Public Health Update

Supporting Families through the Annual Assessment of Immunization Records

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has started the annual process of assessing students’ immunization records for compliance with the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA).

To attend school in Ontario, students need to be immunized against nine vaccine preventable diseases or have a medical or religious/philosophical exemption:

• diphtheria, measles, meningococcal diseases, mumps, pertussis, polio, rubella, tetanus, and varicella (required for children born in 2010 or after).

For the 2025/2026 school year...

Read more

ACTION REQUIRED: PHYSICIANS OPT-IN to keep receiving OPH Alerts

If you are a physician and have not yet registered, please take a moment to fill out the short, new physician sign-up form to continue receiving Public Health Alerts from Ottawa Public Health (OPH). These alerts are reserved for time-sensitive public health topics, and OPH does not share email addresses with any third parties.

OPH will no longer have access to physician email addresses from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. As a result, physicians must now register individually to...

Read more

Advancing Culturally Safer Care for Indigenous Patients: Local Supports

Each year on September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation honours survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities. For health professionals, it is also a moment to reflect on how colonization continues to shape healthcare systems and the experiences of Indigenous patients today. This article explores several interconnected topics, with each of the sections outlined below expanding on the following themes:

• Acknowledging Systemic Racism against Indigenous Patients...

Read more

Free Virtual CBT Program for New and Expecting Fathers: Pilot Study

Ottawa Public Health’s Healthy Growth and Development Program, in collaboration with McMaster University, is offering a free, online, Mental Health for Fathers - Parenting in Ottawa nine-week, group-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) program for fathers, starting in October 2025

This program is being offered as part of a research study (Randomized Controlled Trial) to determine whether a group cognitive behavioural therapy intervention is helpful for fathers and fathers-to-be who have been...

Read more

Hybrid CME Oct. 17th: Ottawa Curriculum for Perinatal Mental Health, University of Ottawa CPD

Provider

University of Ottawa’s Office of Continuing Professional Development

Focus is on Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, with updates and clinical applications of the new Canadian Perinatal Mental Health guidelines. In live seminars, you will hear directly from perinatal mental health experts on how to identify, support, and treat pregnant and lactating individuals in today’s complex healthcare environment. The morning closes with a comprehensive panel of community resource...

Read more