Frequently Asked Questions

Social prescribing is a structured approach that connects individuals with non-clinical community services and activities to improve their health and well-being. This person-centered approach enables intentional collaboration across health, social and community sectors, dedicated navigation support, and co-creating solutions that focus on the interests, goals and strengths of each person and community. 

For more information, see our About Social Prescribing page. 

The concept of social prescribing is not new in Canada. It reflects a return to social models of care that are inherent to Indigenous ways of knowing and healing, which emphasize interrelatedness and the importance of connections. Communities have long recognized and addressed the social determinants of health by linking medical and social interventions.

While the term social prescribing originated in England in the 1990s, it builds on the existing strengths and work of practitioners and communities. By providing a shared terminology, structured approach, formalized pathways, and intentional evaluation, social prescribing offers a framework for cross-sector collaboration aimed at improving population health and wellbeing. This approach is gaining increasing recognition and adoption across Canada.

Many factors affecting health and wellbeing cannot be treated by doctors or medication alone. According to the World Health Organization, "the social determinants of health—such as social support, economic stability, and access to services—play a critical role in shaping health outcomes."  

Social prescribing helps address these determinants by connecting individuals to community resources and support networks. By linking individuals to relevant support services—such as income, housing, food security and newcomer support services—social prescribing promotes preventative care and encourages proactive management of health and wellbeing, as well as empowering individuals to take control of their own health. All of this can alleviate the burden on healthcare services and reduce the frequency of visits and hospital admissions where appropriate.  

In short, social prescribing offers a holistic approach to healthcare that goes beyond treating physical symptoms. It addresses the wider social, emotional, and practical needs of individuals, thereby improving overall wellbeing. 

Social prescribing can benefit individuals and communities, especially those experiencing social isolation, mild mental health challenges, chronic illness, or difficulty accessing community resources. It is also helpful for anyone seeking support to improve their general well-being. 

In Canada, social prescribing initiatives currently focus on supporting older adults, caregivers, and young people. 

Common social prescriptions in Canada include income support, housing services, food and nutrition programs, learning and support groups, arts and culture activities, aging-at-home support, befriending programs, physical activity, gardening, volunteering, and many other tailored resources. The specific activities vary based on individual needs and available community resources. 

Social prescribing is not intended to replace medication but to complement clinical treatments by addressing structural, social, behavioural and lifestyle factors that impact health. 

Social prescribing complements existing services rather than replacing or competing with current roles. By establishing a formalized pathway for connecting clients with non-clinical supports, it facilitates a seamless transition between clinical care and community resources, strengthening the overall care continuum.

In settings with allied health and social service professionals, such as social workers or system navigators, social prescribing initiatives—and their non-clinical connectors—integrate into the team to provide additional capacity. This can include:

• Expanding available resources through community-based services and activities.
• Broadening the range of social interventions.
• Offering tailored navigation support, accompaniment, or coaching.
• Distributing the workload of addressing social determinants of health, allowing allied professionals to focus on more complex cases or specialized interventions.

Social prescribing enhances collaboration and efficiency within healthcare teams while improving outcomes for individuals and communities.

Social prescribing complements and enhances existing community-based services and programs. Depending on the resources available in a community, social prescribing initiatives can:

• Foster engagement with healthcare providers, using clinical appointments as a gateway to access community-based services.
• Strengthen and complement existing navigation services by introducing standardized competencies and providing enhanced wrap-around support.
• Help measure the impact of community-based services on individuals' health and well-being, supporting evidence-based planning and investments.

By integrating with existing programs, social prescribing helps create a more connected and effective support system for individuals and communities.

Evaluations of social prescribing initiatives in Canada have demonstrated positive outcomes, including reduced loneliness, an enhanced sense of connectedness, and improved mental health. Research also provides promising evidence of decreased healthcare visits and better integration between clinical care and social supports.

The Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing (CISP) and the Campbell Collaboration have developed an Evidence and Gap Map that provides a comprehensive overview of systematic reviews and primary research studies on the effectiveness of social prescribing interventions. Additionally, the National Academy for Social Prescribing in England has compiled various briefings and guides summarizing existing evidence.

CISP also partnered with KPMG LLP to analyze the Economic and Social Impacts of Social Prescribing in Canada, revealing that every dollar invested in social prescribing could return $4.43 to society through improved well-being and reduced healthcare and government costs.

While the evidence is promising, CISP and our partners across Canada continue to gather impact data, conduct further analysis, and collect stories from providers and individuals with lived experience. If you’re interested in supporting research to better understand the benefits and effectiveness of social prescribing in Canada, please get in touch!

