Jun 15th, 2022

News Release: Mobile Health Clinic Launches in OCHC’s Donald Street Community

June 15, 2022, Ottawa, ON – In response to the ongoing Opioid crisis, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, Recovery Care, in partnership with Pathways to Recovery, Ottawa Public Health, and Ottawa Inner City Health are launching the Mobile Health Clinic. It is an innovative, cost-effective health care delivery approach. It is an important step in providing integrated services such as linking clients to community supports, providing harm reduction supply kits and peer support services to vulnerable residents, meeting them where they live.

The Mobile Health Clinic provides substance abuse and infectious disease care to patients who are facing complex health challenges, without any judgement or stigma.

The health care system is a complex and can be hard to navigate, and that’s why the Mobile Health Clinic provide comprehensive health services with a focus on substance use and infectious disease to vulnerable residents directly in the most underserved areas of the city.

The Mobile Health Clinic is made possible thanks to a variety of funding sources.

Quick Facts 

• The mobile health clinic is currently providing services in five Ottawa Community Housing communities: Queen Mary Court, MacManor, 251/255 Donald, Cumberland Rooming House and 200-201 Friel Street
• The project has secured partial funding for a three-year pilot
• The next phase for the van will be moving to shelters and encampments as well as growing service delivery to five days per week.

Quotes  

“Ottawa Community Housing relies on partner agencies to help meet the diverse needs of 32,000 tenants living in our communities. We are encouraged by the initial success of this innovative partnership, which will provide complex care in our communities to vulnerable residents.

– Stéphane Giguère, Chief Executive OCHC  

“One of the best ways to support successful tenancies is to ensure that support agencies are available to help OCHC tenants.  This new pilot is an effective health support response for residents living in OCHC who can benefit from timely health professional supports for their health and well-being.”

– Mathieu Fleury, Rideau-Vanier Councillor and OCHC Board Chair 

“The Recovery Care team are experts in providing respect based, stigma free, holistic care to individuals. The addition of the mobile unit and mobile team allows us to extend the in-clinic resources to meet vulnerable individuals where they are at and engage them into health pathways sooner.”

– Donna Sarrazin, Managing Partner, Recovery Care 

“Improving the mental health, substance use health, and wellness of Ottawa residents continues to be a key priority for Ottawa Public Health. By increasing equitable access to services, through programs like the Mobile Health Clinic, we have a unique opportunity to reduce barriers to care and improve the health and wellness of members of our community that are underserved.”

– Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health  

“Ottawa Inner City Health is pleased to be part this innovative program bringing health care services to people who face barriers to care.  Strengthening supports to people in OCH housing not only helps people be healthier but, builds capacity to retain and thrive in housing which directly reduces risk of experiencing homelessness. “

– Wendy Muckle, Chief Executive Officer, Ottawa Inner City Health 

“Pathways to Recovery is committed to breaking down barriers in access to care for substance use health, mental health, and infectious disease. The Mobile Clinic is an innovative, cost-effective healthcare delivery approach to support vulnerable populations and medically underserved areas in Ottawa.”

– Chantal Carter, Executive Director, Pathways to Recovery 

“I love that I can walk outside my door and get caring, quality care.”

– Resident 251 Donald (OCHC community) 

“We’re proud to support Pathways to Recovery as they bring care directly to communities who need it most. Hepatitis C (HCV) elimination is within reach in Canada, but progress to reach this public health goal slowed significantly during the pandemic.  By supporting innovative models of care, like this one, we can promote Canada’s efforts to eliminate HCV.”

– Marise Lemieux, Business Unit Director, Liver Health & Covid-19, Gilead Sciences Canada (Mobile Health Clinic funder) 

About Recovery Care 
Recovery Care was founded in 2018 with the intent to provide patients and the community with a holistic approach to substance use disorders and Infectious Disease. Our team of Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurses, Medical Support Staff, Housing Workers, Addiction Counsellor and Social Worker work together to support patients along their path.

About Ottawa Community Housing Corporation
Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCHC) provides approximately 15,000 homes to about 32,000 tenants, including seniors, parents, children, couples, singles and persons with special needs, within many communities across the City of Ottawa. OCHC houses a diverse population of varying languages, ethnicity and cultures. OCHC is the largest social housing provider in Ottawa, managing two-thirds of the City’s social housing portfolio, and is the second-largest in Ontario. OCHC was selected as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.  www.och-lco.ca | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

About Ottawa Inner City Health
Ottawa Inner City Health provides health care to people experiencing homelessness and those who need support to remain stably housed.  Health care services include primary care, mental health and addictions medicine, harm reduction and specialist services.

About Ottawa Public Health
Ottawa Public Health’s goal is to keep people healthy, safe and well. OPH works with the community and partners across various sectors on programs, services and policies that serve people across their lifespan, from prenatal, maternal and baby health, parenting, through healthy aging, and on subjects such as mental health and substance use health, dental health, nutrition, injury and disease prevention, and more.

Ottawa Public Health is committed to Reconciliation, health equity and continuous quality improvement. It advances these goals by engaging with residents, partners and communities to develop conditions that support health and health equity.

About Pathways to Recovery
Pathways to Recovery is a not-for-profit organization that works to scale respectful, patient-centred care that improves the health of individuals and communities struggling with substance use health, mental health, and infectious disease. Through strategic partnerships with organizations that model respect-based care, we are committed to providing an accessible, inclusive continuum of quality services and support to vulnerable and underserved populations.

For additional information please contact:  

Chantal Carter – Executive Director – Pathways to Recovery – Cell: 905-242-9076 chantal@pathwaystorecoevery.ca