There will be 10,000+ Syrian refugees coming to Ontario over the next few months, and a similar number expected in the following year.
Refugees will need primary care and mental health services as many of them have experienced prolonged periods in refugee camps, trauma and violence with limited access to health care services.
Updates on Syrian Refugee Resettlement in Ontario:
- Emergency Management Branch, MOHLTC – updates regarding Syrian refugees (includes LHIN contacts for local coordination)
- NEW – now includes the Syrian Refugee Early Assessment Considerations for Primary Care Providers tool
- Minister’s memo to health care providers, Dec. 17
- Minister’s memo to health care providers, Dec. 1
- Multi-ministry planning is underway. MOHLTC’s Emergency Management Branch is in the lead, developing a Health System Action Plan. (UPDATE – the Plan is now available.)
- Members will receive updates as AFHTO learns more.
- As has been noted by ministry and stakeholders, this situation has similarities to recent experiences with evacuations of First Nations communities – offering very important learning.
- Health system partners may direct any questions to the ministry’s Health Care Provider Hotline by email at emergencymanagement.moh@ontario.ca, or phone at 1-866-212-2272.
Additional information:
- Refugee Resettlement, Ontario College of Family Physicians – includes webinars, clinical resources and links relevant to both family physicians and interprofessional healthcare providers
- “Is the health care system ready for 25,000 war refugees?”, iPolitics.ca, Dec. 3, 2015
- Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) publishes PSR settlement communities and numbers at the following website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/welcome/map.asp
- “Ontario Boosting Supports in Six Communities Receiving Most Refugees” – Ontario news release, Dec. 11, 2015
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