Refugee HealthLine – 1-866-286-4770

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has developed a temporary, toll-free, multi-lingual health line to connect refugees to health care providers across Ontario. You will be connected with various types of health care providers that have made themselves available to provide services to refugees.
Volunteers include, for example:

• Primary care providers (e.g. Refugee Health Clinics, Community Health Centres, Family Health Teams, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics, midwifery practices, physician practices, walk-in clinics)
• Specialists (e.g. obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, and psychiatry)
• Allied health-care practitioners including occupational therapists, speech language therapists and physiotherapists
• Mental health service providers
• Dentists
• Optometrists

More information at the Ministry website for the Syrian Refugee response which includes fact sheets about health care options translated into Arabic and Kurdish.

Medical Information Downloads

Syrian Refugee Health Care Options in Ontario

Toronto’s Community Health Centres

Download Syrian Refugee Clinic Information Flyer

Medical Clinics for Refugees

Need help to access medical services for Syrian refugees? A clinic operates one day a week at many different rotating locations in the GTA. All services are covered by OHIP. Find out where and when, and how to phone for an appointment. 

Interim Federal Health Program Coverage for Syrian Refugees

***UPDATE:  The new Interim Federal Health Program came into effect on April 1st, 2016.  To understand which services are covered please download this document prepared by Dr. Janet Cleveland. The information, plus some additional information may also be found at The Refugee Research Network.***

On December 16th the expected announcement was made official.  Here’s the federal government’s announcement, and here’s what you need to know to guide newcomers through the process. Need to know more details about Interim Federal Health Coverage for Syrian refugees?  We can explain.

In addition the Federal government will provide all Syrian refugees (both government and private sponsor) for one year of emergency dental care under the Interim Federal Health Plan (IFHP).
Emergency is defined as procedure to alleviate pain and active infection, hemorrhage and the result of oral trauma.

Adult Syrian refugees are covered under IFHP dental coverage in the following Toronto dental clinics:

• 80 Bond Street – Toronto
  Phone: 416 338 0905
• 179 Gerard St. E. Toronto
  Phone:  416 338 6984
• 1229 Queen St. W – Toronto
  Phone:  416 338 5652
• 1541 Jane St. – Toronto
  Phone:   416 338 1254
• 150 Berry Rd. – Etobicoke
  Phone:  416 338 1120

Children and youth under 18 and seniors 65 years of age and older with or without IFHP can be seen in any of Toronto government dental clinics.

Pro Bono Dental Care

Canadian Dentists for Refugees is a new service that connects refugees with dentists who are willing to offer their services for free. You can qualify if you:

1. Are a refugee who has arrived in Canada within the last 12 months
2. Have dental pain or an emergency and
3. Cannot afford dental treatments

Children’s Mental Health Ontario

Recognizing that children often need time to adapt to new surroundings, it can nevertheless be helpful to keep a watch for signs of serious distress requiring professional intervention by a specialist in children’s mental health.

To find a children’s mental health provider in your area input your postal code on this page.