FOURTH ANNUAL
MCMASTER
HEALTH
ADVOCACY
Symposium
Hamilton, Ontario
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Thank you so much for making the symposium a success!
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Click here for details on this year's symposium.
Exploring & Inspiring Health Advocacy
About
The primary aim of this symposium is to stimulate dialogue between those who will be working in health care, policy, and research towards greater equity and health outcomes for all. We also hope to support students in healthcare-related programs in their development as ‘health advocates’, one of the core CanMEDS competencies for future physicians.
We hope our symposium will be an opportunity to explore the skills needed for effective advocacy, ideas around why and how to advocate responsibly, various shapes and forms of health-related advocacy, and the myriad possible roles of health professionals (as care providers, administrators, researchers, policy makers, etc.) in working to enable and restore health at the individual, community, and international levels.
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Note: An IPE Exposure Credit is available for McMaster students attending this event! For more information, please visit the PIPER website.
Speakers
KEYNOTES
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Upstream Action: Engaging Health Workers in the Movement for Decent Work
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"Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will." - Frederick Douglass
This keynote will focus on how we can be allies and follow the lead of community organizers to be part of a movement for social change. Employment status and working conditions are key social determinants of health, leading frontline health workers and academics to call on government to implement changes. Dr. Andrew Pinto and Deena Ladd will discuss the formation of the Decent Work and Health Network (DWHN), an advocacy group that has mobilized around the connection between employment and health. The DWHN was developed by the provincial $15 and Fairness campaign and Health Providers Against Poverty in 2015 as an “upstream” intervention to influence policy. Critical to the timing of this effort was the policy window afforded by the Changing Workplaces Review, which was commissioned by the Ontario government to account for widespread changes in employment since the law was last updated. By engaging health providers in a variety of advocacy tactics, including speaking to the media, organizing press conferences, participating in demonstrations, and conducting workshops, the DWHN has offered a health perspective on employment law changes. The government’s new Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 (Bill 148) contains several provisions called for by the DWHN, including the elimination of sick notes, extending paid Personal Emergency Leave days to all workers, and implementing a $15/hour minimum wage. Dr. Pinto and Ms. Ladd will discuss the process of forming this advocacy coalition and key strategies to effect policy change that will promote better health for all.
DR. ANDREW PINTO
Dr. Andrew Pinto is the founder and director of the Upstream Lab (www.upstreamlab.org). He is a public health and preventive medicine specialist and family physician at St. Michael’s Hospital. Dr. Pinto completed his residency at the University of Toronto and his Master’s in Health Policy, Planning and Financing at the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Currently, he is a Scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. His research is focused on health economics, equity and the evaluation of complex population health interventions.
DEENA LADD
Deena Ladd has been working to improve wages and working conditions in sectors of work that are dominated with low-wages, violations of rights, precarious and part- time work for the past 25 years. She is active in the Fight for $15 and Fairness Campaign, Decent Work and Health Network, the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change and in the Social Justice Committee at her daughter's elementary school. Deena is one of the founders and a co-ordinator of the Toronto Workers' Action Centre. The Workers' Action Centre organizes to improve wages and working conditions with low-waged workers, women, racialized and immigrant workers in precarious jobs that face discrimination, violations of rights and no benefits in the workplace.
Transgender Healthcare in the 21st Century: Why It Matters
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There has been an explosion of interest in transgender lives in the last 15 to 20 years. The need to recognize gender identity and gender expression has in fact become legally recognized at the provincial and the federal level. With these new found rights have come the demand for access to healthcare for transgender identified people. Unlike LGB allies, transgender people often request and require medical and surgical intervention in order to complete their transitions. Unfortunately, access to good quality transgender healthcare is still a challenge for many Canadians from coast to coast. There is no training offered in a meaningful way for transgender health concerns and little education at the undergraduate level. There are no post graduate training programs. In this presentation, we will be presented with the argument that good transgender healthcare benefits all of us. The goal is to encourage students and trainees to undertake education in transgender healthcare and to continue this training into clinical practice.
DR. CARYS MASSARELLA
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Dr. Carys Massarella is an attending emergency physician at St. Joseph's Healthcare in Hamilton as well as the lead physician for the Transgender Care Program at Quest Community Health Centre in St. Catharines. She sees and treats transgender identified clients of all ages, and is a leading expert in transgender care in Ontario. She also teaches at the Michael G. Degroote School of Medicine, where she is an Assistant Clinical Professor.
