Improving Access to Health Services in French for Official Language Minority Communities in Northern Ontario
Backgrounder
May 23, 2023
The Official Languages Health Program (OLHP) aims to improve access to health services for official language minority communities (OLMCs) in Canada—Francophones outside Quebec and English-speaking communities in Quebec.
Budget 2023 and the recently launched Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: A historic federal investment in official languages committed that, in addition to its existing funding of $192.2 million over five years, Health Canada's OLHP will also receive $14.5 million over five years (for a total of $206.7 million over five years). This new funding will support non-profit organizations that serve OLMC communities, including the enhancement of their capacity to train additional bilingual nurses and personal support workers.
The Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne - Volet consortium de formation en santé (ACUFC-CNFS) includes a national secretariat and 16 postsecondary member-institutions outside Quebec that offer more than 100 French-language health programs in eight provinces. The Association also works with health facilities to create and offer internships/placements for its students and increases knowledge on the needs of OLMCs through research.
Under the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028, the Société Santé en français (SSF) and its 16 networks received $33,750,000 over five years to deploy networking, knowledge mobilization and development activities to promote and increase access to health services for OLMCs.
ACUFC-CNFS member projects
Training and retention of health professionals - CNFS - Laurentienne Component
Université Laurentienne de Sudbury
Funding: $7,722,080
This project seeks to increase Université Laurentienne's capacity for training additional bilingual health service providers to better serve OLMCs in the following health programs:
- Nursing Sciences - Bachelor's and Masters;
- Social Work - Bachelor's and Masters; and,
- Speech therapy - Bachelor's and Masters.
Training and retention of health professionals - CNFS - Boréal Component
Collège Boréal
Funding: $3,856,740
This project seeks to increase Collège Boréal's capacity for training additional bilingual health service providers to better serve OLMCs
- Occupational therapy assistant and physiotherapy assistant;
- Diagnostic Ultrasound;
- Interdisciplinary gerontology;
- Dental hygiene;
- Personal support work;
- Auxiliary nurse;
- Paramedic care;
- Medical radiation technologist; and,
- Social work techniques.
Training and retention of health professionals - CNFS - Université de Hearst Component
Université de Hearst
Funding: $2,034,450
This project seeks to increase Université de Hearst's capacity for training additional bilingual health service providers in Psychotherapy to better serve OLMCs.
SSF member project
Working together to improve access to health services for Francophone and Acadian communities living in minority situations in Canada
Réseau du mieux-être Francophone du Nord de l'Ontario
Funding: $1,846,900
This project seeks to ensure that engagement with OLMCs continues, working with the provincial government officials on ways to improve access to health services for Francophones living in a minority setting in Northern Ontario and promoting the active offer of services in their official language of choice.