Message From the Director

Welcome to the first edition of the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing newsletter! I am so thankful to you, social prescribing champions, early adopters and those eager to learn more, for embarking on this new journey with us.

Anchored by the Canadian Red Cross, the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing, or CISP, is a new national hub that aims to foster, share, and celebrate initiatives that connect people between health care and non-clinical supports for psychosocial, material and wellbeing needs rooted in the social and structural determinants of health. We call this “social prescribing”, and we are committed to foregrounding equity, community leadership and collaboration as we advance this empowering and holistic practice in Canada.

Stay tuned for upcoming webinars and knowledge sharing events and ways you can get involved. If you have any questions or would like to share about new social prescribing initiatives in your region, you can reach the CISP team at CISP@redcross.ca.

I firmly believe this is a transformative way to enhance the wellbeing of individuals, build resilience in communities and support our struggling health systems. I look forward to growing the awareness, knowledge, and practice of social prescribing together!

With warmest regards,

Social prescribing is gaining recognition internationally as a structured approach to better connect clinical care (“prescribing”) with non-clinical supports in the community (“social”), with an emphasis on delivering care that is person-centered, providing people with the power to direct their own care in a supported pathway.
 
The Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing (CISP) is a new national hub – anchored by the Canadian Red Cross – that aims to advance social prescribing in Canada by sharing, connecting, promoting, and celebrating social prescribing practices that prioritizes health equity, community leadership, and collaboration.
 
Join us for the official launch of CISP to learn more about this new initiative, and hear how social prescribing can change lives and help struggling health systems.

We will be joined by:

• Dr. Andrew Boozary, Executive Director, Social Medicine and Population Health, University Health Network, Ontario
• Dr. Grace Park, Regional Medical Director, Home and Community Health Services, Fraser Health Authority, British Columbia
• Sonia Hsiung, Director, Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing, Canadian Red Cross
• Dr. Kate Mulligan, Senior Director, Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing and Strategic Advisor, Health Determinants and Knowledge Mobilization, Canadian Red Cross

Time: October 6, 2022. 9:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM ET
Location: Zoom Webinar – Registration required
Language: Presentation will be in English. French interpretation and materials will be provided.
 
Registration:
Please register using the link below to confirm your participation. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.