The University Health Network is teaming up with the 211 help line and a social service agency to help those impacted by the virus stay on their feet financially as the economic implications of COVID-19 play out.

UHN, a hospital network and health research organization in Toronto, is collaborating with 211, an Ontario telephone helpline and website that gives information about and referrals to the province’s government, community, social and health-related services, along with West Neighbourhood House, a social services organization in the city.

Those with COVID-19 symptoms or who suspect they may be infected and show up at emergency wards within UHN’s network or at the COVID-19 screening centre at Toronto Western will get information about the services.

People will be referred to 211 through a handout sheet that asks if they are having money problems, mental health concerns and questions about accessing Employment Insurance, for example.

(UHN launched a separate program earlier this week in which a team within the network is helping connect volunteers in Toronto with vulnerable seniors at Toronto Community Housing to get the latter delivered groceries, medication and other essentials).

Regarding the latest initiative, Dr. Andrew Boozary, executive director, health and social policy at University Health Network, says as the virus spreads and people are affected it’s becoming more and more clear we can’t disentangle the economic crisis from the public health crisis.

“It’s clear our most marginalized patients are going to be the ones affected the most. This is where the health-care and community sector need to work closer together than ever before on these pieces for our patients,” Boozary said in an interview Thursday.

Karen Milligan, executive director of Ontario 211 Services, said 211 and UHN have been speaking for some time about how to team up in the area of social medicine.

When COVID-19 popped up the conversations restarted in earnest, Milligan said.

“There are social needs associated with people coming into emergency wards, whether it’s sickness or the thousands who will be laid off from businesses closing, or self-isolation measures especially by those with mental health issues ... These are the issues 211 is set up to (assist) people with,” Milligan said.

“We want to use our channels, out expertise, our inventory of services to ensure people can connect with these services,” she added

Aside from the 211 service referrals, UHN and its partners will also be connecting patients and users of the network to West Neighbourhood House, which Boozary said has one of the “most robust financial empowerment models” in the city.

He called West Neighbourhood House “an incredible community agency in Toronto” when it comes to services such as getting supports from a financial counsellor for issues such as seeking deferrals for tax payments owed.

The government is rolling out a massive $82-billion COVID-19 emergency relief plan and the agencies UHN has partnered with can help patients identify which funds they’re entitled to and how to access them, said Boozary, who has also led initiatives on affordable housing and homelessness for UHN.

Someone who might benefit could be a young person who lost their part-time job due to a shutdown and needs to find out how to get financial assistance, he said.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

“We’re trying to ensure the economic and income blow our patients are experiencing, that we can mitigate that as best as we can,” he went on to say, referring to COVID-19 collaboration.

“We all believe and know that income is a major determinant of health. The economic consequences are almost certainly going to be huge and significant. Anyone who walks through the doors of UHN, this virus is the cause of a lot of agony and it’s not going to go away anytime soon,” Boozary said.

The push is part of UHN’s social medicine approach, and UHN hopes to continue to help people through 211 and Toronto hospitals beyond the wake of the virus.