The Senate’s Human Rights Agenda in relation to maternal health and wellbeing: a local and global imperative

School of Health Studies is delighted to be holding an Inaugural Public Lecture presented by Senator Salma Ataullahjan.

Senator Salma Ataullahjan is the first Canadian Senator of Pakistani origin, appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2010 as a representative for the province of Ontario. She is Chair of the Canadian’s Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights and a member of the Canadian’s Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans and the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament. Senator Ataullahjan is committed to issues affecting women, youth and the world’s most vulnerable, having proposed several recognized studies in the Human Rights committee–one on women’s engagement in Afghanistan, another on cyberbullying of children, and one on Syrian refugee resettlement in Canada. Recently, she spearheaded the study on Islamophobia in Canada, the first study on the topic to be conducted by the Senate of Canada. Senator Ataullahjan is also an accomplished artist, mostly working with watercolours.

Date: November 24, 2023  | Time: 5.30-6.30 pm  | Location: Conron Hall, UC Room 3110

This lecture is open to all SHS members, students and members of the public.

Please RSVP by November 17, 2023

The Staggering Rise in Opioid-Related Deaths Among Unhoused People: A Call to Action

The recent study conducted by ICES Western and Lawson Health Research Institute has shed light on a growing crisis that affects the most vulnerable members of our community: the unhoused. The study’s findings underscore a grim reality: opioid-related deaths have sharply increased among those without stable housing. Unhoused individuals already grapple with adversity, isolation, and a lack of basic necessities, and the opioid crisis compounds their vulnerability. Many turn to opioids as a means of coping with the relentless challenges they face, often leading to addiction and fatal overdose.

This crisis is a clear call to action. Awareness alone is insufficient; we must actively seek solutions to address this urgent problem. Key steps include improving access to harm reduction services, providing affordable housing, offering mental health and addiction support, and engaging communities to reduce stigma and create a more inclusive environment.

It’s vital to approach this issue with compassion, recognizing that unhoused individuals are not mere statistics – they are real people facing unimaginable challenges. As responsible community members, it is our collective duty to address the opioid crisis among the unhoused, advocating for change and providing support to break the cycle of addiction.

For more information on the study, you can read the full article on Western University’s website.

Shaping the Future: Your Input on Autism Services Matters

Today, we would like to draw your attention to an important initiative that has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of children with Autism in our community. Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) is actively seeking your expertise and experience to help shape the future of integrated Autism services in the southwest region.

Why Your Input Matters

Children with Autism and their families often require specialized support and services. Your unique insights, experiences, and perspectives are invaluable in ensuring that these services are effective, accessible, and comprehensive. By participating, you can help bridge gaps in services, improve coordination, and create a more supportive environment for children with Autism and their families.

Ways to Contribute

There are two main ways you can get involved:

  1. Fill Out the Survey: TVCC has created a brief survey to help map the existing services and identify gaps in our community. Your input will be a crucial component in this process. Please take a few moments to fill out the survey by visiting this link.
  2. Join Upcoming Meetings: TVCC is hosting two events to encourage collaboration and networking among professionals and stakeholders. The virtual meeting on October 27th and the in-person event on November 3rd offer a platform to discuss available offerings, gaps, and better ways to coordinate services for clients with Autism and their families. For registration details, please see the attached invitation.

TVCC is committed to providing ongoing opportunities for the community to connect, learn, and share. In the coming months, they will be offering more workshops and avenues for involvement. If you are unable to attend the events but would like to stay connected, please reach out to Lynn Seward, the Project Coordinator for Autism & Behavioural Services, at Lynn.Seward@tvcc.on.ca or call 519.685.870

Become a Grounded Roots, Open Wings (GROW) Board Member

Grounded Roots, Open Wings (GROW) provides comprehensive pre-and postnatal care to those in our community who do not have a family doctor. In addition, GROW provides wrap-around care to the majority of its service users who deal with socioeconomic and psychosocial challenges. 

GROW is seeking dedicated and passionate individuals to join our Board of Directors for a three-year term. Board members provide governance, financial and strategic oversight to advance the mission of Grow. We currently meet once a month, with a mix of in-person and videoconferencing. 

 Key Considerations 

We are looking for candidates with strong leadership and strategic skills, a good understanding of the organization’s mission and vision and the ability to communicate it effectively. Specific skills of interest this year include: 

  • finance, and knowledge of the legal and regulatory environment. 
  • experience in fundraising/development 
  • grant writing 
  • governance experience 

If you have the skills and experience to advance the work of Grow, GROW would like to hear from you. Grow is committed to broadening the diversity of its Board of Directors and encouraging applications from individuals with a variety of lived experiences. 

