Humber River Health (Humber) is proud to be a part of a team of 14 health service providers working together to improve access to social and health services through a new Community Care Hub (the Hub). Spearheaded by the North Western Toronto Ontario Health Team (NWT OHT) and Black Creek Community Health Centre, the Hub is a physical space that will deliver localized and integrated services that address needs within the community. The guiding principle behind the Hub is to establish easy and timely access to health and social services, exactly when and where they are needed.
Community Care Hubs are designed to deliver integrated offerings, localized services, and resources to communities to advance population health. Humber, in partnership with fellow members of the NWT OHT, will contribute to the Hub by offering a variety of health and social services that directly address needs voiced by community members.
The Hub will be an accessible space to receive care that supports the holistic needs of individuals. Services will include cancer screening, primary care, management of chronic diseases, counseling for mental health and addiction, services for both youth and seniors, healthcare navigation, and essential social services.
Meeting the needs of the community
A central focus during the development process has been to tailor the program based on the unique needs of the Northwest Toronto community. The Hub is located in and surrounded by Neighborhood Improvement Areas (NIA), specific areas in Toronto with low scores on the City's Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool (HEART) Domains. Within the NIA, the average income is below the city average and 57 per cent of residents face material deprivation per the ON Marginalization Index.
These social determinants of health profoundly impact the wellbeing of individuals, as evidenced by higher disease prevalence in the North York West Sub-Region than the rest of Ontario. This particularly includes conditions like congestive heart failure, asthma, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, and stroke. Additionally, mental health makes up 17 per cent of total expenditures in the region.
“The most important component in planning and developing the Hub has been listening to our community to understand their unique social and health needs. This has been our top priority and unwavering commitment," comments Christopher Maragh, Director of Integrated Health Systems, and Partnerships at Humber.
Increasing access to equitable care
A priority for Humber and many of the additional NWT OHT partners is to increase access to care. On a foundational level, the Hub will strive to make care more accessible to the community. It is also located in space provided by Humber on Finch Avenue to ensure accessibility and centrality for the community, with easy access to public transportation. Patients will also benefit from flexible operating hours, making it convenient for those who may not be available during regular working hours.
In addition to ensuring accessibility, cultivating equitable healthcare is another priority of the Hub. In an underserved community where many individuals face marginalization, the provision of care and services has often been marred by racism, discrimination, and bias. This emphasizes the importance of creating a space that is unequivocally committed to providing comprehensive care and services irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, or ability of the individuals accessing its offerings. Despite these historical challenges, our community has a lot of assets that can be leveraged to improve how we deliver services, this includes existing health and social care organizations, community organizations, grassroots organizations, residents, community ambassadors, etc. Together, we can use local capacity and strengthen community assets through collaboration to address the needs of the community.
Building local capacity
A variety of stakeholders, including local residents, community organizations, and healthcare providers were engaged to help identify barriers to care that exist in the community, and how the Hub could begin to address them. Insights from community engagement sessions highlighted the absence of diversity and ethnic representation in healthcare and social services. Community members stressed the significance of receiving care from individuals who share their background. This reinforced the pivotal role of the Hub in embodying health equity, providing culturally sensitive services, and fostering representation of BIPOC individuals among its staff and service providers.
Increasing BIPOC representation in healthcare involves building local capacity. The Hub will facilitate opportunities and mobilize connections made with community members so they can have a more significant role in the initiative through potential employment, volunteerism, or referring others to the Hub.
“Something that makes this initiative particularly impactful is that front-line staff who are also community members were engaged in the development of the Hub, so they have brought insight and perspectives as both a community resident and healthcare professional," shares Tiffany Budhoo, NWT OHT Systems Planner at Humber. “This adds value as we focus on including local residents in the organization, delivery, and conceptualization of the program. We aim to continue building that integration and capacity to make meaningful progress in having the community reflected in all aspects of the Hub."
Partnering with the community
Just as community engagement has been a key part of the Hub's development, it will continue to play a vital role in its ongoing operations. A Community Advisory Committee will provide ongoing feedback on services provided, and the Hub will be responsive to adjusting and implementing those services to meet community needs best. In doing so, the Hub also hopes to facilitate knowledge-sharing and education on the Ontario health system to empower patients in their health journey and decision-making.
“Many Ontarians are unaware of how healthcare is organized provincially, nor do they know what an NWT OHT is and how they are there to support you," notes Chris. The Hub is a hyper-localized opportunity to share with the community what we do, help them navigate through various processes and systems, and in doing so, make the case for increased partnerships among community organizations."
Collaborating to strengthen health services
One of the Hub's key differentiators is the number of partners that have come together to bring it to fruition. It is an example of the importance of health providers and social care working together to offer wraparound services for communities. The Hub will be the first time many partners of the NWT OHT will be providing services in the same place – something that Black Creek Community Health Centre has played a key role in facilitating.
“The leadership of Black Creek Community Health Centre has been vital to this initiative and is a testament to their entire team's dedication to supporting the community with the health services they need," adds Maragh. “Their willingness to collaborate and bring people together is leaving a lasting mark on all of the NWT OHT's partner organizations, and it will have a profound impact on how our community health providers collaborate and work together years into the future."
Together, the NWT OHT partners are dedicated to embedding the patient voice in every aspect of the Hub. They share the mission of making this initiative meaningful for the community by working together to create a space for community members to be an active part of their health and health outcomes.
At its core, the Hub is meeting people where they work, play, and live so that our community can be changed for the better, one program, one visit, one conversation at a time.