Dr. Massarella lectures widely on transgender health care and has done a TEDx talk on “The Depathologization of Trans Identity.” She recently presented “The False Narrative of Deception” at TEDx Hamilton and appeared in the CBC Doc Zone documentary “Transforming Gender.” She was the first transgendered person to become President of a large teaching hospital medical staff anywhere in the world, and was named one of the World's 50 Transgender Icons by the Huffington Post. Dr. Massarella has also appeared in the CBC television series “Keeping Canada Alive.” She sits on Rainbow Health Ontario’s gender advisory committee for gender independent children and is a member of WPATH. In addition, she has been appointed to the Executive of the Hamilton Academy of Medicine, an organization of more than 700 physicians, and recently was awarded the YWCA 2017 Women of Distinction Award for Health. She was also recently appointed to the Board of the YWCA Hamilton.
WORKSHOPS
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The Health Advocacy Toolkit: Strategies for Participating in the Movement for Decent Work and Health
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Abstract: In this workshop, participants will learn how to engage right away in health advocacy focused on employment as a social determinant of health. Building on a case study of the Decent Work and Health Network and the Fight for $15 and Fairness, the workshop will offer participants the opportunity to see how the social determinants of health can be addressed at the policy level. We will examine how precarious work is linked to poor health, and will share strategies that health providers and workers' rights organizers have used to influence policy decisions, most notably the Ontario government's Bill 148: Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017. Participants can expect to bring their own experience and ideas to the conversation, and will emerge with new tools to participate in the movement for decent work and health.
DR. ANDREW PINTO
Dr. Andrew Pinto is the founder and director of the Upstream Lab (www.upstreamlab.org). He is a public health and preventive medicine specialist and family physician at St. Michael’s Hospital. Dr. Pinto completed his residency at the University of Toronto and his Master’s in Health Policy, Planning and Financing at the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Currently, he is a Scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. His research is focused on health economics, equity and the evaluation of complex population health interventions.
DEENA LADD
Deena Ladd has been working to improve wages and working conditions in sectors of work that are dominated with low-wages, violations of rights, precarious and part- time work for the past 25 years. She is active in the Fight for $15 and Fairness Campaign, Decent Work and Health Network, the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change and in the Social Justice Committee at her daughter's elementary school. Deena is one of the founders and a co-ordinator of the Toronto Workers' Action Centre. The Workers' Action Centre organizes to improve wages and working conditions with low-waged workers, women, racialized and immigrant workers in precarious jobs that face discrimination, violations of rights and no benefits in the workplace.
Making Advocacy Engaging: Infusing Artistic/Creative Practices into Health Advocacy Work
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Abstract: Art has the power to engage people from many varying backgrounds and experiences both in its creation and consumption. This makes it an accessible tool to many which can be used to change the hearts and minds of people on large scales. This is a participatory workshop that looks at the concept of advocacy work from a unique lens. It is focused on building health advocacy skills, while exploring concrete examples of advocacy work currently taking place. Come ready to share, learn and get those creative juices flowing.
KEISHA WILLIAMS
Keisha Williams is a Health Promoter and Artist. In 2016, she completed a Masters of Public Health in Social and Behavioural Health Sciences at University of Toronto. Keisha works to support the physical, mental, social and spiritual health of all people with a health equity focus on Black/queer/trans/youth/racialized/criminalized/HIV+ communities. She is currently on a secondment serving as the Interim Executive Director at Maggie’s — a harm reduction based, health and advocacy focused organization that supports Sex Workers. Over the past 8 years prior to this she has worked with women prisoners and ex-prisoners at PASAN, an HIV/AIDS service organization. She is also the Secretary of the Board of Directors at Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre. She has an undergraduate background in Public Affairs and Policy Management, with a specialization in human rights.
Within the art sphere, her favourite artistic mediums are filmmaking, acting and dance. In her artwork, she attempts to accurately portray the lives of the communities she works within. She fuses her experience as a health promoter with her work as an artist, attempting to create socially relevant content that discusses health, promotes healthy sexuality and advocates for systemic and meaningful change.
She holds awards from the Canadian Association for HIV research, the Federation of University Women, an Access, Equity and Human Rights award from the City of Toronto and recently a BravoFACT film grant from the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
Understanding, Awareness and Action: Advocating for Change in the Field of Eating Disorders
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Abstract: This workshop will be a snapshot into the work being done by Carly Crawford and NIED (National Initiative for Eating Disorders) putting eating disorders on the mental health radar. Carly will review her experience as a patient and now psychotherapist working in the field of eating disorders. Key points identified include: the gaps in services, barriers to treatment, stigma, and current work being done by NIED to help rectify these issues.
