This webinar is presented by Public Health Ontario.
# About the presentation
The third and final in our PHO webinar series on Social Environments for Health, this webinar will explore health equity focused social prescribing. Social prescribing is an approach that brings together the social and medical models of health by referring patients to local, non-clinical services that meet their interests, goals and gifts. Social prescribing integrates social support and care across the health system, helping people to reconnect to their communities.
Natasha Beaudin, Social Prescribing Lead for the Alliance for Healthier Communities (Alliance), will introduce the concept of health equity focused social prescribing, discuss how the Alliance is championing the social prescribing movement in Ontario, and share some initial results from the work. Ali Hedge from the Harrow Health Centre Family Health Team will share how they use Social Prescribing in their practice.
Note: For the best live experience, please ensure you are using a current version of Zoom (6.1.0 or higher) in Chrome or another modern browser to support interactive features.
# By the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Describe the impacts of social environments on health.
- Explain the role of social prescribing and how it can contribute to building healthy social environments.
- Identify opportunities to build healthy social environments at the local level.
# About the presenters: Natasha Beaudin and Ali Hedge
Natasha Beaudin, Social Prescribing Project Lead, Alliance for Healthier Communities, has worked in the community health sector for over twenty years. She is currently the Social Prescribing Project Lead at the Alliance for Healthier Communities. She previously worked as a health promoter at Centretown Community Health Centre in Ottawa. Her portfolio included food security, smoking cessation, stress reduction, and physical activity and led the social prescribing project at the centre. She also chaired the Health Promotion Network of Eastern Ontario (HPNEO) for five years. Her passions are health equity, the social determinants of health, and health promotion. Outside of work, she loves gardening, cross country skiing and playing with her kids.
Ali Hedge, MSW, Social Prescription Link Worker, Harrow Health Centre, Family Health Team, is a Social Prescription Link Worker at the Harrow Health Centre. She is passionate about helping patients connect with local resources, social activities, basic needs and mental health supports to improve their overall well-being. Ali is a registered Social Worker with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of Windsor. Before joining Harrow Health Centre, she worked in various non-profits, supporting individuals facing poverty and housing crises through counselling and community navigation. Outside of work, you’ll find Ali enjoying a good book or exploring the outdoors with her 6-year-old daughter and 9-year-old black lab
# Intended Audience
People who work in health promotion, chronic disease prevention and the healthy environments in settings such as public health, community health and at the municipal level.