Annual Report 2019-2020

A Year Like No Other

Marc Bisson, Executive Director

Jean-François Pagé, Chairman of the Board

Like many others, the Centre de santé communautaire de l’Estrie (CSCE) has experienced a year like no other.  Although a typical year is uncommon in the health care system, the year 2020 will undoubtedly make history. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only disrupted the lives of many people, it has affected day-to-day operations at our centre. The dedication and commitment of our staff, as well as their ability to adapt to these exceptional circumstances have once again been placed at the forefront. We would like to acknowledge and, above all, thank them for their support.

Before the pandemic emerged, the CSCE was highly involved in the Ontario Prescott-Russell Health Team project. Our organization, along with the Hawkesbury and District General Hospital, co-chaired a large group of broad-based health agencies to establish a health team within the region. We also actively participated in the Cornwall, Ottawa East and Winchester health team projects.

The CSCE’s Accreditation Has Been Renewed for Another Four Years

The year 2019-2020 was also marked by our 6th accreditation from the Canadian Centre for Accreditation (CCA) which is valid until 2024. The CCA conducted a comprehensive review of our organization with an accreditation program that is modular. The program requires a set of organizational standards covering areas such as governance, organizational planning and performance, leadership and risk management, with program and service modules relevant to the various departments. We are very proud of this achievement.

Working Towards Improving Safety and Quality of Care

The CSCE introduced a new electronic medical record in 2020. After using the Purkinje system for more than 20 years, the CSCE joined Ontario’s Alliance for Healthier Communities’ Telus project. Since June, our staff has been using the Telus PS Suite platform. This transition (initiated during a pandemic no less) resulted in significant changes and greatly impeded our work and day-to-day operations. Staff training and adjustments required for such a transition are near completion. We are confident that this new platform will improve efficiency and be of great benefit to our clients.

Every One Matters.

We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the staff and many volunteers at the CSCE. Their dedication and commitment make a big difference and contribute every day to ensuring that Every One Matters.  

Recognition

The CSCE would like to recognize the hard work and dedication of several staff members. Congratulations on achieving this milestone!

  • 20 years of service: Pierre Bergeron and Michel Laviolette
  • 10 years of service: Julie Boivin, Julie Fournier and Sonia Moreau
  • 5 years of service: Élisa Bourdeau, Chantal Desjardins, Stéphanie Hemmerick, Vicky-Anne Ladouceur, Kylie Léger, Mathieu Paquin and Nathalie Vendette

The CSCE would also like to extend its heartfelt thanks to Hélène Racine who will be stepping down from the Board of Directors this year after completing her second term, as well as Danielle Papillon who will be stepping down after completing her first term.

Volunteers Are the Heart of Our Communities

Whether it is through programs like the Green Food Box, vaccination clinics or their involvement in physical activity or recreational groups, CSCE volunteers unite, nourish and strengthen the bonds within our communities. Their talent, and the time and energy they invest in our organization truly enrich the work we do. We would like to thank all the volunteers working at the CSCE. Well done! Keep up the good work!

Learn more (French)

Grand Opening of Place 649 in Embrun

The grand opening of Place 649, a new building in Embrun where the CSCE is now housed, took place on Thursday, October 24, 2019. Approximately 250 people from Embrun and the surrounding area attended the event which included a cocktail buffet and music.

Place 649 is an establishment that houses five businesses and organizations from Eastern Ontario: Centre de santé communautaire de l’Estrie (CSCE), Embrun Smiles Family Dentistry, The Co-operators | philryan.ca Insurance and Investment Company, Notre-Dame Pharmacy and Robillard Hearing Centre.

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Community Health

A Pandemic Marked by Mutual Assistance

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact in all of our communities. Unfortunately, some people were more affected than others. As a result, many of the services offered within our communities were in fact reduced or even cut.

In the early months of the pandemic, the community health team developed a guide with available resources and information on COVID-19. This guide was used by the CSCE professionals to make courtesy calls to vulnerable clients and group participants.

The courtesy calls were used to provide individual personalized support, reduce feelings of isolation, raise awareness about the realities of COVID-19 (fraud, preventative measures, accessibility) and refer them to local community resources, as appropriate. Clients were very grateful for this initiative.

In addition, the health promoters at the CSCE began offering exercise classes and other groups by videoconference. All registration forms were amended so they could be filled out online.

Learn more about CSCE community health services

The Importance of Community Gardens

“I’m so happy in my community garden! At a time when nothing is normal, gardening is therapeutic. It is beautiful to see how sharing occurs between gardeners. What a pleasure it is to receive garlic scapes, lettuce, kale … and advice from other gardeners! Your organization helps people spread and harvest happiness.” Martine, Cornwall

Despite COVID-19, community gardens were open this summer, much to the delight of gardeners, volunteers and partners. Of course, new infectious disease control and physical distancing measures were introduced.

