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CBC news (Jan 4/10) - US lifts travel ban on HIV+ individuals

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/01/04/hiv-aids-travel-ban.html

HIV travel ban lifted in U.S.
Last Updated: Monday, January 4, 2010 | 12:13 PM ET CBC News

Canadians with HIV/AIDS are allowed to visit the United States as of Monday, after the U.S. lifted its 22-year ban against foreigners infected with the virus.

Since 1987, the ban had restricted people who are HIV positive from immigrating to or visiting the U.S.

At the time, little was known about how HIV was transmitted, and some American politicians believed they could stop the virus from spreading in the U.S. by keeping foreigners with AIDS out of the country.

Washington, D.C., is hosting the 2012 International AIDS Conference * an event made possible with the removal of the ban, U.S. President Barack Obama's administration said.

An estimated 65,000 Canadians were HIV positive in 2008, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
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SURVEY - Health Communities Ontario

Please forward this to anyone that might be interested in participating in this survey. If you have already received a similar message please do not complete the survey again and accept our apology for cross-postings.

The Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion offers capacity building services to organizations and groups that are interested in acquiring training and supports services for the Healthy Communities Ontario.

The Healthy Communities Ontario approach includes six priority areas of focus. These include:

• Physical Activity, Sport & Recreation
• Healthy Eating
• Tobacco Use/ Exposure
• Injury Prevention
• Mental Health
• Substance and Alcohol Misuse

The Ministry of Health Promotion would like your help to plan their services to respond effectively to the needs of organizations and groups that are interested in participating in Healthy Communities Ontario. If you belong to an organization or group that may be eligible and interested in applying to Healthy Communities Ontario, please take 15 minutes of your time to respond to the survey. Your responses will be confidential and reported anonymously. Copies of the report will be available on request by contacting lorna[at]ohcc-ccso.ca .

Please complete this survey by January 15, 2010.

For more information on the Healthy Communities Ontario approach and the Healthy Communities Fund visit the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion online at http://www.mhp.gov.on.ca/english/healthy_communities/default.asp

If you have any questions about the questionnaire, please contact Lorna Heidenheim, Executive Director, Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition by email at: lorna[at]ohcc-ccso.ca or by telephone at 416-408-4841 or 1-800-766-3418, ext. 4 or Laura King Hahn, Program Coordinator, Ministry of Health Promotion by email at: laura.king-hahn[at]ontario.ca or by telephone at 416-314-5514.

Please click here to open the survey.
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SURVEY - Invisible Chronic Illness - Lesbian and bisexual women and Trans people

The purpose of this survey is to gather information regarding the challenges faced by lesbian, bisexual and queer women, and transgendered and transsexual people who live with invisible chronic illnesses. You do not have to have a formal medical diagnosis to fill out this survey. However, you must have an invisible chronic physical condition. Invisible chronic illnesses (ICIs) share a number of characteristics regardless of diagnosis. Some of these characteristics are: non-observable symptoms (i.e. pain, fatigue, cognitive difficulty), some symptoms are immeasurable, sometimes people appear well, and the illness has periods of exacerbation and remission.

There are many ICIs. A few examples are: multiple sclerosis, arthritis, HIV, fibromyalgia, lupus, and irritable bowel syndrome. If you are not sure whether you are living with an ICI we still want to hear from you. Please fill out the survey. There will be room at the end for comments and you can let us know there why you are not sure.You also must reside in Canada since the results of the survey will be used to advocate for change within the Canadian medical system and for community-based services. It does not matter whether you are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, refugee claimant, temporary worker, or undocumented. As well, you must be at least 18 years old.

This survey is anonymous. You are not requested to provide your name to participate. Any identifying information you provide will be altered to ensure confidentiality. Your privacy will be protected.The results of this survey will be presented at the Rainbow Health Ontario 2010 Conference to raise awareness regarding ICIs and to start a conversation that will lead to change regarding the services needed for lesbian, bisexual, and queer women and trans people living with ICIs. To find out more about Rainbow Health Ontario go to: http://www.rainbowhealthontario.ca/

Additionally, results from this survey may be used for publication to raise awareness and/or advocate for change.
The survey takes between 20 and 30 minutes to fill out. Here is the link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/icisurvey

The survey will be online until February 21, 2010.

About the researcher
The researcher is Silvana Bazet. This survey was designed by Silvana with the input of a Community Advisory Committee. Silvana is a lesbian and lives with an undiagnosed ICI. She is also a psychotherapist in private practice and Clinical Member of the Ontario Society of Psychotherapists. To find out more about Silvana go to: http://torontopsychotherapy.wordpress.com
Should you have any questions or comments, please contact Silvana at: queericisurvey[at]gmail.com

The survey is also available in Word to be printed and distributed to those who may not have access to a computer. Please contact Silvana to obtain a copy.

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Trainings for Service Providers: Building Capacity in Trans Health Care (Toronto)

Trainings for Service Providers: Building Capacity in Trans Health Care

This two part workshop is intended for physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners and counsellors

1. The Joy of Gender: Understanding Trans Experience

by Hershel T. Russell, MA, Med, Independent Psychotherapist

The workshop will cover the spectrum of gender presentation, gender identity, including the historical and cross-cultural contexts of trans people?s lives. The workshop will build on the physician?s and nurse?s role in providing general and transition-related health care to trans patients.

2. Providing Comprehensive Primary Care for Trans Clients

by Dr. Kate Greenaway and Dr. Ed Kucharski

This workshop will give the participants an introduction to providing specialized primary care to trans clients. Specifically, we will look at starting hormones for gender transition from the evaluation stage to prescribing an initial regimen. The workshop will use a combination of didactic teaching, case studies and group discussion

Date: Thursday, January 21, 2010

Time: 9 am to 1 pm

Location: Sherbourne Health Centre, 333 Sherbourne St, Toronto

Registration Cost: $ 50.00

Includes: Clinical Protocol Guidebook and lunch

Space is limited to a maximum of 15 persons

For further information and payment please contact Devan Nambiar

dnambiar[at]rainbowhealthontario.ca 416-324-4100 ext. 5262

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