Pictured above: Dr. Mariana Jacubovich, Family Physician in East Toronto and member of East Toronto Family Practice Network, holds a box of Paxlovid pills.
By: Lucy Lau, Senior Communications Specialist, Michael Garron Hospital
Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) and East Toronto Health Partners (ETHP), the Ontario Health Team (OHT) serving East Toronto, are expanding their services at COVID-19 Outreach Centres to offer prescriptions for COVID-19 treatments, including the Paxlovid pill, mental health counselling, and other services that support COVID-19 recovery and help priority communities in East Toronto prepare for additional waves of the virus.
The MGH Clinical Assessment Centre has offered prescriptions for COVID-19 treatment since January 2022 and will continue to do so.
Low barrier 'one-stop shops' for COVID-19 resources
The addition of these new supports at ETHP's COVID-19 Outreach Centres located in Taylor-Massey (Crescent Town), Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park helps strengthen these sites as low-barrier one-stop shops for COVID-19 resources.
They are situated in neighbourhoods where data indicates historically high incidences of COVID-19 and low vaccination rates.
The locations are familiar to local residents and easily accessible by foot, bike or transit. More information about each location, including addresses and hours, can be found here.
Many of the services are available by walk-in. They are offered alongside COVID-19 PCR tests, assessments, take-home PCR test kits and vaccines, which have been available at the centres since May 2020.
In the coming months, ETHP member organizations will work together to introduce other services, such as preventative cancer screening, to these sites.
Building capacity in hospitals and other sectors
This aligns with ETHP's equity-driven COVID-19 response and approach to service delivery, which aims to ensure people in East Toronto who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, or those who are at higher risk of becoming seriously sick or hospitalized from COVID-19, can easily get the supports they need.
This helps improve health outcomes in vulnerable populations. It also helps build capacity in hospitals and other sectors as the province prepares for additional waves of the virus.
“By strategically bringing COVID-19 treatment, mental health counselling and other services to our COVID-19 Outreach Centres during a time when cases are lower, local residents will be able to get the care they need if Ontario sees additional waves of the virus in the fall," says Phillip Anthony, Manager of the Mobile Crisis Intervention Team (MCIT) and Community Outreach at MGH, a member organization of ETHP.
“We have residents in Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park who can't afford to take time off work to get a PCR test, vaccine or treatment, or don't have anyone to care for their children, while they go get these supports," says Karma Lhamo, Manager of Community Development and Special Projects at TNO – The Neighbourhood Organization, a member organization of ETHP.
“Removing barriers by bringing these services close to home, somewhere they can easily walk, bike or bus to is important. We're proud to support our partners in this work."
Mental health counselling and other supports
The introduction of mental health counselling at the COVID-19 Outreach Centre in Taylor-Massey offers support to individuals who may be experiencing mental health-related issues.
The Taylor-Massey location is part of a larger comprehensive primary care service delivery model for this neighbourhood that will help people in Taylor-Massey more easily access primary care and social services.
In the coming months, ETHP member organizations will work together to introduce mental health counselling to other COVID-19 Outreach Centres.
This helps connect people to broader health services and helps forward ETHP's Collaborative Quality Improvement Plan (cQIP) and mission of creating an integrated system of care across its communities.
Collaboration key to success of centres
ETHP's COVID-19 Outreach Centres are staffed by trusted local family doctors and nurses.
The centres were developed collaboratively by local patient and caregiver advisors and ETHP member organizations.
These organizations include East Toronto Family Practice Network, Flemingdon Health Centre, Health Access Thorncliffe Park, Michael Garron Hospital, TNO – The Neighbourhood Organization and WoodGreen Community Services.
Working with community ambassadors, these organizations also support the operations and promotion of the sites. Support is provided by Ontario Health.
ETHP's COVID-19 Outreach Centres build on the existing infrastructure of temporary COVID-19 testing sites operated by ETHP since as early as May 2020. COVID-19 vaccines were introduced to these sites in August 2021.