Child Health

Position:

A healthy childhood in a supportive environment is an essential determinant of health. Meeting physical, cognitive, communicative and psychosocial developmental milestones must be supported by healthy public policy and strong public health services that are specifically mandated to promote them as components of healthy growth.

Active Resolutions:

#A05-13, Window Safety Devices
#A05-12, Type 1 Diabetes in Children 
 

Resolution	Recent Developments
#A05-13, Window Safety Devices  alPHa urges the Government of Ontario to act immediately to amend the Ontario Building Code to require the installation of an acceptable window safety devices in multiple-dwellings such that in every multiple-dwelling, every window, any part of which is capable of being opened, that does not lead to a balcony, that is located two metres or more above the finished grade of land upon which it faces, and is not otherwise equipped to prevent falls shall be equipped with a safety device to prevent an opening in any part of the window greater than 100 millimetres	February 15, 2006 alPHa corrspondence sent to  Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Copied to the CMOH, Minister of Health and Long Term Care, Minister of Health Promotion and the Premier. http://www.alphaweb.org/docs/lib_008260516.pdf
#A05-12, Type 1 Diabetes in Children  alPHa urges the Governments of Canada and Ontario to act immediately and in concert to develop and implement, as soon as possible, a long-term action plan that significantly increases resources available for the epidemiology, education, care and treatment related to type 1 diabetes in children	November 15, 2006 alPHa has sent a letter to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care thanking him for the announcement described below. Please click here to read. November 14, 2006 The Provincial Government has committed $9.65M to cover the full cost of insulin pumps and ongoing related supplies to benefit about 1,000 children aged 18 and under, retroactive to April 1, 2006. This is part of the $53 million diabetes strategy that focuses on diabetes education, early intervention and effective prevention of complications. It includes The Pediatric Diabetes Initiative (PDI) for children with type 1 diabetes to make appropriate education, treatment and follow-up resources available to children with diabetes and their parents at 34 regional programs across Ontario. http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/media/news_releases/archives/nr_06/nov/bg_111406.pdf

Closed Resolutions:

#A04-8, Preschool Speech, Language and Audiology Funding 

Resolution

Developments

#A04-8, Preschool Speech, Language and Audiology Funding  alPHa requests an increase in the annual funding for the preschool speech and language, audiology and infant hearing programs by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care so as to maintain the existing levels of service provided by health units, and to allow enhanced service to residents of First Nation communities.

February 1 2007 Resolution closed by alPHa Board of Directors December 11 2006 alPHa Advocacy Committee recommends closure of this resolution as the Resolution Sponsor agreed that the $4.7 million in the Preschool Speech and Language program and $1.2 million Infant Hearing program that was announced by MCYS that year did satisfy the first part of the operative clause (“funding…to maintain existing levels of service provided by health units”) and acknowledged that the second part (enhancing services to First Nation communities) would require more than just increased/enhanced funding (e.g. the development an innovative service delivery model that is cost effective and meets the needs of the child, family and community). This second aspect of the operative clause is addressed in the broader demands of alPHa Resolution A02-10 (Aboriginal Public Health in Ontario), which calls for quality and equitable delivery of all aspects of the HPPA to all First Nations citizens August 29, 2005 alPHa has received a letter from the Minister of State (Public Health) in response to our January 2005 letter stating that the Public Health Agency of Canada, through the Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities program (AHSUNC), is involved in training workshops, working groups and discussion papers that will be used as a focal point for Aboriginal communities and orgaizations to suport language development for Aboringial Children. Please click here to read the letter. April 1, 2005 alPHa rceived a response to the letter below. Please click here to read. January 31, 2005 alPHa has sent a letter to Minister of Children and Youth Services, introducing this and two other resolutions. Please click here to read the letter. January 24, 2005 alPHa has sent a letter to Minister of State (Public Health) Carolyn Bennett to follow up on two resolutions, one of which is specific to the province's role in providing funding for speech language and audiology programs in general, with a view to extending them into aboriginal communities. This was used as an example to inquire about the new federal agency's role in First Nations public health matters. Please click here to read the letter. November 25, 2004 Minister of Children and Youth Services Maria Bountrogianni announced an investment of an additional $4.7 million in the Preschool Speech and Language program and $1.2 million in the Infant Hearing Program to help children with language and hearing disorders develop the communication skills they need to succeed in school. Please click here for more details. September 10, 2004 Response received from the Ministry to the letter described below. Please click here to read. The response to A04-8 is on pages 3 & 4, reminding members that the new Ministry of Children and Youth Services now oversees these programs. July 21, 2004 Letter sent to Minister of Health George Smitherman, copied to CMOH Sheela Basrur and Premier Dalton McGuinty introducing Resolution # A04-8 and others for their attention. Please click here to read.  January, 2004 The Ministry of Children and Youth Services becomes the first new government ministry in two decades, charged with the oversight of services for children and youth in Ontario, including the Preschool Speech & Language and Infant Hearing Programs.