About Us
As a bridge between communities and governments, Société Santé en français (SSF) is a national not-for-profit organization that supports the work of 16 regional, provincial and territorial French Language Health Networks (FLHNs). The goal of this national association is to promote the development of French language health services for Francophone and Acadian minority communities in Canada.
To achieve this goal, SSF and the 16 Networks, along with their partners in the French language health system, work together on the active offer of French language health services, the valorization of human resources, the collection of the language variable, and community engagement.
The French Language Health Networks also provide support and expertise to health organizations wishing to participate in the Access to Health and Social Services in Official Languages Standard Recognition Program.
Contextualization
All across Canada, Francophone and Acadian minority communities face language barriers in the health care system. These barriers limit adequate access to services and have a negative impact on the quality of care and safety of users.
The Impact of Language Barriers on Health Systems
Evidence consistently shows that patients facing language barriers in health care do not receive the same quality of service and are more likely to encounter safety issues. Not being able to communicate effectively because of a language barrier can create misunderstandings and thus lead to medical errors or significant omissions.
Even Francophones who generally function well in English can often benefit and achieve better health outcomes from receiving services in their preferred language. This is especially true in an emergency situation or a crisis.
Simply providing services in French can help to eradicate these health care gaps.
What is the eQUITY Link platform?
In order to support healthcare managers, Société Santé en français (SSF) and the French Language Health Networks have developed a platform that supports the implementation of French language health services. The eQUITY Fundamentals guide, along with courses and resources that support the implementation process of this project, has undergone a rigorous validation process and is supported by proven solutions and tools.
The purpose of the eQUITY Link platform is to answer the question “Where do I start and how do I do it?” asked by healthcare managers who want to improve their French-language service delivery.
Accompanied by direct support from experts within the SSF’s local networks, eQUITY Link leads health care providers through the necessary steps to address language barriers and to implement proven solutions.
The online platform brings together evidence-based, validated tools that can help providers understand the process to follow in establishing best practices.
The flexibility of the platform allows organizations to assess their current Francophone capabilities and to navigate the best process forward at their own pace.
The lessons learned from eQUITY Link can be further applied and adapted to help organizations meet the needs of other linguistic minority populations in their community.
Official Recognition
By following the process described in eQUITY Link and by taking advantage of the tools provided, organizations will be better able to meet the criteria set out in the Access to Health and Social Services in Official Languages standard and submit an application to Accreditation Canada’s Recognition Program.
Are you ready to:
- Improve the quality of services offered to the Francophone or Acadian population of your region?
- Involve the right people at the right time and collaborate with key stakeholders?
- Benefit from the support of the necessary experts and resources to facilitate implementation of French language health, social and community services?
- Develop processes that may also improve service quality for other minority populations?
If your answer to these questions is yes, eQUITY Link and its support team are at your service to guide you through this process.
Certification
The Certified Health Leaders (CHE) certification from the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCLS) represents a commitment to excellence in the health sector. It attests to professional achievements characterized by a commitment to ethics, lifelong learning, activities that foster the development of others, networking, and active participation in health leadership and community affairs.
