Item - 2023.HL3.3

The Board of Health:

1. Directed the Medical Officer of Health to include community-led research on Black health in epidemiologic reports in order to ensure sustainable community engagement and socio-economic recovery.

2. Directed the Medical Officer of Health to explore, with other relevant partners, how wrap around community services that support Black mental health could be continued and report back as part of the Mental Health and Addiction Strategy to the Board of Health in fall 2023.

3. Directed the Medical Officer of Health to advocate for a dedicated stream on Black mental health at the proposed national mental health summit to help raise awareness, share best practices, and build a community of support for this important issue.

4. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to explore the establishment of a permanent "Black Health Secretariat Task Force" to address any ongoing challenges faced by the Black community in mental health and cancer and any other health related issues.

5. Requested Ontario Health and the Province of Ontario to collaborate and partner with Black communities as stewards in addressing health issues to ensure that interventions are culturally appropriate, community-driven, and sustainable over time.

6. Reiterated its request to the Province of Ontario to collect and share equity-based race data as it is crucial to understanding the pandemic's impact on Black communities, identifying areas of need, and creating targeted interventions and policies, as previously requested in items HL22.1, HL25.3, HL31.2 and HL36.1.

7. Requested Ontario Health and the Province of Ontario to address the long-term health outcomes of COVID-19 for Black Toronto communities, especially Long COVID-19, which is having lasting effects on physical and mental health and childhood development.

Dr. David Burt and Dr. Candice Todd, Co-Chairs of the Black Scientists’ Task Force together with the Director, Community Resources, Social Development, Finance and Administration, gave a presentation on the Final Report from Black Scientists’ Task Force on Vaccine Equity.

As invited by the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration Division, Dr. David Burt and Dr. Candice Todd, Co-Chairs of the Black Scientists’ Task Force, will provide a presentation and final report on their recent work with Black communities on Vaccine Equity, that will include information on lessons learned from the pandemic and the early stages of recovery.