The Case for Diversity — Promising Practices
Update 22 June 2023 – Some of these promising practices are no longer in operation. In those cases, the information has been preserved, and the broken link has been removed.
Canada’s prosperity, growth and strength are tied to the diversity of the nation. And yet, there is an urgent need to develop mental health services to meet the needs of immigrant, refugee, ethno-cultural and racialized (IRER) populations living in Canada.
To provide better services and supports for IRER populations, stakeholders told the MHCC that they needed evidence of what was working across the country.
The Case for Diversity project identified programs, policies, treatments and supports that have the capacity to effectively address disparities in mental health service delivery in Canada. These practices of interest were either submitted through an online call for practices of interest or by the Case for Diversity research team.
Nova Scotia
| Promising Practice Name: | Newcomer Community Wellness Project |
| Organization: | Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant |
| Location: | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Community Engagement; Education |
| Promising Practice Name: | Nova Scotia Interpreting Services |
| Organization: | Nova Scotia Interpreting Services |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee; Ethno-Cultural; Racialized |
| Location: | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | The Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children Restorative Inquiry |
| Organization: | Government of Nova Scotia |
| Target Population(s): | Racialized |
| Location: | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
Quebec
| Promising Practice Name: | Cultural Consultation Service (CCS) |
| Organization: | Jewish General Hospital |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrants; Refugees |
| Location: | Montreal, Quebec |
| Promising Practices Category: | |
| Identified by Project Team |
| Promising Practice Name: | Regional Program for the Settlement and Integration of Asylum Seekers (PRAIDA) |
| Organization: | CSSS de la Montagne |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee |
| Location: | Montreal, Quebec |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | RIVO (Montreal) |
| Organization: | RIVO (Montreal) |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee |
| Location: | Montreal, Quebec |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
Ontario
| Promising Practice Name: | Across Boundaries: An Ethno-racial Mental Health Centre |
| Organization: | Across Boundaries: An Ethno-racial Mental Health Centre |
| Target Population(s): | Racialized Individuals |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Learning Exchange Pilot Project (LEPP) |
| Organization: | Gerstein Crisis Center and Ryerson University’s Internationally Educated Social Work Professionals (IESW) Bridging Program |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Social Determinants of Health |
| Promising Practice Name: | Promise of Partnership |
| Organization: | Carizon, Reception House, Family and Children services, Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington Dufferin (CMHAWWD) |
| Target Population(s): | Refugees |
| Location: | Kitchener, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Community Engagement; Health Promotion and Prevention; Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Clinical Counselling Program |
| Organization: | Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO) |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrants, refugees (claimants and convention) |
| Location: | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) for Newcomers |
| Organization: | IESW Bridging Program, G. Raymond School of Continuing Education, Ryerson University |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee: Ethno-cultural; Racialized |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | The Opening Doors Project |
| Organization: | CMHA Toronto in partnership with Access Alliance and Across Boundaries, funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada |
| Target Population(s): | Newcomers, Refugees, Youth, Mental Health consumers and Mental Health Service Providers |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Education |
| Promising Practice Name: | Building A Safe Community for Us: South Asian Girls, Teens & Young Women Strategize for Change |
| Organization: | Social Services Network |
| Target Population(s): | South Asian youth |
| Location: | Markham, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Education; Social determinants of health |
| Promising Practice Name: | Outburst! Movement of Young Muslim Women |
| Organization: | Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic |
| Target Population(s): | Young Muslim women |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Education; Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Rehabilitation Action Programme (RAP) |
| Organization: | Canadian Mental Health Association – Toronto Branch |
| Target Population(s): | Individuals 16 years of age and older from Somali, Tamil, Dari and Pashto speaking communities who have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness and would benefit from intensive case management. As well, there is a capacity to serve other clients where there is an ethno-cultural component to their mental health presentation. |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Diversity in Action Scarborough (DIAS) |
| Organization: | East Metro Youth Services |
| Target Population(s): | Refugee/ Immigrants – (Afghan, Tamil & Chinese) in Greater Toronto Area |
| Location: | Scarborough, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Community Engagement; Education; Health Promotion and Prevention |
| Promising Practice Name: | Newcomer Youth Program |
| Organization: | East Metro Youth Services |
| Target Population(s): | Refugee; Immigrant youth aged 12-21 |
| Location: | Scarborough, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Education |
| Promising Practice Name: | OASIS Program |
