Established in 1978, Somerset West Community Health Centre (SWCHC) is a non-profit, community-governed organization that serves over 18,000 active clients each year.
Our centre combines low barrier primary health care services with a wide range of other health promotion and community development services, focused on improving the social determinants of health. SWCHC pays particular attention to groups facing barriers to accessing services, including people who are isolated seniors; those experiencing mental health challenges; those from racialized and newcomer communities; those living with low-income; and those who are experiencing homeless are precariously housed or street involved.
Ottawa has historically been a destination for many refugee claimants due to its large urban centers, diverse communities, and established support networks. In recent years, there has been a notable increase of refugee claimants in Ottawa driven by factors such as global conflicts and displacement. Significant resource constraints in existing social services including housing, healthcare, education, and legal aid create difficulties in providing timely and adequate support.
Access to healthcare services, particularly for those without proper documentation or health insurance, creates substantial barriers to receiving timely medical care and preventive services. The challenges faced by Ottawa in responding to the increasing need of refugee claimants have highlighted the importance of a coordinated approach to meet the complex needs of this population and streamline the integration process to ensure successful settlement.
The total number of refugee claimants residing in Ottawa seeking healthcare is uncertain as claimants are attempting to access care from multiple service providers. Simultaneously, healthcare providers are increasingly declining services to refugee claimants due to the limited capacity and systemic barriers within the current healthcare landscape.
In response to the increasing number of refugees seeking healthcare services in Ottawa, we are looking to establish a streamlined and responsive approach to linking individuals to primary care services and wrap around supports. We are seeking a consultant with expertise in healthcare systems and refugee services to conduct an environmental scan of the various models across the country that centralize and coordinate access to health and social services for refugee claimants.
This short-term project is the first step in a multi-phased approach towards enhancing access to health care services for refugee claimants in Ottawa that will be led by the Ottawa Newcomer Health Centre in collaboration with key partners and stakeholders in the health and settlement services sector.
