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Association Update |
Board Meeting
The OPHA Board of Directors held its quarterly meeting on October 2-3, 2008 at the North York Civic Centre. The Board learned about the new administrative structure within the Public Health Division that will come into effect on April 1, 2009 and about the new public health partner, the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion. OPHA Workgroup Chairs joined the Board Advocacy Committee discussions and presented the Board with information about the activities of their specific Workgroup.
Workgroup and Advocacy Committee Updates
OPHA Workgroups presented updates about their important work. Workgroups participated in an advocacy committee meeting and discussed how their contribution to the poverty reduction strategy.
After hearing of the activities of the various workgroups, the Advocacy Committee enthusiastically decided to support the implementation of survey of health units regarding the new Public Health Standards and Protocols and Social Determinants of Health. Essentially, the survey would ask:
How have the new standards impacted what you or your health unit are doing with regards to the determinants of health? Can you provide examples of any best and promising practices you are using to support this work?
From the information gathered, gaps will be identified and recommendations will be made for future work on the determinants of health to support programming based on the new standards. A small task group was identified to develop the survey.
MOLTC Stewardship Model
Allison Stewart, Assistant Deputy Minister (a). Public Health Division, MOHLTC introduced the Board to the Stewardship model now in place within the MOHLTC. This model defines the responsibility of the MOHLTC as:
establishing overall priorities and strategy developing legislation, regulations, standards, policies and directives planning for and establishing funding models and levels for health care funding, and developing and implementing accountability processes: monitoring and reporting on health system performance and health of Ontarians.
Divisions have been set up to carry out these key responsibilities. Public Health Division was not part of this restructuring within MOHLTC until the completion of Operation Health Protection which came to its end in 2007. Now the Public Health, although it will remain a Division, will move into the stewardship model. This will result in some if its present functions, such as information and IT strategy; controllership, resource management and financial services and operational effectiveness will move to the corporate level.
As of April 1, 2009 Public Health Division will include the following Branches: Public Health Program Policy and Standards; Public Health Protection and Prevention Programs; Public Health Planning and Implementation; Emergency Management; Liaison Secretariat; and Medical Group. The Division has also developed a new vision and mandate statements as well as readiness assessment indicators to measure it progress.
The Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion
The Board was introduced to Dr. Vivek Goel, the President and CEO of the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion. Dr. Goel gave a presentation about the structure and design of the new Agency, its first strategic framework, its immediate priorities, the transition of the Ontario Public Health Laboratories which will be transferred to the Agency this fall and its collaboration with partners like OPHA. The Board was presented with an opportunity to discuss potential collaborations. Visit the Agency website to subscribe to its newsletter.
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