Ivan Labelle, Community Health Worker at the CSCE explained the importance of these gardens to the community. “They may be an essential source of food for some but not necessarily for all,” Labelle said. “Anyone in our community can request a plot, we don’t ask about income or personal circumstances. Community gardens not only provide an opportunity for people to grow fresh produce, they offer many other benefits like getting some fresh air, enjoying the sunshine and exercising outdoors. Gardening is a great form of exercise that feeds the body and soul. It also helps refocus the mind and forget about other stressors for a while, which helps with mental health.”

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Green Food Box Program Much Appreciated by Communities During the Pandemic

During the pandemic, the Green Food Box Program in Crysler practically tripled its orders. Over 140 boxes were distributed on a biweekly basis throughout the communities of Crysler, Finch, Moose Creek, and most recently, Maxville. The Green Food Box Program in Bourget has equally achieved great success as of late, with a significant increase in the number of boxes distributed.

For Dominique Lanteigne, Health Promoter at the CSCE and the one in charge of the Green Food Box Program in Crysler, this substantial rise indicates that the program is both beneficial and necessary for rural communities, especially during these difficult times. “I am so proud to be part of such a great team. The Green Food Box Program really helps the community during these exceptional circumstances. I would like to thank the many volunteers and community partners who make all this possible!” said Dominique.

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Aging at Home

Virtual Exchange Group for Seniors

During the pandemic, the CSCE hosted a virtual exchange group for seniors through the Zoom online platform. Each week, participants were able to break out of isolation and explore several themes in the comfort of their own homes, including the following:

  • Being resilient and living with uncertainty
  • Integrating spirituality into our daily life
  • Understanding aging and stress
  • Managing chronic pain
  • Adopting good sleep hygiene
  • Improving self-esteem and demonstrating self-compassion

Although some individuals were less familiar with technological tools, in the end, the experience was very positive and beneficial to all. Participants were happy to be able to exchange ideas and proud to discover a new way of communicating. This was a successful initiative for our seniors!

Learn more about Aging at Home

Thank You United Counties of Prescott and Russell and United Way S.D.G.

The CSCE is grateful to have been awarded two grants of $10,000 each, one for the Prescott-Russell area and the other for the Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry area.

The “Social Services Relief Fund” and the “Emergency Community Support Fund”, granted by the United Counties of Prescott and Russell and the United Way S.D.G., have enabled the CSCE to:

  • Provide medical devices to clients with chronic illnesses so they can better manage their health conditions by monitoring certain vital signs at home (e.g. blood pressure, oxygen saturation, etc.).
  • Provide green food boxes to clients struggling with healthy eating due to the pandemic, lack of transportation, financial problems, etc.
  • Offer momentary assistance in a variety of areas: medication, essential medical care not covered by insurance plans, housekeeping, rental of medical equipment, loaning of walkers, purchase of items required to meet certain basic needs (e.g. refrigerators, mattresses, etc.), distribution of gift certificates for groceries, etc.

MenTALK – Men’s Support Group

In January, MenTALK, a support group for men in Cornwall, celebrated its first anniversary. This group for men only has experienced phenomenal growth in its first year of operation. The group is run by participants with the help of facilitators, and allows men to get together and talk about life events in an informal setting.

Men are not alone in suffering from the stigma attached to mental health but they may be reluctant to discuss their problems or seek help because of how they were conditioned. As a society, it is important to work together to fight stigma about mental health and encourage people to talk openly about their problems. The more comfortable we are talking about it, the better our society will be.

Learn more (French)

New Workshop for Caregivers Available in French

“I want to thank you. My father passed away 45 years ago. My mother was only 63 years old at the time. She fell into depression and I became her caregiver for the next 37 years. She passed away at the age of 100. Over the past 20 years, I also gradually became my spouse’s caregiver. If I do as well with her as I did with my mother, I will have accomplished my goal. Thank you for helping me feel less guilty about taking time for myself.” Yvon, Cornwall

This year, the Powerful Tools for Caregivers workshop was offered in French for the first time. Designed for caregivers, this six-week program aims to provide tools and strategies to help them better cope with the challenges they face, reduce stress, communicate effectively in difficult situations, make tough decisions about care, etc. The workshop is developed to help caregivers understand the importance of using tools and strategies to help them cope with the challenges they face.

Read more (French)

New Youth Wellness Hub to Provide Needed Services and Safe Space for Local Youth

The Eastern Champlain Youth Wellness Hub serves as a fully integrated “one-stop-shop” where youth between the ages of 12 and 25 can address their needs related to mental health, addiction, primary care, and other community and social services. No appointment or OHIP card is required. Sites in Cornwall and Rockland opened in January 2020.

It is important to highlight the CSCE’s contribution in creating the Eastern Champlain Youth Wellness Hub (Rockland and Cornwall sites) since our organization is responsible for managing human resources personnel (including the operations supervisor and peer support workers) hired for this project. The CSCE also provides the services of a nurse practitioner on site one evening per week.

