Toronto Linkage to Care Program
The Linkage to Care program began in 2018 as a pilot project between the Ontario HIV Treatment Network, Toronto Public Health, and the Hassle Free Clinic. The goal was to support newcomers who tested positive with HIV through the Immigration Medical Exam as well as individuals diagnosed in settings with no direct link to ongoing care. The project focused on rebuilding relationships with AIDS Service Organizations, the HIV community, the medical and immigration systems in order to bridge the divide in service access. The Linkage to Care program also participated with several community advocates and ASOs in the development of the Blue Door Clinic which provides accessible and affordable HIV care and treatment to individuals with limited to no health coverage. Please click here, for access to this resource.
As of 2021, the Linkage to Care program has moved to Fife House. It has since evolved to provide intensive case management to people living with HIV, prioritizing community members who identify as Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Colour and experience one or more of the following: 1) Houselessness, 2) Mental health and substance use issues that impact their daily life, and/or 3) Significant barriers in accessing HIV care and treatment. The program recognizes that people face many challenges in trying to navigate the complex systems of immigration, criminal justice, poverty, addictions and mental health, gendered violence, generational trauma, and forced displacement on their own.
Our Team is committed to providing support, connections, and care through referrals to necessary services, accompaniments, and advocacy. Our Team has seven case managers, including people lived experience, and volunteer peer workers as well. The program offers a mix of outreach, team-based case management, and individual case management.
Clients can be referred online through the form below, or by downloading the form here and submitting it via email to skaur@fifehouse.org or fax to 416-548-7232.
The Linkage to Care Program’s partnered with the following agency and continues to explore developing more:
Linkage to Care – Referral Form