CARLY CRAWFORD
Carly Crawford is a registered psychotherapist that has been working in private practice since 2010. She is trained in CBT, ACT, DBT, and mindfulness-based therapy among other evidenced-based techniques of psychotherapy. Carly devoted her research at McMaster University to eating disorders and has specialized in the treatment of complex cases of eating disorders since 2009. Carly has experience treating individuals with anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and challenges related to life stressors and finding balance. Carly seeks to disempower mental illness by continuing to help individuals increase their self-esteem, confidence, self-worth, body image, and ultimately giving them a voice. Carly is passionate about putting as much emphasis on healing our minds as we do on healing our bodies. Carly first began her advocacy work as the Program Director at Danielle’s Place Eating Disorder Support and Resource Centre in 2009, and has since sat on the NIED Executive Committee since 2012.
Health Justice, Medical Legal Partnerships, and You
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Abstract: In this workshop, you will meet Rami Shoucri (clinical champion) and Johanna Macdonald (onsite lawyer) with the St. Michael’s Hospital Health Justice Initiative. You will learn about medical-legal partnerships and gain insight into the Health Justice Initiative’s collaborative primary care practice. Through a case study, you will practice identifying advocacy opportunities in a clinical setting.
This workshop aims to attract individuals interested in exploring the creation of health justice partnerships and the practical application of clinical interventions on the social determinants of health and access to justice.
JOHANNA MACDONALD
Johanna is a staff lawyer at Neighbourhood Legal Services (NLS), working as the onsite lawyer with the Health Justice Initiative. The Initiative partners community and speciality legal clinics NLS, ARCH Disability Law Centre, Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto, and HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO) with St. Michael’s Hospital and the St. Michael’s Hospital Academic Family Health Team. A lawyer with dedicated roots in the legal clinic system that encourages collective action, Johanna is passionate about seeking new systems to improve how we care for one another, support access to justice, and increase social and economic equality in our society. The Health Justice Initiative provides space for collaboration with community members, the legal community, and new colleagues in the health field who share this aim.
Prior to joining the Initiative, Johanna was the Street Youth Legal Services Lawyer at Justice for Children and Youth. She also worked internationally at the Khmer Institute of Democracy in Cambodia, with student legal clinics, and in the non profit sector. She received her LL.B. from the University of British Columbia, and her LL.M. from Osgoode Hall Law School, with particular focus on access to administrative justice. Johanna lives in Toronto with her partner Linda. She volunteers with the Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust and enjoys all types of outdoor athletic pursuits.
DR. RAMI SHOUCRI
I am a family physician at the St. Michael’s Hospital Academic Family Health Team in Toronto. Prior to my medical training, I completed undergraduate (Osgoode, 2007) and graduate (U of T, 2008) degrees in law. I have had a full time clinical appointment in the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) at the University of Toronto since 2016. Prior to joining the staff at St. Michael’s, I was a staff physician for the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority serving the people of the western coast of James Bay for 2.5 years.
As a resident in the DFCM at St. Michael’s from 2012-2014, my resident academic project consisted of a literature review and a needs assessment for a Medical Legal Partnership (MLP) housed within the SMH DFCM. This work supported a successful application for funding from Legal Aid Ontario to develop an MLP, now called the Health Justice Initiative (HJI), which is a partnership between St. Michael’s Hospital Academic Family Health Team, St. Michael’s Hospital, and legal clinics ARCH Disability Law Centre, Aboriginal Legal Services Toronto, HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic of Ontario, and Neighbourhood Legal Services. I work 0.8 full time equivalents (FTEs) as a clinician and I have 0.2 FTEs dedicated to my role as Clinical Champion for the Health Justice Initiative.
The Power of Social Media, Digital Network Building and Advocacy to Advance Health Equity
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Abstract: Sustaining momentum from a successful conference can be tricky, but social media is an effective tool to keep conversations going online, and off! Fueled off the energy created from the 2016 Dalla Lana Student-Led Conference, the Racial Health Equity Network was developed by Anjum Sultana in 2016 as a platform on Facebook to broaden a small group where Master’s of Public Health students shared relevant articles, news, events, and job opportunities related to racial health equity in Canada, and globally. The group has grown from a few dozen, to over 1100 members! The group serves as a support group for early career public health professionals interested in racial health equity issues, and a platform to turn values into action and advocacy.
This workshop will inspire participants interested in social justice and health equity on useful strategies to transform hashtag movements into action and empowerment for the communities that we are a part of and intend to advocate for. Through a series of case examples and interactive activities, we will demonstrate the impact social media, digital network building and advocacy can have on driving policy change to advance health equity. By the end of the session, participants will learn about strategies, opportunities and best practices to jumpstart their careers as budding health advocates.
