Program

As part of its mission, SHERPA has established a comprehensive research and training program focused on “primary healthcare and social services in a multi-ethnic context.”

The 2014–2019 program, titled Health, Social Intervention, and Immigration: From Global Transformation to Local Adaptation, addresses two critical shifts:

  1. The impact of globalization and security-driven discourses on paradigms shaping immigration policies and practices.
  2. The challenge of adapting services within a framework increasingly influenced by standardized practices.

    This program seeks to understand the barriers migrants face when accessing healthcare and social services in Quebec, with the ultimate goal of fostering innovative solutions. To address evolving migration trends and local realities, SHERPA pursues this overarching objective through three key focus areas:

1. Globalization and Immigration: Understanding to Act Differently

  • Reconfigure Vulnerability and Protection: Analyze how new migration dynamics and evolving forms of exclusion affect factors of vulnerability and resilience among immigrants.
  • Comparative Insights: Examine social intervention and healthcare practices across national contexts to provide comparative insights into Quebec’s practices.
  • Intersectional Approaches: Develop and evaluate intersectional strategies that reduce vulnerabilities and empower immigrant and refugee communities.

2. Cultural Adaptation of Primary Healthcare and Social Service Practices

  • Tailored Practices: Propose practices that cater to the specific needs of immigrant and refugee individuals and families, while recognizing the limits of generalizing data across diverse populations.
  • Enhanced Accessibility: Develop and evaluate innovative practices that improve communication, service accessibility, and trust between primary care providers and immigrant communities.
  • Support for Families: Create cutting-edge approaches to enhance the health and social well-being of immigrant children, youth, and families.

3. Evaluation and Ethics for a Multi-Ethnic Context

  • Context-Sensitive Evaluations: Develop and implement an institutional policy for conducting culturally sensitive evaluations that align with multi-ethnic realities.
  • Evidence-Based Insights: Perform systematic literature reviews to support administrative and clinical decisions in primary care for diverse populations.
  • Evaluation Support: Establish a consultation team to provide methodological guidance to CIUSSS practitioners, researchers, and teams working with multi-ethnic communities.
  • Ethical Practices: Advance ethical thinking on cultural and migration diversity in clinical and research settings within multi-ethnic primary care contexts.
    Through these axes, SHERPA’s program continues to pave the way for innovative practices and policies, ensuring equitable and effective healthcare and social services for diverse populations.