Community Health Ambassador Resources (CHA)
Community Outreach Centres: https://www.tehn.ca/covid19/community-covid-19-outreach-centres-east-toronto
Community Health Ambassador Resources from Health Solutions Commons:
Additional Questions: Write to us at ambassadors@healthcommons.ca
Past Sessions: View shared google drive
Additional Resources: View our website tool repository
Facebook Group: Join the Community Ambassadors Facebook Group for more recent updates
OTHER UPDATES
Covid-19 Booster Recommended for High Risk Individuals this Spring: Please see this link here for details from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health is recommending high-risk individuals receive their next COVID-19 booster dose this spring.
Appointment Booking for COVID Vaccines Availability: Click here for recent updates on locations and hours of immunization clinics around the City of Toronto.
Novavax COVID Vaccine Fact Sheet: This link provides you with information on the novavax vaccine, including how the vaccine works, the vaccine schedule, side effects, as well as information about mixing vaccines.
Meningococcal Vaccine Information: Click here for information on the meningococcal infection and vaccine, as well as available vaccine clinics that offer the meningococcal vaccine.
Easy Screen STI Testing: Click here for information on how to access an EasyScreen appointment, which offers a way to book a quick visit with a nurse for STI testing for anyone with no symptoms and no need to see a doctor.
Community Ambassador Updates Form: If your agency would like to submit any updates or events that you wish to share back with other agencies through these email updates, please submit your agency’s update through this link.
Community Health Ambassador Programs and Resources
CHA work has proven to be critical in supporting the needs and health of our communities. The necessity for CHAs work within our communities has only grown, indicating the need for their continued work, additional support and the need to demonstrate the effectiveness of the model.
The main challenges for CHAs presently involve volume and consistency. Many neighbourhoods are lacking any or enough CHAs. While there are several networks of CHAs and resources available, they do not always get disseminated or they do not address some of the increasingly complex situations.
For these reasons, our focus for East Effort in Phases 3 and 4 is to bolster the existing CHA workforce as well as provide some much-needed coordination and resource development/distribution support. This will also include strengthening the CHA community of practice and ensuring that the model is reinforced in the ways that can best support this critical workforce.
Community Health Ambassadors:
One pager: Community Health Ambassadors
2021 (Sample) CHA Job Description
2020 (Sample) Community Ambassador Orientation
2021 (Sample) Acknowledgement Letter CHA
East Effort, Community COVID Response Project is an initiative of the East Toronto Health Partners being led by Flemingdon Health Centre. This is one of 15 projects in the Province targeting high priority communities who have been hardest hit by the pandemic.
This project includes (or has included) the following initiatives:
• Increasing community awareness of the Community Covid testing and vaccination sites and processes
• Enhancing centralized community supports (example: Community Hotline)
• Mobilization of Community Health Ambassador teams in these key neighbourhoods:
o Crescent Town/Taylor Massey, Warden Woods, Oakridge, Thorncliffe Park, Flemingdon Park
• Individual and Family Support Fund/Program
• Enhancement of Food distribution and PPE programs in the key neighbourhoods
• Development and promotion of resources and information for community members on Covid safety and vaccinations
• Community based programming for children, youth and seniors to address isolation and foster positive physical and mental well being and health.
When is this project running?
Phase 1 – January 2021 – March 31, 2021.
Phase 2 – April 2021 – September 2021.
Phase 3 – January 2022 – March 31, 2022.
Phase 4 – June 2022 – March 31, 2023
Who is this project for?
East Effort is a project intended to support any members of the above communities who have been impacted by Covid-19. This can include individuals or family members who have tested positive for Covid-19 as well as those who have been impacted due to income loss and lockdowns.
Process: Partner finance flow chart
Who to contact – East Effort Project Team:
Hamna Mughal hmughal@fhc-chc.com, Elissa Hermolin ehermolin@fhc-chc.com, Jen Quinlan jquinlan@fhc-chc.com
PHASE 4 : June 2022 – March 31, 2023 East Effort – Phase 4
Phase 4 Engagement Session Slides Engagement sessions Phase 4
Phase 4 Project Application form: (PowerPoint) or (PDF)
Decisions will be made on a rolling basis. Final program decisions will be made in October. Based on partner and community engagement feedback, East Effort will continue to prioritize programs that address mental health, social isolation, food justice and community recovery. Programs that support long term impact, advocacy and collaboration will be of particular importance in Phase 4.