ANJUM SULTANA
Anjum Sultana is public health professional focused on advancing health equity in the Greater Toronto Area through action on the social determinants of health. She has conducted projects on topics such as the health impact of social protection policies, mental health, civic engagement, and immigrant health. Currently, Anjum works as a Junior Fellow at the Wellesley Institute where she works on a range of research and policy projects related to the economic determinants of health and promoting equity in health care for diverse communities.
Anjum Sultana completed her post-secondary education at the University of Toronto where she graduated with an Honours Bachelors of Science in Health Studies, Psychology and Neuroscience in 2014, and graduated with a Masters of Public Health from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH) in 2016. While at DLSPH, Anjum completed a specialization in Health Promotion and a Fellowship in the Collaborative Program in Public Health Policy. During her graduate studies, Anjum was Co-Chair of the 8th Annual Dalla Lana Student-Led Conference entitled ‘Racial Justice Matters: Advocating for Racial Health Equity’ and was Executive Co-Director of IMAGINE, the University of Toronto’s student-run interprofessional clinic and health promotion initiative. Anjum is passionate about the intersection of public health, human rights and the social determinants of health, with a focus on the health and wellbeing of marginalized populations, with a special focus on racialized communities.
To connect with Anjum Sultana, follow her online on Twitter at @anjumsultana!
FATIMA MUSSA
Fatima Mussa is a public health professional currently working as a Project Coordinator at the CIHR’s Institute of Population and Public Health. In this role, Fatima supports research, knowledge exchange, and policy change addressing health equity and population health in Canada and abroad. As a daughter of determined refugees and a Master's of Public Health alum from University of Toronto, Fatima uses her platform to engage communities, service providers, and policymakers in actions of systems change for refugee health and health equity. Fatima's previous work experiences in community-based research and advocacy include working with refugee and immigrant communities from Toronto at Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services, and Boston at the Harvard School of Public Health. You can find Fatima on Twitter — @fmamussa.
Supervised Injection Sites: Studying Need and Feasibility in Hamilton
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Abstract: A comprehensive approach to drug and substance misuse includes prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement. This workshop will explore harm reduction strategies with a focus on supervised injection sites (SISs). SISs are legally operated indoor health facilities where people can inject their pre-obtained illicit drugs under the supervision of medically trained staff, who can respond in the event of an overdose as well as connect clients to social services and medical care. While there are over 90 SISs internationally, a limited number currently exist in Canada, but the need for SISs is being explored by many cities in Canada including in Hamilton. In May 2017, Hamilton Public Health Services (PHS) in collaboration with McMaster University’s Master of Public Health program began a study to assess the need and feasibility of one or more SISs in Hamilton.
This workshop will increase participants’ understanding of harm reduction services in relation to drug and substance misuse, as well as awareness of what services are currently offered by PHS in Hamilton. This workshop will also walk participants through components of the SIS Needs Assessment and Feasibility Study conducted by PHS, including engaging a wide range of community members, including people who inject drugs. The session will also encourage participants to consider strategies for working with members of vulnerable populations.
Learning objectives:
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Explore risks and challenges faced by people who inject drugs
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Learn what a harm reduction approach is and examples of harm reduction
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Increase knowledge about supervised injection sites (SISs)
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Learn about Hamilton’s SIS Needs Assessment and Feasibility Study
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Increase awareness of considerations and strategies to engage with community members and members of vulnerable populations
LYDIA CHENG
MPH; Epidemiologist, City of Hamilton Public Health Services | Lydia Cheng is an epidemiologist at Hamilton Public Health Services supporting several projects including the Supervised Injection Site Needs Assessment & Feasibility Study and opioid overdose monitoring. Prior to this role, Lydia worked for various public health agencies in Ontario and the Northwest Territories, focusing on the surveillance and control of tuberculosis and other communicable diseases
DR. LAURA BOURNS
MD, CCFP, FRCPC; Public Health Physician, City of Hamilton Public Health Services | Laura Bourns is a graduate of the University of Ottawa’s Public Health and Preventive Medicine program and also a family physician. She is currently a Public Health Physician with Hamilton Public Health Services supporting several programs and projects including the Supervised Injection Site Needs Assessment & Feasibility Study, opioid response, communicable disease and vaccine preventable disease.
ELISA BERG
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MPH; Research Assistant, Hamilton Supervised Injection Site Needs Assessment & Feasibility Study | Elisa Berg is a recent graduate of the Master of Public Health program at McMaster University, working on the quantitative portion of SIS NAFS. She completed her BSc. in Medical Sciences at Brock University, with a focus on Health Research Methods. Elisa has had the opportunity to work as a student at several public health units in Ontario, and is interested in community-driven Epidemiology.
