Focus: The necessity of transforming healthcare delivery from standalone family practices to community-run, publicly funded collaborative care and health homes.
Objectives:
Review current barriers to accessing primary care.
Explore models of integrated and collaborative healthcare delivery.
Discuss policy recommendations to support this transformation.
These webinars are part of our webinar series on ‘Mobilizing Social Determinants to Reduce Healthcare Demand in Nova Scotia.’
The series aims to address the government's current strategy of merely increasing healthcare supply, which overlooks the fundamental causes of healthcare demand. By focusing on social determinants, we can significantly improve health outcomes and relieve pressure on our healthcare services.
Speakers
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Lana M. MacLean, Director of Community Health and Mental Health, brings a strategic vision to address the mental health needs of Black, Indigenous, Newcomers, Differently Abled, and 2LGBTQI++ communities. A seventh-generation Black Nova Scotian from Whitney Pier, Cape Breton, Lana has lived in Halifax for 30 years. She holds degrees in Community Studies and Social Work from Cape Breton University and Dalhousie University.
Lana is a passionate advocate for health equity and emotional justice, with over 30 years of experience developing culturally responsive, trauma-informed programs for Black women, girls, and their families. She has led initiatives like the IWK Child and Adolescent African Nova Scotian Mental Health Service and provides pro bono clinical supervision to new social workers.
Recognized with awards such as the 2023 Canadian Mental Health Advocate Award in Black Mental Health and named one of the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women in 2024, Lana embodies the principle of Ubuntu—"I am because we are.”
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Veronica Marshall-Bernard, MSW, BSW, RSW, is a clinical therapist with Nova Scotia Health, founder of Mapping Minds Counseling (est. 2024), and a board member for Bereaved Families of Nova Scotia. With over 20 years of experience in mental wellness, she specializes in suicide prevention and life promotion, serving as co-vice president of the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention.
Rooted in her Mi’kmaw culture, Veronica integrates holistic healing into her work and develops wellness campaigns. She earned her Mi’kmaw Maliseet BSW from Saint Thomas University (2011) and her MSW from the University of New England (2021).
Inspired by her loved ones, Veronica enjoys volunteering, creating art, baking, and outdoor activities. She resides in Potlotek First Nation, Mi’kma’ki (Chapel Island), Nova Scotia.