The Rexdale Community Health Centre

1
The Rexdale Community Health Centre

• What do we do?
• Who do we serve?
• Where are we located?

2
CW LHIN

• RCHC is located with the Central West LHIN which
  consists of urban, suburban and rural communities
  with a population of 720,000.
• CW LHIN also has one of the highest proportion of
  visible minorities in the province at 40
• 9 of the population is 65

3
Community context

• We serve Ward 1 and Ward 2 of Toronto
• Just over 19.0 of households in Ward 1 had
  income under 20,000.00, while 16.3 in Ward 2
  and 18.5 of households in Toronto
• Ward 1 population is made up of 60.4 immigrants
  and Ward 2 has 50.3 immigrants.
• North Etobicoke has one of the highest crime
  rates in the GTA related to homicide, attempted
  murders, sexual assaults and other assaults.

4
Cultural Competency in practice

• The Centre has made an organizational commitment
  and active decision to be culturally competent
• This commitment involves constant reflection and
  action to respond innovatively to cultural
  diversity at all levels of the organization
• For example, we utilize community demographic
  profiles to identify communities not engaged then
  develop strategies to do so
• Cultural diversity is integrated into policies
  procedures, staffing and recruitment, promotional
  materials, training, visual art etc.

5
Ethnocultural Seniors Program

• Weekly Health and Fitness program
• Arts and Craft Program offered in Centre and
  B/427 on Thursdays
• Organized 8 workshops on Health and Wellness
• Organized 5 special events including Seniors
  Month Event, Holiday event and Mothers Day
• Birthday celebrations for the seniors
• 60 registered members (average attendance is 32)

5
6
One size does NOT fit all

• Wrap-Around Services
• Health Services (outreach at malls, CDMP,
  physiotherapy, chiropody, etc.)
• Social supports Food (respite support for
  caregivers, congregate dining, drop in,
  workshops, friendly visits, etc)

7
If you build it they may NOT come

• Remove any barriers to participation
• Transportation (partnership with ANS, Red Cross)
• Child care (in many cultures grandparents are
  caregivers)
• Language / cultural interpretation (ESL classes)

8
Keys to cultural competency

• Diversity cannot happen only within a program, it
  must be incorporated into the organizational
  structure
• Be innovative and creative seek out partnerships
  and collaboration with ethnocultural groups
• If an ethnocultural group is not represented find
  out why and how to engage