| Organization: | THRIVE Child and Youth Trauma Services |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant and refugee children, youth and their families |
| Location: | Hamilton, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Community Engagement |
| Promising Practice Name: | Mutual Aid Parenting Program |
| Organization: | London Cross Cultural Learner Centre |
| Target Population(s): | Government Assisted Refugees |
| Location: | London, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Education |
| Promising Practice Name: | Client Support Services (CSS) Program |
| Organization: | COSTI-Toronto; Reception House Waterloo Region-Kitchener; Wesley Urban Ministries- Hamilton; London Cross Cultural Learner Centre-London; Multicultural Council of Windsor & Essex County-Windsor; Catholic Centre for Immigrants-Ottawa |
| Target Population(s): | Government Assisted Refugees (GARs) |
| Location: | Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Essex, Waterloo, London |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Identified by Project Team |
| Promising Practice Name: | Measuring Health Equity |
| Organization: | Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (TCLHIN) |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee; Ethno-cultural; Racialized |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Social determinants of health; Tools |
| Promising Practice Name: | Health Equity Impact Assessment Tool (HEIA) |
| Organization: | Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee; Ethno-cultural; Racialized |
| Location: | Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Social determinants of health; Tools |
| Promising Practice Name: | Hong Fook Mental Health Association |
| Organization: | Hong Fook Mental Health Association |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant, Refugee, Ethno-cultural, Racialized |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team |
| Organization: | Mount Sinai Hospital |
| Target Population(s): | Asian and South East Asian Canadians, Immigrants, Refugees |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | The Canadian Centre for the Victims of Torture (CCVT) |
| Organization: | The Canadian Centre for the Victims of Torture (CCVT) |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant, Refugee, Ethno-cultural, Racialized |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Punjabi Community (PCHS) Mental Health and Addiction Services |
| Organization: | Punjabi Community Health Services (PCHS) |
| Target Population(s): | South Asian, Immigrant, Refugee, Ethno-cultural, Racialized |
| Location: | Mississauga, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | COSTI Mental Health and Problem Gambling Services |
| Organization: | COSTI Immigrant Services |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant, Refugee, Ethno-cultural |
| Location: | Toronto, Peel Region, York Region, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Culturally Adapted – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) |
| Organization: | Centre for Addiction and Mental Health |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant, Refugee, Ethno-cultural, Racialized |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Education; Tools |
| Promising Practice Name: | Language Services Toronto |
| Organization: | Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant, Refugee, Ethno-cultural, Racialized Description: Improved access to language supports was identified as a priority by the Toronto Central LHIN and Toronto area hospitals resulting in the creation of the Language Services Toronto (LST) in 2012. LST provides real-time, over-the-phone interpretation (OPI) services in more than 170 languages, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to clients utilizing health care services in Toronto. The main objectives of the LST program are to eliminate language barriers to accessing quality service and to improve health outcomes by ensuring increased accurate communication between providers and patients through the use of professionally-trained interpreters. The TC LHIN covers the costs of the service for providers in Community Support Services, Community Mental Health and Addictions and Community Health Centres, while hospitals within the LHIN and hospitals/organizations outside the TC LHIN are able to join the program but pay the costs themselves. |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services
|
| Promising Practice Name: | Portuguese Mental Health and Addiction Services |
| Organization: | Toronto Western Hospital |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant, Refugee, Ethno-cultural |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Refugee Mental Health Project |
| Organization: | Centre for Addiction and Mental Health |
| Target Population(s): | Settlement and Healthcare providers |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Education |
| Promising Practice Name: | Wellness and Mental Health, and Problem Gambling Counselling |
| Organization: | Polycultural Immigrant And Community Services |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant, Refugee, Ethno-cultural, Racialized |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Health Promotion and Prevention |
| Promising Practice Name: | Walk-in Counselling Service |
| Organization: | Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre (OCCSC) |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant, refugee, Ethno-cultural; Racialized |
| Location: | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Wellness Group | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Organization: | South Asian Women’s Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Target Population(s): | Ethno-Cultural; Racialized | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Promising Practices Category: | Health Promotion and Prevention |
| Promising Practice Name: | The Newcomer Therapy Program |
| Organization: | Aurora Family Therapy Centre at the University of Winnipeg |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee |
| Location: | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Multicultural Wellness Program |
| Organization: | Mount Carmel Clinic |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee |
