Chief Medical Officer of Health Update

1. Chief Medical Officer of HealthUpdate Presentation to the Council of Medical Officers of Health and alPHa February 11, 2011

2. Purpose • To provide an update on current and ongoing activities in the CMOH Office including: • Public health unit visits/regional visits • Cross ministry collaboration • CMOH legislation • First Nations Health Advisory Group • Building on the 2009 Annual Report • Strategic plan for public health

3. Public Health Unit Visits/Regional Visits • Visiting public health units across the province • Toronto • Ottawa • Algoma • Eastern Health Unit • Northwestern Health Unit • Peel • Niagara • Halton • Best practices, innovation, local issues and concerns. • Will continue to visit with health units and am looking at other opportunities to keep the lines of communication open – ie: attending regional meetings.

4. Cross Ministry Collaboration • I am meeting with Deputy Ministers to discuss the role of public health and explore opportunities for collaboration – making it everybody’s business • Past Meetings: • Children & Youth Services • Environment • Finance • Natural Resources • Aboriginal Affairs • Consumer Services and Research & Innovation • Education • Community & Social Services and Accessibility • Correctional Services and Community Safety • Transportation • Labour • Municipal Affairs and Housing

5. CMOH Legislation • Introduction of new legislation – Bill 141 “An Act to Amend the Health Promotion and Protection Act” • First reading – November 30, 2010 • Second reading debate began December 8, 2010. Debate will continue sometime after the Legislature resumes on February 22, 2011. • Bill 141 will eventually be referred to committee. • Would like to begin dialogue pertaining to degree of standardization during a public health emergency in the province.

6. First Nations Health Advisory Group • Since 2008, Chiefs of Ontario Office (COO) - a coordinating body for 134 First Nations - has been advocating that the province adopt a new approach to Aboriginal health planning and policy development via an Ontario-First Nations Health Accord. • In November 2010, Grand Chief Stan Beardy of COO met with Deputy Ministers of MOHLTC, Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, and Cabinet Office, Intergovernmental Affairs, to further discuss opportunities for strengthening relations and First Nations health. • Identify and implement targeted activities in an effort to continue Ontario-First Nations dialogue and improve health outcomes for First Nations people through the establishment of a senior level Advisory Group co-chaired by the ADM, Health System Strategy Division (HSSD) and the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH). • This process will involve the federal government given its primary responsibility for the provision of health care services to First Nations people living on-reserve.

7. First Nations Health Advisory Group cont. Current status and upcoming milestones • A letter has been sent from Deputy Minister Rafi to Chief Beardy, COO. It outlines Ontario’s commitment to strengthening First Nations health via the establishment of the Advisory Group. • An internal MOHLTC ADM-level committee was established on December 2, 2010, with the goal of implementing Ontario’s component of the Advisory Group’s work plan. The Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport will be invited to sit on this Committee. • The ADM HSSD, and CMOH will be meeting with senior representatives from Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada in February. • Following the meeting with the federal government, the ADM HSSD, and CMOH will meet with COO to finalize the parameters (e.g., scope, participation) of the Advisory Group. • The Advisory Group will meet in early April with the goal of jointly drafting the work plan and Terms of Reference.

8. Building on the 2009 Annual Report • Released my 2009 Annual Report: “Public Health – Everyone’s Business”. • Report is a call to action to all three levels of government, the health, education, financial and social sectors, as well as the people of Ontario. • As Chief Medical Officer of Health, I am looking forward to helping facilitate the system-wide actions that are required to make this happen.

9. Building on the 2009 Annual Report cont. • Planning/Development of the 2010 Annual Report is underway. • This is the second critical step toward a strategic plan for public health. • This report will build on the themes identified in the 2009 Annual Report. • Specifically, it will: • provide the evidence, as well as showcase examples of inter-sectoral initiatives driving healthy public policy in Ontario and other jurisdictions.

10. Strategic Plan for Public Health • Need to move toward a comprehensive public health strategy for the province that looks beyond the programs and services that are in place for the coming year – as important as those are – and instead looks at the direction we should be taking over the next four or five years. • I am planning to recommend to government a strategy informed by the themes of the 2009 Annual Report and the 2010 Annual Report. • The strategy will also be informed by the clear understanding that any successful public health strategy depends on government-wide and system-wide approaches to improving the health of Ontarians.