Presenters: Kathryn Jarrett-Ekholm, Director of Health Program Integrity and Control, IRCC and Michael Mackinnon, Senior Director of Migration Health Policy and Partnerships, IRCC
Date: Friday, March 22nd, 2019

Description

This webinar challenges common myths on the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP): an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) program that provides limited, temporary health-care benefits to protected persons, including resettled refugees, refugee claimants and certain other groups, who are not eligible for provincial or territorial health insurance. The webinar is designed for social, settlement, and health service providers to provide: an overview of the IFHP, share information on the mental health supports available to refugees, and describe how to register under the IFHP as a service provider.

Presenter biographies

Kathryn Jarrett-Ekholm attended both Carleton University (Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Political Science) and the University of Ottawa (Certificate in Public Policy and Governance). Upon graduation, she joined the federal public service, and over the course of a 29-year career has gathered extensive public policy experience, having worked in several federal departments including Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

Kathryn joined the Migration Health Branch of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in September 2016, and is responsible for the Interim Federal Health Program, implementation of the Program Integrity Framework for all Migration Health Branch programs, and – from a Canadian perspective – the management and oversight of the global panel physician network, and strategic leadership and stewardship of the eMedical system.

Michael Mackinnon completed a Masters of Arts in Soviet and East European Studies, and a Master of Arts in Public Administration. He joined the federal government in 1997, and has worked in a range of departments, most recently in the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Privy Council Office. In September 2014, Michael joined Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as the Senior Director of Migration Health Policy and Partnerships. In this role he directs the development of policy options, research and relationships in support of IRCC’s Migration Health Branch.