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Helping newcomers to Canada navigate the health care system

Published: 3 November 2005

It's all new

Conference at the Montreal Children's Hospital aims to ease the transition and break down barriers


Everything is new, strange and different for immigrants and refugees coming to Canada and one of the most complex and often intimidating aspects of their new life is navigating the Canadian health care system. The Multiculturalism Program of the Montreal Children's Hospital of the MUHC is organizing a conference to help health care professionals better understand the issues faced by newcomers to this country in order to ease the transition.

The conference, entitled "Emerging Issues in Health Care Provision for Newcomers to Canada," is being held on Wednesday, November 16, from 8 am to noon in the Amphitheatre (D-182) of the Children's, 2300 Tupper.

Experts will discuss topics such as:

  • How teenagers form their identities in a multicultural environment.
  • How do different cultures view Western medicine?
  • How do family dynamics play out in different cultures and what do health care professionals need to know?
  • How do interpreters help overcome language barriers?
  • Who funds interpretation services?
  • Are newcomers fully covered by the Medicare system?
  • From which countries are they coming?
  • The impact Canada's and Quebec's immigration and refugee policies have on the health care system.
  • What services are available to help newcomers settle in?
  • Why helping newcomers connect with their community helps them feel more at home.

If you would like to attend this conference or do an interview on any of the topics outlined above please call:

Lisa Dutton
Manager
Public Relations and Communications
The Montreal Children's Hospital of the MUHC
514-412-4307

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