Lack of English health and social services in Laval

This fact is becoming more apparent as Laval’s English population increases. Acknowledging this problem, the Laval NPI Partners Committee plans a series of public forums, that should lead to the creation of a “portrait” of the Laval English-speaking community.

“This is an historic event,” said Luigi Morabito, a consultant for Agape who helped launch NPI-Laval last year. “It’s the first time that we have an opportunity to involve an executive team of very important stake holders that have become involved in a community portrait specifically of this English-speaking population,” he added.

Redressing inequalities
Sponsored by Chomedey-based charitable services agency Agape Inc., NPI-Laval is described as a “networking and partnership initiative,” which was created in conjunction with the Community Health and Social Services Network.
For more than a decade and with the assistance of the federal government, the Quebec City-based CHSSN has been supporting English-speaking communities in Quebec in their efforts to redress health status inequalities in this province, a number of which are rooted in language use.
The CHSSN has an agreement with Quebec’s health ministry and the Institut national de santé publique (INSPQ), the latter of which will be participating in the creation of NPI-Laval’s portrait. The CSSS de Laval has also asked to be allowed to participate in the consultations, which will be taking place in November.

A 35 per cent increase
Morabito said the portrait, which will be carried out in a spirit of participatory action and research, will be based on existing information and statistics, combined with new data gathered during the consultations. The project is being undertaken as statistical evidence shows that the English-speaking population of Laval grew from 1996 to 2008 by more than 35 per cent.
While it is acknowledged by public health care administrators in Laval that nearly 50 per cent of all Laval residents regularly seek health services in Montreal because they can’t find appropriate medical help here, an estimated 41 per cent of residents of Laval’s mostly English-speaking Chomedey district go for health services in Montreal where they are more readily available in English.
In a five-year strategic plan that officials with the Agence de la Santé et des services sociaux de Laval tabled in 2010, they stated that accessibility to their services “will have to be guaranteed to English-speaking persons and adapted for persons coming from cultural communities who request them.”

Eight themes
The forums will be taking place on Saturday mornings. Each will begin with an overview and presentation, after which individual focus groups will be formed. So far eight themes have been established, with two more as possibilities.
The forums are being organized by an executive committee with members from NPI-Laval, Agape, the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, the INSPQ, CSSS Laval, the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, the City of Laval, Santé Publique Laval, the Agence de Santé et Services Sociaux de Laval and others taking part.
According to Morabito, the themes are likely to include: access to health and social services in English, retention of bilingual health professionals, youth health and special needs, seniors health and special needs, education, social, community life, religious affiliation, economy, environment and community vision for the future.

Follow-up planned
“The goal of this portrait is to raise awareness, develop local relevant projects, to address the issues that will be identified, so that we can carry out further research or further projects and implementation,” he said, while adding that the portrait will also be used to develop tools, education materials and training relevant to the development of English-speaking communities, taking into account the specific characteristics of Laval.
“This is something that Agape and NPI will be reacting upon – there will be a follow-up – there will be changes,” said Agape’s Elizabeth McLeod. “If you come up with results people have to listen to you,” she continued. “They have to hear you and changes have to be made. It’s something that needs to be done and we have to advance.” Those wishing to register as participants or who would like additional information can send an e-mail to this address: luigimorabito@videotron.ca.

Agape’s Elizabeth McLeod and NPI Laval’s Luigi Morabito, seen here outside Agape headquarters in Chomedey, are playing a key role in the creation of a portrait of Laval’s English-speaking community.