Actions needed to promote health equity and the mental health of Canada's Black refugees.

OBJECTIVES: The overall goal was to synthesize knowledge on actions that need to be taken to promote health equity and the mental health of Black refugees in Canada. DESIGN: Group concept mapping systems were applied to generate and organize action-oriented statements related to the different social determinants of health. A total of 174 participants from the cities of Calgary and Edmonton with experience working with Black Canadians participated in four focus groups: (a) 2 focus groups that engaged 123 participants in brainstorming 84 statements guided by the following focus prompt: 'A specific action that would improve the mental health equity of Black refugees living in Canada is … ' and (b) 2 focus groups of 51 participants who sorted the generated statements and rated them by order of 'importance' and 'ideas seen in action.' Data was further computed and analysed by the research team and a select advisory group from the participants. RESULTS: A 10-cluster map generated included the following clusters: (1) promoting cultural identity, (2) promoting ways of knowing, (3) addressing discrimination and racism, (4) addressing the criminalization of Black Canadians, (5) investing in employment for equity, (6) promoting equity in housing, (7) facilitating self-determination, (8) improving (public) services, (9) promoting appropriate and culturally relevant mental health services, and (10) working with and addressing faith and belief related issues. Clusters 4 and 9 ranked as the most important clusters in promoting health equity and the mental health of Black Canadians. CONCLUSIONS: Addressing the criminalization of Black Canadians through a range of rehumanizing interventions at institutional levels will provide a platform from which they can participate and engage others in developing appropriate and culturally relevant mental health services.

Examining an Alternate Care Pathway for Mental Health and Addiction Prehospital Emergencies in Ontario, Canada: A Critical Analysis.

Paramedics in Ontario have largely been limited to transporting those with mental health or addiction (MHA)-related emergencies to the emergency department (ED). The ED has repeatedly been identified as a problematic and challenging setting for people with MHA needs. This article examines an innovative patient care model (PCM) established by the Middlesex-London Paramedic Service and its partners for specific MHA emergencies where patients were given options for care that included transportation to a Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Crisis Centre or information for support. Qualitative and quantitative data that were utilized for regular reporting to the Ministry were included in the analysis. The findings indicated that the goals of reducing pressures on EDs and paramedic services, enhancing paramedics' ability to address MHA calls, and improving patient care experiences were met. This model improves patient autonomy and options for care, improves the means for addressing patients' social determinants of health, and offers transportation to a non-medicalized facility.

Criminalized Black Women's Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence in Canada.

Canadian research examining the overlap between Black women's victimization and criminalization is sparse. This qualitative study addresses this gap by examining the ways in which criminalized Black women's intersecting identities of race, class, and gender influence how they perceive, experience, and respond to intimate partner violence (IPV). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 Black women who experienced IPV. The findings focus on the women (15) who were also charged with an IPV-related offense. Critical race feminism was employed to analyze their narratives. This research has implications for policy, practice, and future research with Black women who are victimized and criminalized.

Contextualizing the Experiences of Black Women Arrested for Intimate Partner Violence in Canada.

This qualitative study was informed by critical race feminism and explored Black women's experiences with the police with a particular focus on how issues of race, racism, oppression, and subordination inform their experiences. It sought to answer three research questions: (1) What is known about Black women's experiences with the police in the context of intimate partner violence? (2) Given their experiences with the police, what is their perception of the police? and (3) To what extent do women construct counter-narratives of their experiences with the police and what does that involve? The sample was comprised of 25 participants, 15 of whom were arrested. The women were over the age of 18 and lived in the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding areas. Most women expressed that they had negative encounters with the police, which was influenced by the police's negative perceptions of them. Black women who called the police to intervene in an intimate partner violence incident were subjected to great scrutiny and vulnerable to racialized and gendered police violence. Consequently, women were fearful and distrustful of the police and were less likely to seek help from them in the future. The study answers the call for research that examines Black women's experiences with the police from their perspective. It has implications for social service providers and provides strategies to improve future police interactions with Black communities.