RÉAC! Responsiveness of newcomer care to the COVID-19 pandemic in Montreal, Sherbrooke and Toronto: a participatory mixed research project

Migrant populations are among the groups most likely to have poor health. In Canada, institutional management of the health and social services needs of these populations is complemented by the action of community organizations. In Quebec and Ontario, these organizations intervene in several sectors: psychosocial support, housing, food security, and job search. COVID-19 has disrupted the ways in which these organizations operate, forcing them to adopt new ways of serving their beneficiaries in order to comply with the measures in place. This research is taking place in Montreal, Sherbrooke and Toronto, in the two leading migrant-receiving provinces in Canada - and which are the most affected by COVID-19. Our study integrates community stakeholders as well as policy makers and managers of health and social services networks (HSSNs) into the research process. It concerns the actions implemented by them in the context of the pandemic. Three objectives are targeted: 1) to shed light on the innovations that emerge from the adaptation of community organization and RSSS services, 2) to study the needs of beneficiaries, 3) to support the integration of promising innovations that promote intersectoral collaboration (community-RSSS). To achieve these objectives, we will conduct interviews with managers and stakeholders, and surveys and focus groups with beneficiaries. The involvement of different partners, including beneficiaries themselves, gives this research a significant social impact. The lessons learned from promising innovations are indeed likely to improve care beyond the context of the pandemic: decision-makers would benefit from relying more on this experience to offer adapted, solidly funded and culturally sensitive care.