Organization : Solidarity Across Borders Montreal

Project description:

The goal of this project is to research the barriers that prevent non-status migrants from accessing the public health care system in Quebec. This project also aims to provide a list of resources that offer health care to non-status migrants. Because this project has so many aspects, we encourage several students to take it on, jointly if possible.

1) Current policies in Quebec : What are the current policies in place in emergency rooms, clinics and CLSCs regarding provision of care to persons without a RAMQ card or the Programme fédéral de santé intérimaire / Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) document (which provides some coverage for refugee claimants)? More specifically, some of the questions that we would like to answer are :

• If I go to a clinic, do I need to pay to see a doctor if I don’t have a health card or the PFSI document? If so how much? (It would be interesting to know if the amount varies from clinic to clinic, or if the cost is the same in all clinics)
• If I go to a CLSC, do I need to pay to see a doctor if I don’t have a health card or  IFHP document? Is the cost the same in all CLSCs? Do I also need to pay if I want to see a nurse or a social worker?
• If I go to an emergency room, how much will it cost to see a doctor? Is the cost the same for all emergency rooms? Do I need to pay up front or will the hospital bill me? Will I be seen by a nurse in triage (who will determine the acuity of my situation) before I register or do I need to register before being seen in triage? Again, it would be interesting to compare the policies in different Montreal hospitals.

Other relevant questions include : Are there specific policies around accessing prenatal and postnatal care for non-status women? Can non-status women have access to midwives and birthing centers? If so, how? Are there specific policies around accessing mental health services for non-status migrants? Can they freely access crisis centers and/or other community mental health services? If so, how? Are there “alternative” health care services (ie : naturopathy, acupuncture, osteopathy, herbalists, etc.) that can be accessed for free or at low cost by non-status migrants? How do barriers in accessing preventative vs “curative” health care compare for non-status migrants? What are the largest barriers faced by non-status migrants when they attempt to access health care services for themselves or their families?

In order to limit the scope of this research, it would be possible for the student to focus on one or a few neighborhoods in Montreal. Parc-Extension and Côte-des-Neiges (both serviced by the CSSS de la Montagne) would be good starting points.

The format for presenting the results of this research is up to the student, but a document summarizing the main points, written in clear language and that could be eventually transformed into a booklet or flyer would be useful.

2) Services for non-status migrants : This aspect of the project consists of creating a small  document listing services that can be accessed freely by non-status migrants.

The document would include clinics and other health care services, but also community groups that offer services related to health and well being. The documents will ideally be divided into categories (ie : clinics and hospitals, community services, services for trans migrants, services for children, services for pregnant women, mental health, etc.). Because some of this information may not be readily available, SAB members are available to share their knowledge of some health care resources with the student(s) working on this topic. The information would eventually be transferred to a database (the template for this database already exists) so that it could be accessed by non-status migrants and people doing support work with them.

3) Comparing policies : Another goal of this project is also to compare existing policies in Quebec with other jurisdictions in “Canada” (Ontario, for example) around access to the health care system by non-status migrants. It could also be useful to find out if other research has been conducted in the past around access to health care services by non-status migrants.

It would also be interesting to find out if any policies exist regarding sharing a person’s status with the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) or with Immigration Canada. We would also like to know if policies exist, either at a provincial level or at the level of hospital administrations, around allowing CBSA to enter hospitals to detain non-status migrants.

Finally, this aspect could also include finding out whether different unions in the health care system in Quebec or different organizations working around migration and/or health have taken positions regarding access to free health care services by non-status migrants. The format for the presentation of the results is up to the student.

Once again, we encourage several students to take on this project, as each aspect demands pretty extensive research. Students can also adapt different topics according to their interests or the time that they are able to contribute. SAB members are committed to sharing their knowledge of the different topics with the students working on this project. While it is not necessary to work on the different aspects of this project at the same time, it would be great if there were collaboration and mutual aid between the different students working on each aspect.

This research will enable Solidarity Across Borders to further our Solidarity City campaign. Solidarity City is a way for us to fight for truly universal access to basic services such as health, education, affordable housing, food banks and more, in the context of a broader campaign for the regularization of all non-status migrants in Canada. Solidarity City means access without fear, in the spirit of mutual aid and true justice and equality for all. This research will also help us support families and individuals who are facing the Canadian immigration system and are trying to access healthcare for themselves or their children.

Project duration: one or two semesters, time to be determined by the student(s) working on the project.

Student Experience / Area of Study:

No particular experience necessary, only willingness to explore this topic in the spirit of promoting access to healthcare for all, regardless of status.

Speaking French is a plus, so are good research skills (which this project will help you develop).

About Solidarity Across Borders :

Solidarity Across Borders is a Montreal-based network of migrants, refugees and allies. We fight for an end to all deportations and detentions, and for a full regularization program for all non-status migrants in Canada – Status for All! In 2005, we marched for 7 days from Montreal to Ottawa in defense of these demands. In 2009, we launched a campaign called “Solidarity City” for full and just access to basic services regardless of immigration status. We organize pickets, demonstrations, community suppers, activities for children and support individuals and families who are facing the system on a daily basis.

Proposal valid until : indefinite

http://www.solidarityacrossborders.org/