The Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network is hosting a Rural Health Symposium on April 19 from 10am to 2pm at the Fergus Sportsplex.
The event, offered in partnership with the Waterloo Wellington Rural Health Network, is open to all community members and will address issues surrounding poverty and health.
LHIN community engagement coordinator Suzanne Morrison told the Advertiser the symposium will “provide education and networking opportunities” for attendees, expected to include municipal leaders, health care providers and justice and public health officials.
“We’re looking to have a very broad discussion … about what we can do at a grass roots level to address poverty and improve health for local residents,” said Morrison.
She explained the event is one of the LHIN’s “Change Labs,” which are billed as “collaborative, workshop series … where local health service providers can learn about new opportunities and tools available in the local health system.”
The agenda for the meeting includes an address by LHIN board member Judy Dirksen, a video presentation from Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, keynote speaker Gayle Montgomery of Lambton County Social Services on Bridges out of Poverty, and a “community action plan” discussion.
Interested persons are asked to RSVP by April 13 by visiting http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/April19ChangeLab.
As of April 4 over 120 people had registered, and Morrison said she expects about 200 to attend the event.
Lunch will be provided and in place of a fee, organizers are asking for a donation of a non-parishable food item.
For more information visit waterloowellingtonlhin.on.ca.