ANNE KANG
MPH (c); Research Assistant, Hamilton Supervised Injection Site Needs Assessment & Feasibility Study | Anne Kang is a Master of Public Health candidate working as a research assistant on the qualitative portion of SIS NAFS. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at McMaster University. Her final consolidation placement was at Hamilton Public Health, where she discovered a passion for youth and mental health, and exploring the role of social determinants of health. Prior to the MPH program, Anne worked as a Registered Nurse in long-term care and various community centres.
SHIVALI KAUSHAL
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MPH (c); Research Assistant, Hamilton Supervised Injection Site Needs Assessment & Feasibility Study | Shivali Kaushal is a Master of Public Health candidate working as a research assistant on the qualitative portion of SIS NAFS. She completed her BSc. at the University of Guelph in Biological Sciences, where she developed a strong interest in epidemiology and health communication.
KIMIA KHOEE
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MPH (c); Research Assistant, Hamilton Supervised Injection Site Needs Assessment & Feasibility Study | Kimia Khoee is a current Master of Public Health candidate at McMaster University, working on the quantitative portion of SIS NAFS. She recently completed her BSc. in Life Sciences from Queen’s University, where her experiences fostered her interests in epidemiology and health systems.
Testimonials
Mac Health Advocacy Symposium was stimulating, engaging, and an all-around great experience! Come if you’re interested in getting involved in advocacy work and learning from people leading exciting initiatives in the area, no matter what discipline/profession you are from.
— MD Candidate, Class of 2018
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Motivating, inspiring, organized beautifully. I loved the progression of speakers; it was logical and supportive of our growth as advocates. It has allowed me to be more critical of my advocacy/activism techniques and biases.
— MD Candidate, Class of 2016
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The speakers and workshops had excellent, on-point, focused, relevant topics that were valuable. Having a wide variety of speakers with different & practical experiences gives valuable insight into how advocacy can be practiced. The food and environment/classrooms were also excellent.
— M.Sc. Global Health Student
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It was a great opportunity to learn about exciting resources, along with meeting innovators that are bridging the gap between clinical medicine and health advocacy.
— David, MD Candidate, Class of 2018
Past Events
 WorkshopParticipants in a workshop with Dr. Ritika Goel |  NetworkingParticipants networking |  2016 Co-Chairs2016 Co-Chairs (left to right: Yen Foong, Laura Chu, Savannah Silva) |
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 RefreshmentsMorning refreshments |  NetworkingParticipants networking |  NetworkingParticipants networking over coffee |
 RegistrationVolunteers at the registration table (left to right: Toni Mihaylova, Téa Rosic) |  RefreshmentsParticipants eating breakfast |
Sponsors
TITLE SPONSORS:
PRESENTING SPONSOR:
Accessibility
The Health Advocacy Symposium is committed to hosting an event that is accessible to people with a variety of abilities and disabilities, people of all gender identities, people with a range of dietary needs, and people of all socioeconomic statuses.
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If you require an accessibility-related measure (e.g., childcare, sign language interpretation, accessible parking, specific dietary requirements, free admission for a support person, or any other accessibility-related measure) please contact Claire Bodkin, symposium co-chair. We will do our best to arrange any accessibility supports you require. The earlier you contact us, the more likely it is we will be able to meet all of your needs.
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Note: The ChromeVox extension can be used as a screen reader with this website in Google Chrome browser.
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Venue
Please see the map below for the event location.
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McMaster Innovation Park
175 Longwood Rd S, Suite 105
Hamilton, ON L8P 0A1
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Gender neutral washrooms are available. The venue, venue entrance, all event spaces, and washrooms are wheelchair accessible. Some spaces have automatic doors, including the door into the venue. Where there are not automatic doors, we will prop them open and you can ask event volunteers for assistance. The venue is accessible by public transit and wheelchair transit; parking is free and wheelchair parking spots are available.​
To provide a chemical and fragrance free event for people with multiple chemical sensitivities, we request that participants refrain from using colognes, perfumes, or scented body care products before or during the event. Please wear something that has had limited exposure to the items above, as well as chemical based and scented laundry detergents or fabric softeners. Finally, please limit exposure of other attendees to scents associated with smoking by washing your hands after smoking and wearing clothing that have limited exposure to smoke. If you’d like more resources on how to go low-scent or scent free, check out this link: http://www.peggymunson.com/mcs/fragrancefree.html.
We request that participants do their best to respect others’ pronouns — for information on what pronouns are and how to make sure we’re all using the right pronouns for other people, check out this link: http://everydayfeminism.com/2014/11/pronoun-etiquette/.
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