Key equity, anti-racism, and anti-oppression resources for addiction, mental health, and other health service providers across Ontario
Link to resources:
Ontario Health’s Equity, Inclusion, Diversity, and Anti-Racism Framework
Ontario Health’s Equity, Inclusion, Diversity and Anti-Racism Framework is a tool to guide Ontario Health’s work to build an organizational culture focused on equity, inclusion, diversity, and anti-racism, and to contribute to better outcomes for patients, families, and providers within the health system across Ontario.
National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health
The National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health provides the Canadian public health community with knowledge and resources to take action on the social determinants of health, to close the gap between those who are most and least healthy. The Centre offers a variety of resources on various topics including health equity, whiteness, mental health, anti-racism action, and more.
Ministry of Health’s Health Equity Impact Assessment Tool
The Ministry of Health has developed the Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA) tool to support improved health equity, including the reduction of avoidable health disparities between population groups. In partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, CAMH’s Health Equity Office and Education Services developed an e-learning course on the Ministry of Health’s HEIA tool which can be accessed online for free at any time .
Alliance for Healthier Communities Health Equity Resources
In collaboration with Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services, the Alliance for Healthier Communities created the learning essentials for advancing health equity series. This series was developed to build capacity for health equity through adoption of a common evidence-based framework that consists of equity-informed planning and evaluation at every level of the organization. These resources were designed for front-line staff, managers, and board members. Resources can be accessed online. The Alliance website also includes other key resources for advancing equity, anti-oppression, and anti-racism.
Black Experiences in Health Care Symposium
The planning for the 2020 Black Experiences in Health Care Symposium (BEHCS) included representatives from the Black Health Alliance, Health Commons Solutions Lab with support from the Toronto Central LHIN, Mississauga Halton LHIN, and hosted by Sinai Health. Focused on the theme of race-based data collection, the interactive discussion brought together voices from Black communities, activists, health system leaders, and allies. Working toward actionable steps for a more equitable health system with better outcomes for Black Ontarians. Read the recommendations from the symposium online here.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: 94 Calls to Action
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was mandated to inform all Canadians about what happened in residential schools. The Commission documents the truth of survivors, families, communities, and anyone affected by residential schools. To redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission made 94 calls to action, with calls 18 to 24 being specific to health. Review the calls to action and other reports from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada here.
Rainbow Health Ontario’s Publications and Resources
Rainbow Health Ontario creates and distributes resources for LGBT2SQ+ communities, service providers and others seeking to advance LGBT2SQ+ health. You can access resources online here or search their extensive Resource Library which includes third-party resources.
EGAP (Engagement Governance, Access and Protection) Framework
The Black Health Equity Working Group is made up of Black health sector leaders and health equity experts. The group began meeting early in the COVID-19 pandemic to develop a governance framework for health data collected from Black communities in Ontario. The objective was to address concerns from Black communities about continued data extraction without the return of tangible benefits. They developed the EGAP (Engagement Governance, Access, and Protection) Framework which envisages Black communities gaining control over their collective data. Read more about the framework online here.
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s resources to end ableism
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s Dear Everybody campaign is a national movement to end stigma and eliminate bias against people with disability. Ableism is discrimination towards someone based on their abilities and can be reflected in actions, words, behaviours, and access issues. Get resources, tips, and tools to address ableism online here.
This white paper provides guidance on how health care organizations can reduce health disparities related to racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion. The IHI White Paper includes:
- A framework, with five key components, for health care organizations to improve health equity in the communities they serve:
- Make health equity a strategic priority
- Develop structure and processes to support health equity work
- Deploy specific strategies to address the multiple determinants of health on which health care organizations can have a direct impact
- Decrease institutional racism within the organization
- Develop partnerships with community organizations to improve health and equity
- Guidance for measuring health equity
- A case study of one health care organization that has strategically integrated work to improve health equity throughout their system
- A self-assessment tool for health care organizations to gauge their current focus on and efforts to improve health equity
Disability Solidarity: Completing The ‘Vision For Black Lives’
Français – Solidarité Handie : Compléter la «Vision pour des Vies Noires»
On 07 September 2016, the Harriet Tubman Collective released its response to the “Vision for Black Lives” policy platform. The response, “Disability Solidarity: Completing the Vision for Black Lives,” addresses the erasure of Deaf/Disabled people from The Movement for Black Lives’ original platform. The Harriet Tubman Collective is a collective of Black Deaf & Black Disabled organizers, community builders, activists, dreamers, lovers striving for radical inclusion and collective liberation. A Collective of Black Deaf & Black Disabled organizers, community builders, activists, dreamers, lovers striving for radical inclusion and collective liberation. Read the response here.
Book: Disability Visibility First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century
One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. This anthology gives a glimpse into the rich complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community. It invites readers to question their own understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and the past with hope and love. View other books from the Disability Visibility Project here.
CIE Data Equity Framework and System Designing Planning and Reflection Worksheet
The Community Information Exchange (CIE) Data Equity Framework is an innovative framework that guides individuals and institutions towards building anti-racist systems that create more equitable and inclusive systems. The accompanying CIE Data Equity Framework: System Design Planning and Reflection Worksheet allows you to reflect on your institution’s current system, identify where your institution is in its journey to champion data equity and justice, and build a plan for action to work towards a liberatory model. View the framework here. View the System Design Reflection and Planning Worksheet here.
In 2021, Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions collaborated with Children’s Mental Health Ontario to begin to lay the groundwork for the sector’s collective next steps to address inequities affecting racialized children, young people and families.
They developed a literature review highlighting the best available research and practices that could be adopted to advance racial equity. Then they surveyed our sector to get a snapshot of current racial equity efforts and produced “We journey together”, a report that identifies existing gaps and pinpoints promising practices, tools and resources that can be leveraged to foster equity.
Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions also has resources on other equity, diversity, and inclusion topics. Please review the resources on intergenerational trauma, diversity and inclusion quality standards for youth and family engagement, and 2SLGBTQ+ young people at their website here.
Training: How to provide anti-racist mental health care
After creating an account, you can access this training free of charge! Building off the article in The Lancet Psychiatry outlining the present training, the intent of this training is to increase mental health professionals’ understanding of the needs of people from Black communities and learn to provide antiracist care. This training includes five modules and can be accessed here.