Latest Updates from the Scarborough Ontario Health Team
Scarborough Ontario Health Team Monthly Newsletter
Tables of Contents:
Messages:
Message from the SOHT Director
#ScarboroughStrong In Focus: Mental Health Awareness Month
SOHT Working Group/ Committee Updates:
Client and Family Advisory Committee- Call for Members
Communication Committee- Upcoming Publications
Opportunities in Focus:
Curious about how AI can benefit your clinical practice? Join the Health Care Unburdened Grant Program.
SOHT Partner Updates:
A new era of learning at SHN- Major transformation of our spaces are coming!
Research needs Scarborough and Scarborough needs YOU- Apply to join our Research Ethics Board.
Messages:
1.Message from the SOHT Director:
As we move through May, I want to take a moment to recognize important national observances – Mental Health Awareness Month, Stress Awareness Month, and Nurses Week. These offer us time to account for the critical importance of mental health, an ongoing need to mitigate the pressures faced by our communities and workforce, and deep appreciation we owe to our nursing professionals.
Here in Scarborough, our collective efforts across 40 partner organizations continue to build more equitable and integrated support. With mental health awareness month in focus, for this month’s feature under #ScarboroughStrong, we share with you vignettes that were offered by some of our partners on the important work they are doing to address holistic mental health.
Scarborough Ontario Health Team (SOHT) is working to refresh the Strategic Plan (Scarborough Ontario Health Team (SOHT) launches a Strategic Plan Refresh to meet community needs - Scarborough Ontario Health Team) to better meet community needs. Our consultant – Health Innovation Group – has finished the engagement and analysis phase of the work. We are now focused on validating findings, which includes planning a critical engagement of decision-makers in June. I sincerely thank you for your involvement and contribution too during the engagement phase.
We are also working with key decision-makers to establish SOHT’s Primary Care Network, a requirement set out by Ontario Health (Primary Care Networks in Ontario Health Teams: Guidance Document). For the 25-26 fiscal year, we are planning to deliver upon at least 20 projects focused on priorities set out by Ontario Health. In the months to come, through this forum and SOHT’s social media, we will share updates from various working groups and committees on developments and solutions that will emerge. For example, in April, SOHT’s decision-makers came together to support a time-sensitive selection process for (Interprofessional Primary Care Funding- Approach for Round 1 Applications - Scarborough Ontario Health Team). We await decisions from Ontario Health and the Ministry of Health that will address a critical need in Scarborough.
I look forward to sharing more in upcoming issues and sign off with gratitude for your continued partnership and hope for all that we will accomplish in the months ahead.
Warmly,
Surkhab Peerzada
Director, Scarborough Ontario Health Team.
2.#ScarboroughStrong In Focus: Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to raise our collective voice about the importance of mental well-being, break down stigma, and celebrate the efforts of those working to make care more accessible and inclusive for all. Across Scarborough, SOHT partners are leading transformative work that not only supports individuals in crisis but also creates lasting pathways to healing and empowerment.
As part of #ScarboroughStrong feature, for this issue, we are profiling stories from select SOHT partners that speak to delivering EPIC CARE (Excellent, Person-Centred, Innovative, Collaborative, Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful, and Equitable) in Scarborough.
1.A Circle of Support at Lawrence East - Lawrence East Partnership Program (LEPP)
At Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (SCHC), community collaboration and culturally responsive care are at the heart of our mental health initiatives. The Lawrence East Partnership Program (LEPP), a joint effort with COTA Health (Cota) and Fred Victor, provides wraparound support to residents of 4175 and 4205 Lawrence Avenue East who are living with complex mental health and addictions challenges.
Through drop-in programming and outreach, LEPP helps reduce social isolation, supports stable housing, and connects clients to vital health and harm reduction services—all within a recovery-oriented model of care. We are also excited to launch Healing Roots, a new program designed to support Black children and youth. This initiative offers group programs, counselling, and community-based activities that promote resilience, belonging, and emotional well-being. By creating safe, culturally affirming spaces, Healing Roots empowers youth to navigate challenges and build strong peer connections.
Together, these programs reflect SCHC’s commitment to inclusive, accessible mental health care across our community.
2. Integrated Care Pathway: Seamless Support Across Systems
In a fragmented healthcare system, four organizations – CMHA Toronto, CMHA Durham, Scarborough Health Network, and Ontario Shores – joined forces to co-create the Integrated Care Pathway for People Diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Launched in 2022, this pioneering partnership ensures seamless transitions across hospital and community settings, reducing trauma and duplication by introducing a single intake process and shared care standards. At the heart of the model are Integrated Care Coordinators who advocate for clients and bridge organizational silos. This collaborative effort is improving recovery outcomes, reducing wait times, and laying the groundwork for a more connected mental health care system.
