Some are saying and asking...

 By Kendall Worth!

https://quorum.hqontario.ca/en/Home/Posts/New-Social-Prescribing-Pilot-Comes-to-Ontario

As many regular readers know, lately, I have been advocating for a social prescription organization for Halifax. I have been having conversations in my community with people who say that, perhaps, the existence of a such organization could take some of the burden off of the mental health staff at the QE#2 emerge. People I talk to have also suggested that this organization could decrease number of people showing up at places like Souls Harbour. That, in turn, would leave more meals available for those who are really in need.

Some, if not many, welfare recipients do things like show up at the QE#2 emerge only because they need human contact, and some, if not many, welfare recipients are showing up at Souls Harbour only because they need that affordable way of getting out and socializing. The question, in reality, is would a Social Prescription Organization in Halifax, show results? - What would the benefits be? I went back to have a conversation with my contact in Ontario to ask him a number of follow up questions about Social Prescriptions.

I am often asked: What is really going to be provided by a Social Prescription Organization if one existed?

I am going to take a moment here and go back to this BLOG post where I said:

“Social Prescribing is involving healthcare in the determinants of health. A professional writes the prescription and sends you directly to an agency or to a navigator who finds what you need. We need a group who will work on the “social part”, after the prescription is written. So I am using “social prescribing” as short hand for the whole system. Those who prescribe, and the implementation of programs that are needed to fulfill prescriptions. Every time I write about things like Social Isolation and the connections between poverty and social isolation, there is one question that comes from the Better off Community. This same question arises when I have written about the need for Social Prescriptions.”

People, here in Halifax have asked: What will the structure of a social prescribing organization be, here in Halifax, and will it help people with social barriers, get out to socialize with others?

I, and others I am in talks with about this, believe it will!

I want to let interested readers that I have a contact in Ontario who knows more about Social Prescription Organizations, and programs in other Jurisdictions, then I do personally. So as part of crafting this current post I got back in touch with my Ontario Contact to ask him a couple of Follow up questions about how the Social Prescription Organization where he lives in Ontario, works.

In this post, I provide a SWOT analysis about my dream for what such a social prescribing organization could look like in Halifax. As part of the recent conversation with my Ontario contact, I talked to him about the fact that research I have been doing, does not match the initial description he gave me of the Ontario program. In this BLOG post, I included a piece on what Social Prescribing looks like in the UK, for example. What I see, is that Social Prescription Organizations in other Jurisdictions matches what the UK program is doing.

So I had two Follow-up questions for my Ontario contact that I asked him during my recent conversation:

Q#1 – How exactly does the structure of the Social Prescription Organization, in Ontario, that you know personally, work? Can you describe any success stories where people who are lonely and living in poverty have formed friendships through your Social Prescription Organization?

Q#2 – Back when you first contacted me about Social Prescription Organizations you made me believe that it was an organization to help people who are receiving ODSP or Ontario Works program, (which is similar to the Employment Support and Income Program we have here in Nova Scotia) for them to find affordable ways to get out and socialize. My research suggests that access is not limited to these people. Can you Clarify who qualifies to access Social Prescriptions and it is limited to people living in poverty?

First he apologized for leaving me with misconceptions about what the Social Prescription organization actually is/does. He continued by explaining that the program, in fact, is not only for those on limited incomes like ODSP. However, a large number of the Social Prescription Clients/membership are clients of Ontario works or ODSP, or live in another form of poverty. He continued that several of their clients are not living in poverty but are still living life on their own, lonesome and have no-one. (meaning they have no friends or family who support them) He explained that they do have some clients, for example, whose income are much better than a government pension or disability income of any sort. They offer to drive others – that is, to use their resources to help others. The program is all about making and maintaining those friendships in a group effort. In terms of the program structure, he told me they interview all new clients coming into the program -- after being referred. Then, following the interview, we help them find the group within the organization that best fits their social interests. He told me that all of their social events, are offered to the clients at no cost. They are always “dry” events, meaning alcohol consumption is not permitted at Social Prescription organized events, and yes, there have been success stories where friendships have been formed by people meeting through social prescription organized events” 

 

https://uwsimcoemuskoka.ca/isolation/

So after talking and reading an email, I got back on the phone with him again, to ask more follow up questions:

Q – Considering that there are also Social Prescription Organizations in BC and other places around the world, was any research done to get the Ontario Social Prescription Organization founded? Also, I understand that it social prescribing is not offered everywhere in Ontario and the Ontario programs get no government funding. Can you tell me about that?

His answer: – Kendall, the fact is, this program is only available in 20 different places, in Ontario and yes they receive no government funding. Social Prescriptions, in Ontario, is strictly provided by NGO’s. It was a doctor who started the Ontario Program of Social Prescriptions and it was team working under her who did all the technical Work including whatever research was required to get this Social Proscription Organization started.

Q – I asked him to read this blog post before he answered the following question. (Note – He did take a few minuses to read the post)

As part of my community consultation, to try to get a Social Prescription Program going here in Halifax, folks told me that they want to go see bands play and attend open mic nights, plus they want a support group for those who have had experiences of friendships ending. Would these be examples of what the Ontario Social Prescription program could support/assist with?

His Answer - I would support things that get people out socializing as long as they were following the rules of the Organization. As a matter of fact in my Local Chapter/group of Social Prescriptions we have a few members who formed their own band and they put on a show for the other clients every couple of weeks. As for the Support Group I like the concept but more research would be required to see if this Support Group really is needed or not. What we do in our group, when the weather is nice, is we go for hikes and other outdoor activities. We also go for tours of local museums.

And my final question for my contact was:

Q – Here in Nova Scotia the Income Assistance Standard Household Rate is $950.00 a month. That is for persons with disabilities, including mental health issues. I hear in Ontario the amount for people who are on ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program) is $1220 a month. Do you agree that these amounts are enough money for people to live on? In your opinion, if any disability allowance/ amount provided more money to live on, would there still be a need for a Social Prescription Organization?

His Answer– Yes $1220 for those who are on ODSP is exactly what I hear from some of the Social Prescription Membership/Clients. Neither amount is enough to live on. I do not believe that having more money to live on will cancel out the need for the Social Prescription Program. Money does not buy you a group of new friends and social contacts even though more money allows you to do more socially. However, I do support the thought that when people have enough to buy their groceries at a grocery store should stop using soup – kitchens and food banks.

So this wraps up what my Ontario Contact had to say in response to my follow-up questions, to him, about Social Prescriptions.