| Location: | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services, Education |
| Promising Practice Name: | Psycho-social Support |
| Organization: | N.E.E.D.S Inc. |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee |
| Location: | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Language access interpreter services | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Organization: | Winnipeg Regional Heath Authority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee; Ethno-Cultural; Racialized | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location: | Winnipeg, Manitoba | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Community-based Immigrant Mental Health Education Project and Culturally Responsive Mental Health Intervention Model |
| Organization: | Multicultural Health Brokers Co-operative and Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers |
| Target Population(s): | Children, youth, seniors, parents with immigrant, refugees and temporary resident background |
| Location: | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Promising Practices Category: |
| Promising Practice Name: | Understanding Diversity – Online training available for health care providers |
| Organization: | Alberta Health Services |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee; Ethno-Cultural; Racialized |
| Location: | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Promising Practices Category: | Education; Tools |
| Identified by Project Team |
| Promising Practice Name: | At Home/Chez Soi |
| Organization: | Mental Health Commission of Canada |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant, Refugee, Ethno-cultural, Racialized |
| Location: | Canada (Calgary, Alberta) |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services, Social determinants of health |
| Promising Practice Name: | Mosaic Refugee Health Clinic |
| Organization: | Mosaic Primary Care Network (PNC) |
| Target Population(s): | Refugee |
| Location: | Calgary, Alberta |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services; Education; Social determinants of health |
| Promising Practice Name: | Immigrant Mental Health Counselling |
| Organization: | ASSIST Community Services Centre |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant (English, Madarin and Cantonese speakers) |
| Location: | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
British Columbia
| Promising Practice Name: | ASPIRE |
| Organization: | Muslim Food Bank |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrants and refugees, persons accessing Muslim food bank |
| Location: | Surrey, British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Community Engagement; Health Promotion and Prevention |
| Promising Practice Name: | Counselling Services for Women Survivors of Relationship Abuse or Childhood Sexual Abuse |
| Organization: | Burnaby Family Life |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant mothers with young children |
| Location: | Burnaby, British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Get It? Got It! Community Awareness Puppet Project |
| Organization: | HeadWay, Victoria Epilepsy & Parkinson’s Centre |
| Target Population(s): | Newcomers – immigrant and refugee school age children (6-11) |
| Location: | Victoria, British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Education |
| Promising Practice Name: | Referrals to Multicultural Therapist |
| Organization: | Kamloops Immigrant Services in partnership with Interior Health |
| Target Population(s): | Newcomers to Canada |
| Location: | Kamloops, British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Lens on Life |
| Organization: | DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society |
| Target Population(s): | Somali and Karen refugee and immigrant youth |
| Location: | Surrey, British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Health Promotion and Prevention |
| Promising Practices Category: | Identified by Project Team |
| Promising Practice Name: | The Provincial Language Service |
| Organization: | Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant, Refugee, Ethno-cultural, Racialized |
| Location: | British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Cross Cultural Clinic |
| Organization: | Vancouver Coastal Health |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee; Ethno-Cultural; Racialized |
| Location: | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Chinese Peer Support Program |
| Organization: | Richmond Mental Health Consumer and Friends’ Society |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee; Racialized |
| Location: | Richmond, British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Education; Social determinants of health |
| Promising Practice Name: | Chinese Family Support |
| Organization: | Pathways Clubhouse |
| Target Population(s): | Racialized |
| Location: | Richmond, British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Education; Social determinants of health |
| Promising Practice Name: | Community Mental Wellness Association Of Canada (CMWAC) |
| Organization: | Community Mental Wellness Association Of Canada (CMWAC) |
| Target Population(s): | Ethno-Cultural |
| Location: | Richmond, British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services; Education |
| Promising Practice Name: | Child & Youth Mental Health Counselling |
| Organization: | DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee |
| Location: | Surrey, British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services; Education |
| Promising Practice Name: | Vancouver Association for the Survivors of Torture |
| Organization: | Vancouver Association for the Survivors of Torture |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Refugee |
| Location: | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Services |
| Promising Practice Name: | Engaging Newcomers in Mental Health Promotion |
| Organization: | MOSAIC |
| Target Population(s): | Immigrant; Ethno-cultural; Racialized |
| Location: | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Promising Practices Category: | Community Engagement; Health Promotion and Prevention |