Community Based Programs – including creating links for greater impact and support of grassroots organizations.
Community Health Ambassador Programs – including coordinated support and training resources.
Neighbourhood distribution of RATs and PPE – through FHC.
Grocery Gift Card direct support program – through FHC.
Community Health Fairs – through Program applications and collaborations.
Community Programs (Phase 3):
For Phase 3 we are prioritizing Community based programs addressing: Mental Health and Isolation and access to on-line programs
Programs must meet the below criteria for Phase 3:
The programs cannot run any later than March 31, 2022.
Program directly responding to identified community needs and can demonstrate impact.
Can be operational within 2 weeks of approval.
Does not pose any health and safety risk through the execution of the program
Collaborations and enhancing existing programs will be prioritized in order to maximize impact. East Effort program funding decisions will be made on a rolling basis by a multi-organizational Steering Committee and community representatives. All program applications must be submitted by January 28, 2022.
East Effort – Phase 3 Focus:
1. Community Health Ambassador Programs and Resources – including vaccine engagement work
2. Support Program for food and essential items
3. Distribution of PPE
4. Community based programs addressing:
a. Mental Health
b. Isolation and access to on-line programs
Individual and Family Support Program (for food and essential items)
This Support Program will replace the previous Individual and Family Support Fund and is intended to help reduce the impacts of Covid-19 on families and individuals in the Crescent Town/Taylor Massey, Warden Woods, Oakridge, Thorncliffe Park, Flemingdon Park communities, by providing one-time support by way of grocery and drug store gift cards for up to $150/person.
The target population for the support program is people living in the above listed communities, who, without the support would face challenges as a result of Covid-19 including the following:
Individuals who are Covid-19 positive
Families with one or more Covid-19 positive members
Individuals and families who have been adversely impacted by Covid-19
This Support Program provides gift cards for necessities and identifies and provides information for any other supports that may be needed.
Phase 3 Materials:
Flow Chart: Support Program Process Flow Chart
Application Information (Closed September 2022): Individual and Family Support Fund – Phase 3
There are two other Emergency Support Funds that have recently improved access to their programs. If appropriate, we are requesting that case workers please attempt to use one of these BEFORE accessing the East Effort Support Fund. Here are some details about them:
1. The temporary COVID Isolation Emergency Support Fund (COVID IESF) has been established to assist individuals who due to a severe financial hardship are not able to access COVID testing and/or complete the required period of isolation.
This one-time assistance is available through FCJ Refugee Centre, and is for individuals not eligible to receive any other financial support.
https://www.fcjrefugeecentre.org/2021/02/temporary-covid-isolation-emergency-support-fund/
2. Ontario – About emergency assistance
If you are in an emergency situation and you live in Ontario, you might be eligible for emergency assistance.
If you are eligible for emergency assistance, the amount you get will depend on your specific situation. In most cases you will not get more than what you would get on Ontario Works.
For example, you may get:
approximately $733 for a month if you are a single person and need help paying for food and shelter
more if you have children up to 48 days of support depending on your specific situation
If you think you will need assistance for a month or more, you can apply for Ontario Works online or by calling your local office.
https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-emergency-assistance
Income Supports overview for HPC Strategy partners March 2021
Other Resources
View/Upload photos of East Effort programs here
Income Supports overview for HPC Strategy partners March 2021
More info on the East Toronto Health Partners: https://ethp.ca/
Meetings and Memos:
Phase 3 Information: Phase 3 – Engagement
April 7th Partners Meeting about East Effort Projects in Phase 2: Slides Zoom recording
April 7th Meeting about East Effort Individual and Family Support Fund: Slides Zoom recording
Memo to Partners – March 30, 2021
Partner Meeting – March 2 Presentation
Senior Leadership session: East Effort – Community COVID Response Project – Jan 27th Presentation
29 Jan Managers Session East Effort Presentation