Below is our open letter to the Government of Nova Scotia: but first, a TL; DR: 

Sexual Health Nova Scotia's SUGAR Health, funded by Health Canada's Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund, provides a registry of vital sexual, gender, and reproductive health resources (SGRH) along with navigation services in Nova Scotia. Despite initial support at half a million dollars, funding wasn't extended, impacting access to crucial services like STI testing and gender-affirming care. Though we have bridge funding to operate the registry and warmline at a reduced capacity for one year, with collaborative support from the province, SUGAR Health could continue to champion comprehensive SGRH services, improve overall well-being and healthcare access for Nova Scotians, and reduce the strain on community organizations and practitioners. 

Sign our petition and let the NS Government know how important access to SGRH services is for you! 

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On February 16th,2024, Sexual Health Nova Scotia (SHNS) was informed that funding for SUGAR Health (SH), Nova Scotia’s only dedicated sexual, gender, and reproductive health (SGRH) navigation resource, would not be extended past March 31st, 2024. This critical initiative was funded at just under half a million dollars through Health Canada’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund (SRHF) with the goal of improving access to SGRH services for Nova Scotians. This was achieved through its two main components - the Sexual, Gender, and Reproductive Health Registry and its navigator-staffed warmline - which were launched on November 16th, 2023. 

The SH Registry is a result of a thorough environmental scan of existing clinical SGRH services, used by SH navigators, clinicians, community partners, and the public at large, to connect with providers based in their region. In consultation with community partners, the listings were created in response to the feedback received - including a need for culturally responsive listings. SH features a user-friendly interface and comprehensive resources map of SGRH services available across Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia. The registry can be searched by keyword, location, and/or category. 

The SH Warmline offers resource navigation that helps individuals, service providers, and community organizations find appropriate and accessible SGR health services. Operated by compassionate social workers, the warmline utilizes a platform offering multiple points of access along with interpretation services on calls and text-based communication, including Mi'kmaq. Once connected, the navigators provide connection to services, advocacy, and barrier removal - all from an anti-oppressive and gender-affirming lens. 

With the announcement of 3 additional years of funding to the SRHF, Health Canada representatives voiced their commitment to project sustainability as a tenant of equity and success. We were dismayed to find out on February 16th, that Health Canada would not be extending funding to SH, with only half of the currently funded projects extended. Only $8 million of the available $36 million was dedicated to Year 1 of this fund, prioritizing national projects. This left Atlantic Canada with no projects funded. 

The loss of SH’s funding has wide-reaching impacts for everyone accessing our resource. Our data shows that individuals searched for pap tests, STBBI testing, abortion, and gender-affirming care at disproportionately high rates. Although the majority of the search terms aligned with SGRH, it was heartbreaking to observe searches related to sexual assault as well.

Community partners noted that SH alleviated the time spent on research and allowed them to focus on providing direct service to their clients. By providing navigation, SH was successful in diverting inquiries away from busy health care and social service providers. Abbey Ferguson, Executive Director of Halifax Sexual Health Centre, said "Once our schedule is filled at HSHC we are receiving hundreds of calls a day from patients seeking SRG health services. Rather than simply say we are full, HSHC staff are trained to discuss patient needs and offer navigation to other resources. This is often a lengthy process and takes up many administrative hours. With SUGAR Health, HSHC staff are able to easily navigate patients to the warmline and registry, leaving more time for admin staff to address more calls and manage patient follow ups." SH also supported capacity building by connecting providers to Mainpro+® accredited trainings and supplemental materials. 

As NS continues the lengthy process of securing primary care physicians to reduce the number of people on the Need a Family Practice Registry, SH helps to address barriers such as a high percentage of population living rurally (40.3% of our users are from outside HRM, which is reflective of the rural population of NS as per the 2021 census), on fixed incomes, or without transportation, through linking people to nearby services. 

Notable Challenges & Barriers to SGRH in Nova Scotia: 

People seeking routine STI/STBBI testing in emergency departments due to lack of alternative options are being denied access
Individuals with abnormal screening results and family histories of cervical cancer  waiting years for a cervical screening 
Residents of Nova Scotia are traveling outside the province to receive gender-affirming care that isn't available in the region
There are more faith-based crisis pregnancy centres in the province compared to options counselling services

We come to you asking for support and partnership in sustaining this commitment to collective health and wellness for Nova Scotians. Given the significant investments in registry infrastructure, capacity enhancement through community partnerships, project visibility, and potential for creative and strategic expansion, there is an opportunity to establish SH as a comprehensive supplement to YourHealthNS in the realm of sexual, gender, and reproductive health services.

Through a collaborative approach, we have the potential to strengthen the existing framework of SH in order to provide ongoing support to Nova Scotians seeking sexual and reproductive health (SGRH) services. With adequate support, we can sustain our operations at a high level, which includes offering wraparound and culturally relevant services.

Supporting SH would directly translate into expanded services for Nova Scotians. With more financial resources, SH could enhance its offerings, providing a wider range of sexual, gender, and reproductive health services to the community. Additionally, this increased funding would equip SH to better support healthcare providers by connecting them to trainings and resources. By empowering Nova Scotians to access healthcare services through SH, individuals would have greater control over their own health outcomes, leading to improved overall well-being. Furthermore, by alleviating strain on community organizations and administrative staff, SH can ensure smoother operations and more efficient delivery of services, ultimately benefiting both providers and recipients of care. Untreated and undiagnosed conditions incur higher costs for the healthcare system, emphasizing the importance of preventative care; through SH, individuals can easily access information about available services, locate healthcare providers, and connect with support networks, effectively dismantling barriers to healthcare access.

Will you join us in reinforcing the groundwork for accessing sexual, gender, and reproductive health services? Together, let's push the boundaries of innovation and explore fresh pathways to ensure Nova Scotians receive the necessary care they deserve.