3. TAIBU CHC & Scarborough Community Legal Services (SCLS): Legal Empowerment as Mental Health Care
TAIBU Community Health Centers (TAIBU) has had many partnerships over the years that have highlighted a commitment to mental health and the Scarborough community. More recently, through the Toronto Community Crisis Service we have embarked on a partnership with Scarborough Community Legal Services (SCLS) to bring legal awareness to a community that is often forgotten and apprehensive about accessing services.
SCLS has been integral in becoming a part of our initiative to empower the Black community to become advocates for themselves. We have seen clients gain knowledge and insight through SCLS and become resources for their friends and family who are in need. SCLS is helping TAIBU one client at a time to bring awareness and shine a light on injustices that they face on a daily basis. We are humbled at the opportunity to continue this great work and look forward to the next chapter of growth for the Scarborough Community.
SOHT Working Group/ Committee Updates:
1.Client and Family Advisory Committee- Call for Members
The Client Family Advisory Council is looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join their committee. They are seeking diverse voices from our members who are committed to improving the experience of care and supporting the development of programs that prioritize the needs and perspectives of those we serve.
As a member of the Client Family Advisory Council, you will:
- Advocate for the needs and interests of clients and their families within healthcare settings.
- Collaborate with healthcare professionals and leadership to improve services and policies.
- Provide valuable feedback to ensure that care delivery is compassionate, effective, and patient-centered.
- Shape decisions that impact the experiences of clients and their families, promoting a more inclusive and responsive system.
If you are passionate about enhancing the healthcare experience and making a meaningful impact, we encourage you to apply. To express your interest or learn more email kali1@shn.ca
Contributed by: SOHT CFAC members
2.Communication Committee- Upcoming Publications
SOHT Partner Newsletter: The audience for this are SOHT partners and collaborators within and beyond Scarborough. The issue is published monthly on the third Tuesday of the month. Critical details for upcoming publications include:
- Frequency: Monthly (3rd Tuesday of the Month)
- Content Due Date: 1st Monday of the month
- Upcoming Publication: July 17th, 2025
SOHT Community Newsletter: The audience for this are Scarborough patients, caregiver, healthcare providers, and local residents interested in staying informed about health initiatives, resources and events that support better care and well-being in Scarborough.
- Frequency: Quarterly (3rd Saturday of the Month)
- Content Due Date: 1st Monday of the month
- Upcoming Publication: August 16th, 2025
If you'd like to add content, please feel free to drop it into our google drive link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oDk0IT9axWoVkowaW9aY6gV2zR7nxBNrmPcmOQQgfJc/edit?usp=sharing
We appreciate your contributions and look forward to including your content in our upcoming newsletters.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to: Sharunya Pushpaharan at spushpaharan@shn.ca.
Thank you for your support! #ScarboroughStrong
Contributed by: SOHT Communication Committee
Opportunities in Focus:
1. Curious about how AI can benefit your clinical practice? Join the Health Care Unburdened Grant Program.
Ambient scribe technology supports care clinics by transcribing patient-clinician conversations in real-time, enhancing medical record documentation, and potentially saving you up to 50% on your charting time.
Funded by Scotiabank in collaboration with the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and MD Financial Management Inc. (MD), the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto and Scarborough Ontario Health Team will support family practices in adopting Ambient Scribe technology as part of the Health Care Unburdened Grant (HCUG) program
Find out more and register today!
Please contact us at cynthia.kitchen@ehealthce.ca if you have any questions.
SOHT Partner Updates
1.A new era of learning at SHN- Major transformation of our spaces are coming!
As part of Scarborough Health Network’s (SHN) expansion of education through its partnership with the University of Toronto on the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH), the organization will be welcoming a growing number of learners for clinical training, beginning with an increase in medical students during the 2025–26 academic year. For the first time, core medical learners will rotate through every clinical department at SHN’s hospitals.
To prepare the facilities, significant changes are being made to spaces across the organization, and SHN is excited to share these developments.
2. Research needs Scarborough and Scarborough needs YOU- Apply to join our Research Ethics Board.
SHN’s Research Ethics Board (REB) is looking to recruit new members from the communities it serves to bring lived experiences and diverse insights to the review of research considerations. SHN encourages candidates from indigenous, racialized and LGBTQ2S+ communities, people of colour, women, people with disabilities and individuals who identify with the diverse communities that make up Scarborough, to apply.
All research at SHN is guided by the REB, a multidisciplinary board whose members are committed to reviewing all research at SHN and organizations that are a part of the Scarborough Ontario Health Team. The REB examines the potential risks and benefits, ethical implications, protection of participants, and the relevance of the research.
