Oct. 30, 2017

Register today on our What We Do page to join agents of change in LGBT2SQ health and wellness at the largest LGBT2SQ health conference in Canada. Early bird rates are in effect until Feb. 2, 2018.  

Rainbow Health Ontario invites you to join us for the fifth biennial RHO Conference from March 21-24, 2018 in Sudbury, Ontario. We recognize that we will be gathering on the territories of the Atikameksheng and Wahnapitae First Nations, who are part of the Anishnawbek Nation.

This conference will focus on building partnerships in health and social services to promote the health of Ontario’s diverse LGBT2SQ populations, including those in northern and rural areas. In our programming, we have emphasized an intersectional approach to health and well-being, streamed according to 7 themes: clinical practice; public policy, activism and human rights; community support and development; professional education and training; research; organization and systems change; and ethics and law. Additionally, we’ve encouraged content that focuses on Indigenous, Francophone, rural and northern, racialized, and newcomer LGBT2SQ needs and access.

Setting the tone for the conference as our opening plenary speaker, we are delighted to welcome Candy Palmater, who will speak about how love, kindness and self-acceptance matter for LGBT2SQ health and well-being. A recovered lawyer turned feminist comic, Candy is an actor, writer, columnist, international speaker, activist, comedian and multiple award-winning TV and radio personality, who has executive produced three films on Mi’kmaw culture.

Register today to join a dynamic network of health and social service providers, community members, researchers, and policy makers coming together to advance the health outcomes of LGBT2SQ Ontarians.

Register at www.rainbowhealthontario.ca/conference. Early bird rates are in effect until February 2, 2018.

Quotes

“We’re eager to welcome new and returning conference participants to Sudbury to connect, share knowledge, and work together to advance LGBT2SQ health outcomes. We’re also looking forward to hosting this conference in a more Northern Ontario setting; the conference’s planning has been hugely enriched by the contributions, expertise and guidance of our planning committee members local to the Sudbury and Sault St. Marie areas, for which we are very thankful.”

– Devon MacFarlane, Director, Rainbow Health Ontario, a program of Sherbourne Health

“For our fifth RHO Conference, we’re proud to present what we feel is our best offering yet—jam-packed with expert, interdisciplinary presenters from across the province. From the Sudbury location to the unique plenaries, inaugural research agenda-building sessions and the conference’s overall focus on an intersectional approach to health and well-being, we’re anticipating a truly impactful 2018 conference that will nurture momentum for LGBT2SQ health in Ontario.”

– Hazelle Palmer, President & CEO, Sherbourne Health

About Rainbow Health Ontario

Rainbow Health Ontario (RHO) is a province-wide program of Sherbourne Health that works to promote the health of Ontario’s LGBT2SQ communities and improve their access to services. RHO creates resources, provides information and consultation services, delivers education and training, and supports research to develop evidence-based practice and informed public policy.

About Sherbourne Health

Sherbourne Health is an urban health agency in downtown Toronto that provides holistic primary care and chronic disease management, mental health services, health promotion and education, and outreach and social supports. Sherbourne’s doors are open to everyone, with a focus on the LGBT2SQ community, homeless and under-housed people, and newcomers to Canada, whose complex needs are often not met by traditional health care. Sherbourne combines high quality clinical care with responsive, culturally appropriate community development programs that bring low-barrier services to people in the surrounding communities who need it most.

Contact

Colleen Westendorf
Communications Coordinator
Rainbow Health Ontario
Tel: 416-324-4100 ext. 5332
cwestendorf@rainbowhealthontario.ca