In Canada, there are currently no systematic government investments in social prescribing. Funding models vary by region and initiative. Most programs rely on time-limited support from philanthropic organizations and public grants, although some regions have secured longer-term funding commitments from local governments and various ministries.

Social prescribing is being embraced by various community and health organizations at provincial and regional levels across Canada. Active initiatives are currently underway in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. You can explore the organizations involved via the Social Prescribing Initiatives Map.

Although these projects and initiatives operate independently, there is a strong effort to collaborate, share knowledge, and exchange resources. This is facilitated through regular communication, Community of Practice meetings, webinars, and conferences.

Social prescribing is being formally implemented in several countries, including the UK, Germany, Portugal, Australia, Singapore, the United States, and many others. A global overview can be found in the Social Prescribing Around the World Report 2024. 

There is no single standardized model for social prescribing, either in Canada or globally. While social prescribing initiatives and pathways are tailored to local contexts and communities, there are common components across models. Key principles shared by all social prescribing initiatives include intentional collaboration and a formal pathway between healthcare and community sectors, dedicated connection and navigation support for individuals and communities, a focus on person-centered co-creation of solutions, and structured outcome evaluation.

Currently, there is no single standardized approach to evaluating social prescribing in Canada or elsewhere. However, active efforts are underway to develop more consistent and comprehensive methods for assessing the effectiveness and impact of social prescribing interventions. In the meantime, the National Academy for Social Prescribing offers a valuable set of evaluation resources and tools. 

Social prescribing initiatives typically support regulated healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists, in identifying clients with non-medical, health-related social needs and making referrals to a dedicated social prescribing link worker, connector, or navigator.

While clinical visits often serve as a primary entry point for social support, many social prescribing initiatives also accept and encourage referrals from social service agencies, community organizations, and even client self-referrals.

Healthcare providers, particularly primary care physicians, are often a trusted first point of contact for individuals experiencing health issues. They are well-positioned to identify non-medical needs that impact an individual’s overall health and wellbeing. Research also indicates that referrals from healthcare providers lend credibility to the social prescribing process, which can help increase engagement and uptake of social interventions. 

However, social prescribing is just one tool in addressing the social determinants of health. It leverages healthcare visits as an entry point to identify social needs and helps individuals and communities access community-based supports and services. 

There are also many other programs and services in the community that address broader issues affecting people’s wellbeing. If someone doesn’t have a connection to a healthcare professional or access to social initiatives in their region, they can contact 211 to be connected with local services and supports. 

Social prescribing link workers, also known as community connectors, navigators, coordinators, or other titles, play a vital role in bridging the gap between health and social care. They provide dedicated, tailored, and co-created support to help individuals access the resources and services they need. Link workers help identify individual needs, strengths, interests, and goals, connect individuals to appropriate community resources, offer encouragement, address barriers, and provide supported navigation to social and community services.

Link workers do not typically provide crisis intervention and may refer more complex issues to other allied health professionals.

These roles are usually non-clinical, taken on by people with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, and they complement the roles of healthcare and social service providers by offering additional wrap-around support as part of the interprofessional and community care team. 

For more information, see the Canadian Social Prescribing Link Worker Competency Framework.

Social prescribing link workers, connectors, and navigators can be employed by a variety of organizations within both the health and community sectors, depending on the funding and program model of each region. In some cases, they may be employed by primary care networks, family health teams, community health centers, or local health authorities as part of integrated care teams. Link workers may also be employed by community organizations that collaborate with healthcare providers. 

Regardless of the employing organization, link workers must work closely with healthcare providers, community services, and other local partners to deliver effective, person-centered social prescribing services. 

Training for link workers varies by geography and initiative, but generally includes skills such as active listening, equity-based approaches to care, motivational interviewing, and a thorough knowledge of local community resources and services. For more details and links to resources, see the Social Prescribing Link Worker Competency Framework and the Social Prescribing Training Roadmap. 

There are currently no specific qualifications required to become a social prescribing link worker. However, having relevant knowledge, skills, and experiences can greatly enhance your ability to excel in this role. 

If you're interested in understanding the activities and skills of a link worker, the Social Prescribing Link Worker Competency Framework and Training Roadmap are excellent resources to help you get started. 

While CISP serves as a knowledge hub and does not provide direct services or employ link workers, you can explore potential employers through the Social Prescribing Initiatives Map to find organizations hiring for these roles. 

