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April 24, 2019Presenters: • Ali Ahmed, Mental Health Program Support Worker, Niagara Folk Arts
Multicultural Centre • Jillien Hone, Volunteer Coordinator, Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural Centre
Bridging Barriers to Newcomer Mental Health in Niagara
Bridging Barriers to Newcomer Mental Health
2019
Presenters
Jillien Hone Ali Ahmed
Overview
• Background Information• Environmental Scan • Data from Pilot Project• Next Steps and Recommendations• Q&A
Background
Provincially funded 1 year pilot project
• Purpose • Challenges• Plan and Execution
Problem: Identifying Gaps in the Niagara Region
• 67,000 newcomers in St. Catharines-Niagara CMA* (Living in Niagara 2017 report, Niagara Connects; Census 2016, Statistics Canada)
• 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a mental illness or problem in any given year (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2013)
• Extremely low rates of mental health service utilization and access by newcomers
*Note: St. Catharines-Niagara CMA does not include Grimsby and West Lincoln
About the Pilot ProjectEmphasis on Research
Educational Programs
Private Counseling
Social Support Activities
Environmental Scan
Services Accessed by Newcomer Population
(Awad & Ahmed, 2019)
Organizations that frequently see newcomer clients accessing their mental health services:1. Brock Health Services2. Victim Services Niagara3. Kids Help Phone4. YWCA5. Folk Arts Multicultural Centre6. Family Counseling Centre7. Centre de Sante8. Distress Centre of Niagara
Needs Identified by the Agencies
Problem: Barriers as Identified by Niagara-based Agencies
(NFAMC Environmental Scan, 2018)
Anti-Stigma Campaign
Problem: Data Collection from the Newcomer Mental Health Pilot Project
Total Clients Served: 392
Total served in one-on-one sessions: 131
Total Visits for group activities and one-on-one sessions: 833
Demographics
Poll
What do you think was the leading challenge or main concern for clients in our program?
• CP: Career Planning• CS: Communication Skills• EI: Emotional Issues• FIHC: Families In Home Countries• Other
Main Concerns by Immigration Status
Newcomer Mental Health Pilot Project: Emerging Best Practices
Five Key Learnings & Success Factors: a) Service in first languageb) Anti-stigma campaignc) Support services (childcare & transportation)d) Culturally-informed social support activitiese) Community space vs. institutional space
Our Proposal: Creating Safe & Inclusive Communities for Newcomers
Three Components:a) Increasing connection to supports → social support programs and activitiesb) Increasing neighbourhood and community engagement → anti-stigma and
educational campaignsc) Increasing personal wellbeing and safety → one-on-one and group counselling
and support
RecommendationsSupport approaches to promoting migrant wellbeing across systems including: health, social services, settlement, education etc. through developing, enhancing and coordinating partnerships between sectors
Support integrated community-based mental health services
Support education/training
Support policies that remove barriers to economic and social integration of newcomers (for example: through recognition of education and training)
Support longitudinal and comparative research of migrant mental health that considers multiple determinants of well-being through interdisciplinary approaches and community-academia alliances
• Ali Ahmed, Mental Health Program Support Worker, Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural [email protected]
• Jillien Hone, Volunteer Coordinator, Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural [email protected]
• Niagara Connects: [email protected]• www.niagaraconnects.ca• www.niagaraknowledgeexchange.com• www.livinginniagarareport.com• Twitter: @NiagaraConnects
Thank You!