Expressions of Interest 

GROW invites expressions of interest from those wishing to serve on its Board of Directors for a term that would begin Feb. 2024. Questions and resumes can be directed to growboardofdirectors@prismahcc.ca for consideration by December 15, 2023

Job Vacancy: Assistant or Associate Professor Health Information Sciences 

The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) and Faculty of Information & Media Studies (FIMS) at Western University are pleased to invite applications for a joint appointment as faculty colleague and Graduate Program Chair in Health Information Science (HIS). We will appoint at the rank of Associate Professor (tenured), probationary Associate Professor (with early eligibility for tenure at Western) or Assistant Professor in the final years of a tenure-track appointment (probationary). Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. 

The Faculty of Health Sciences is a dynamic and collaborative teaching and research environment with four signature research areas (FHS strategic research plan) in mobility, social determinants of health/health equity, health information and technology, and changing health services, systems and policy. The Faculty of Information of Media Studies offers research and teaching in information, media and technology systems, histories, and practices to understand the role of media and information in democratic process and the social and cultural determinants of power and agency (FIMS Strategic Plan). Health and its coordinates in policy and technology are key FIMS research areas. 

The HIS Program is a well-established graduate program offered jointly by the two Faculties. The program sits at the intersection of our two missions and supports innovative research, teaching, and knowledge mobilization. The HIS program provides students with fundamental knowledge about human health and its sociotechnical contexts; health organizations and health care delivery in Canada and globally; health informatics; and the impacts of digital technologies on individual and societal health. The successful candidate will lead the program as Graduate Program Chair with the support of an administrative coordinator and Associate Deans in both Faculties. Evidence of leadership experience or capacity is important. 

Possible areas of research and teaching: As a researcher, the successful candidate will contribute to growing collaborations in digital health studies at FHS and FIMS. Their specialty areas may include (but are not limited to): 

  • health information science including the critical analysis of health mis- and dis-information, 
  • online health information contexts 
  • health and social media 
  • science and technology studies (STS) with a focus on digital health technologies 
  • health informatics 
  • health communication and knowledge mobilization in a digital context 
  • information ethics and health policy in government and clinical settings 
  • health equity 
  • Indigenous health frameworks in community and digital contexts 

In addition to research and leadership activity, the candidate will have the opportunity to teach in the Health Information Sciences graduate program (with reduced teaching expectations). The ability to teach and supervise at the graduate level in health informatics, digital health studies, or knowledge mobilization would be beneficial. 

The successful candidate will hold a PhD and will have a background in a health-related discipline such as Health Sciences/Studies, Nursing, Kinesiology, or Rehabilitation Sciences and/or in Library and Information Science, Communication, Media Studies, Sociology, or Science and Technology Studies (STS). The joint appointment will be in FIMS and one of six Schools in FHS (Kinesiology, Health Studies, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, or Communication Sciences and Disorders). The successful candidate’s research record will include external funding (from such sources as foundations and government research agencies, including the Tri-Council in Canada), peer-reviewed publication, and national/international exposure through invited lectures and/or conference symposia, as appropriate for their discipline and career stage. 

In short, the successful candidate will be an academic with demonstrated teaching and research commitments to digital health studies, openness to interdisciplinarity, and leadership ability. 

The candidate may benefit from interactions with Western’s Research Centres and Institutes, among them the Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion, the Rotman Institute of Philosophy, and the newly formed Center for Digital Justice, Community and Democracy. 

Western has a full-time enrolment of approximately 32,000 in a range of academic and professional programs. With annual research funding exceeding $220 million and an international reputation for success, Western ranks as one of Canada’s top research-intensive universities. Our research excellence expands knowledge and drives discovery with real-world application. Western also provides an exceptional employment experience, offering competitive salaries, a wide range of employment opportunities and one of Canada’s most beautiful campuses. Western’s Recruitment and Retention Office is available to assist in the transition of successful applicants and their families. 

Western University recognizes that our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion is central to the University’s mandate as a research-intensive institution of higher learning and a community leader. Western understands that our pursuit of research excellence and our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion are mutually supporting. The successful applicant will show evidence of contributing to equity, diversity, and inclusion in academia. 

The anticipated start date is July 1, 2024. Interested applicants are invited to submit a complete application package, as a single PDF file, containing the following: 

  • Application for Full-Time Faculty Position form 
  • Cover letter (highlighting leadership experience or capacity, and connection to both Faculties and research entities at Western) 
  • A detailed curriculum vitae 
  • A brief description of the candidate’s current research program, past accomplishments, and future plans 
  • Links to representative publications 
  • The names and contact information for three references 
  • A statement on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in relation to their teaching and research 

The application package can be submitted via email to: 

Drs. S. Jayne Garland and Lisa Henderson
Search Committee Co-Chairs 
Western University 
Arthur and Sonia Labatt Health Sciences Building, Room 200 1151 Richmond St. N. 
London, Ontario, Canada N6A 3K7
wechebot@uwo.ca  

The deadline for receipt of application packages is November 13, 2023. 
Please quote number HS-257 on all correspondence for this position. 

Positions are subject to budget approval. Applicants should have fluent written and oral communication skills in English. The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression. 

In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. 

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Wanda Chebott, Executive Assistant to the Dean of Health Sciences at wechebot@uwo.ca or 519-661-4239.