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Primary Health

Community-Based Partnerships

The CSCE supports a number of partnerships in primary health care to improve accessibility in community settings, such as the following:

  • Outpatient Stroke Rehabilitation Program at the Cornwall location (in collaboration with the Champlain Regional Stroke Network)
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation Program offered at the Bourget location (in collaboration with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute)
  • Lung Health Program offered at the Bourget, Crysler, Embrun and Limoges locations (in collaboration with the Ottawa Community Lung Health Program of the Somerset West Community Health Centre)
  • NEW! Gynecological services and pregnancy follow-ups offered at the Limoges and Embrun locations (in collaboration with the Hawkesbury and District General Hospital and the Montfort Hospital)
  • NEW! Pre-surgical consultations offered at the Limoges location (in collaboration with the Hawkesbury and District General Hospital)
  • Foot care offered at several locations
  • Etc.
Learn more about CSCE primary health services

Nutrition Services at the CSCE: Why Are They So Important?

Not many organizations provide the community with an opportunity to consult a dietitian free of charge, as is the case in community health centres. Thanks to the CSCE, the population of Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott and Russell can obtain reliable information from trusted sources free of charge on one of today’s most popular topics: nutrition.

An overabundance of information about nutrition from countless sources often leads to many questions. As a result, many clients seek evidence-based answers and nutrition counselling from the dietitians at the CSCE. Our team of dietitians is constantly seeking the most recent research findings so they can give advice that is tailored to the medical conditions and personal goals of their clients. Their objective? To encourage clients in their journey towards optimal health.

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Get Back on Track With the Low Back Pain Program

Low back pain is the most common work-related disorder in North America and the number one cause of disability in the world. It is also a major cause of workplace absenteeism. Around 85% of the population will experience back pain at least once in their lifetime. There is no miracle cure for low back pain because there are many factors to consider. A multimodal approach seems to be the most effective way to reduce recovery time and get people back up on their feet as quickly as possible. Moreover, when chiropractors are integrated within community health centres, they can play a crucial role in managing low back pain by providing the best possible treatment to patients which helps them recover more quickly.

The CSCE’s Low Back Pain Program is provided throughout the counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. It celebrated its fifth year in April 2020. To date, 919 patients have been seen and 12,291 treatments have been given.

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Chronic Disease Management Programs Expanding

The CSCE works in collaboration with the Montfort Hospital to welcome clients from the Prescott-Russell area who wish to participate in its chronic disease management programs. The CSCE’s community health sector continues to provide group intervention programs designed to relieve chronic pain and make it possible for people suffering from chronic pain to reduce medication use. The “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions” and “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain” programs are especially well attended.

The CSCE is also proud of its involvement in the development of the integrated and interconnected care approach for patients with complex needs through the Health Link. We have been creative in developing two approaches that have enabled us to surpass established targets in terms of the number of registered clients, while managing to continue to provide services for other primary care needs.

Smoking Cessation Program

Since 2014, the CSCE has partnered with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and its “Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation” program. Every year, our staff members increasingly address tobacco use with smokers who consult them at the CSCE. They advise them about the health risks associated with smoking and refer them to our smoking cessation program. As a result, many of these smokers were able to benefit from customized assistance to quit smoking. Several of them have become and still remain non-smokers to this day.

Learn more about Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation

Mental Health

Standardized Fully Integrated Services

This year, the CSCE completed its mental health central intake and referral system which gives first priority to individuals who do not have access to other mental health care resources like employee assistance programs, or who do not have insurance coverage for therapy services. The response time for an initial phone call following a referral is 10 days. Clients in mental health crisis are referred to appropriate crisis services.

In addition, to improve comprehensive services provided in all six of the CSCE’s locations, the team of mental health therapists has established a common training framework to develop the ability to deal with the broadest possible range of problems and to intervene in the following four categories: individual, couple, family and group therapy.

Lastly, offering group intervention programs makes it possible to increase the number of clients served and to provide quicker access to services. Mental health groups are adapted depending on the severity of the problems and the level of support required by participants.

Learn more about CSCE mental health services

Diabetes Education Program

The Centre de santé communautaire de l’Estrie’s (CSCE) Diabetes Education Program allows people with diabetes or prediabetes to learn the skills they need to take an active role in managing their condition daily.

The Diabetes Education Program team is made up of a dietitian and a nurse whose mandate is to teach people with diabetes to take charge of their health and manage their disease.

This year, the Diabetes Education Program’s educators delivered services to 2,300 clients through diabetes education, support and consultations geared towards helping clients manage their condition more effectively. In total, 6,472 consultations were provided and 74 groups or presentations were held on diabetes awareness and education.

Learn more about the Diabetes Education Program

STATISTICS AND FINANCIAL REPORT (2019-2020)

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