Social prescribing has not yet been systematically implemented across Canada, so access to social prescribing services varies by province and region. Typically, access begins with a referral from a healthcare provider or social service agency, although some programs may allow for self-referrals. You can find out if social prescribing services are available in your area by checking local initiatives. 

If social prescribing services are not yet available in your region, 211 is a helpful referral service that can connect you to available community resources and supports. Additionally, have a conversation with your healthcare provider to raise awareness about the importance of non-medical interventions for your health and ask them to advocate for social prescribing in your community. 

Healthcare professionals and teams interested in incorporating social prescribing into their practice can access a comprehensive guide and practical tools provided by the Centre for Effective Practice (CEP). The CEP's Social Prescribing page offers valuable insights on how to understand, identify, and implement social prescriptions effectively.

The Social Prescribing Training Roadmap provides an overview of core competencies and links to training and resources for healthcare providers and others involved in the social prescribing process.

Additionally, there may be existing social prescribing initiatives in your region. You can explore local programs to get involved and start integrating social prescribing into your care approach.

Community organizations can play a crucial role in social prescribing by partnering with healthcare providers and social prescribing programs to offer services and activities. They also help identify community needs and create new programs to fill service gaps. 

In some regions, community organizations take the lead in implementing social prescribing initiatives, uniting regional partners from the health, social, and community sectors. They contribute by designing collaborative referral pathways and employing social prescribing link workers. 

For more details about the role of community organizations and access to training and resources, explore the Social Prescribing Training Roadmap. 

Yes, healthcare providers can still support patients by connecting them to social and community services, even without a formal social prescribing model in place. Providers can identify patients who may benefit from programs addressing non-medical needs and use tools like 211 to locate local resources and organizations. 

While patients may not receive the comprehensive support typically offered by a link worker or similar role, this approach still helps address their holistic health needs by bridging connections to available community services.

Social prescribing initiatives can be led by community organizations, healthcare teams, health authorities, or other groups with the capacity to anchor and support regional partnerships. The ideal leadership will depend on the local context and the strengths of available partners. 

Several resources are available to guide the design, implementation, and partnership-building of social prescribing programs across diverse geographies and sectors. To access these tools and learn from training resources developed by community and health organizations across Canada, explore the Social Prescribing Training Roadmap. 

Currently, Canada does not have systematic government funding for social prescribing initiatives. However, funding opportunities vary depending on your region and the specifics of your initiative. Potential sources of funding include:

• Public grants
• Research grants
• Philanthropic organizations
• Municipal governments
• Healthcare teams and networks

Exploring local funding landscapes and building partnerships with organizations invested in community health can help secure the resources needed to launch your initiative.

Researchers play a vital role in strengthening the evidence base and advancing the effective implementation and growth of social prescribing. Contributions can include: 

• Program Evaluation: Assessing the effectiveness and impact of social prescribing initiatives. 
• Theoretical Exploration: Investigating frameworks to better understand outcomes. 
• Addressing Evidence Gaps: Focusing on specific populations, pathways, or under-researched areas. 
• Contextual Analysis: Examining factors affecting implementation and scalability. 
• Improving Best Practices: Informing approaches to enhance program success. 

Collaboration with healthcare providers, community organizations, and policymakers ensures research is grounded in real-world needs and contributes to evidence-based recommendations for policy and investment. 

If you're a researcher exploring any aspect of social prescribing, we’d  love to hear from you!  

Champions from all sectors and regions play a key role in advancing social prescribing practices to enhance wellbeing. Here are some ways to get involved: 

• Learn and Share: Educate yourself about social prescribing and about initiatives in your area and share this information with healthcare providers, community organizations, policymakers, and others. 
• Advocate: Encourage the integration of social prescribing into local healthcare systems and community networks by reaching out to health authorities, elected officials, or other decision-makers.
• Highlight Success: Share inspiring success stories and evidence of social prescribing's benefits on social media or through community platforms to build awareness and support. 
• Incorporate Social Prescribing Principles: Whether you’re a community provider, healthcare professional, researcher, or student, look for ways to integrate social prescribing into your work or studies. Inspire your colleagues and peers to explore its potential too. 

CISP is primarily a knowledge hub and is not able to provide financial grants to projects or organizations.  

There are several ways to connect and contribute to the work of the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing (CISP): 

• Stay Informed: Join our mailing list and follow us on social media to keep up with news, events, and opportunities.
• Students and Volunteers: Explore practicum, internship, and volunteer opportunities by filling out our Student Placement and Volunteer Inquiry Form.  
• Job Opportunities: When positions become available, we post job openings on our social media platforms.