Heidi Kiran Mehta - MSW, RSW - Psychotherapist

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https://migrantrights.ca/actionslist/stopifhpcuts/

Stop Cuts to Refugee Healthcare - Migrant Rights Network On May 1, 2026, the federal government will force refugees and asylum seekers to pay out-of-pocket for essential health care including critical medications, dental care, mental health counseling, vision care, and physiotherapy under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP). Send an email to decisio...

Upcoming Changes to the Federal Interim Health Program Will Harm Refugees
by Heidi Kiran Mehta, Registered Social Worker - Psychotherapist (MSW, RSW) Toronto, 21/03/2025

As a therapist, I provide services to refugees through the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP). Many of the people I work with are racialized q***r and trans people who have experienced torture and whose lives are at risk.
Refugees flee to Canada from countries that have been rendered unsafe due to colonial and imperialist interference, underdevelopment, exploitation of human and natural resources, and support for corrupt governments. Said home countries are often forced to prioritize the interests of Canadian mining and oil companies at the expense of human rights as their economies have been stagnated by the complexity and compounding impact of these histories and their legacies.

The federal government is introducing co-payments to the IFHP. These co-payments equire refugees to pay 30% of the cost of healthcare services. Can you imagine fleeing torture with the clothes off your back; navigating an unsafe journey; and arriving in a country with a dollar that is worth far more than the one in your home country due to being deflated due to structural adjustment plans (SAPs) imposed by the World Bank / International Monetary Fund for debts caused by colonial extraction? Can you fathom the impact of additionally facing discrimination in employment, housing, and education? Could you then afford to pay 30% of your much needed health care costs?

The Healthy Immigrant Effect (HIE) describes a phenomena whereby migrants, arrive in good health, but their health declines significantly over time in Canada, leading to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and suicidal ideation (Government of Canada, 2023). These statistics disproportionately affect racialized migrants and refugees (Immigrant, Refugee, Ethnocultural and Racialized Populations and the Social Determinants of Health a Review of 2016 Census Data, 2019). It is well documented that living with chronic stress dysregulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (Nunez et al., 2025), leading to a host of physical and psychological health issues. "Race" and immigration status are therefore social determinants of health outcomes.

As a health care professional, I am concerned that refugees will be forced to forego necessary healthcare access due to financial reasons, therefore being put at further risk. In addition, this could pose a risk that the government cuts the program in its entirety, equating lack of use with lack of need.

Please consider contacting the Honourable Prime Minister Mark Carney and your Member of Parliament to voice your dissent for these changes to the Interim Federal Health Plan. Everyone deserves free access to health care as a basic human right. The introduction of a co-payment is an increased barrier for vulnerable refugees that will exacerbate existing inequities.

Government of Canada, S. C. (2023, September 13). Determinants of health. Www150.Statcan.gc.ca. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-570-x/2023001/section4-eng.html

Immigrant, refugee, ethnocultural and racialized populations and the social determinants of health A Review of 2016 Census Data. (2019).https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/wp-content/uploads/drupal/2019-03/irer_report_mar_2019_eng.pdf

Nunez, S. G., Rabelo, S. P., Subotic, N., Caruso, J. W., & Knezevic, N. N. (2025). Chronic Stress and Autoimmunity: The Role of HPA Axis and Cortisol Dysregulation. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(20), 9994. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26209994

Heidi Mehta Counselling & Consulting Offering professional counsellor therapy and psychotherapy services. Get the help you need to overcome challenges and achieve personal growth.

Mural on thr back of Wildseed Centre for Art and Activism

This is an excellent relationship resource for liberatory relationships: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKrQhKYMRAE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Colonialism distorted our relational practices by imposing compulsory monogamy, fragmenting communities, enforcing amatonormativity, promoting the nuclear family, instilling hierarchical thinking, fostering a scarcity mindset, and encouraging transactional relationships, all of which have resulted in significant suffering. Yet, there’s little awareness that these relationship paradigms are not natural or inevitable; they are colonial constructs that can be reimagined and improved to create more fulfilling lives. Decolonizing your relationship will be uncomfortable at times and will truly test your commitment to your stated values. It’s important to have strong boundaries so that you don’t let others push you to go against those values. There’s a lot to unlearn, and it won’t be just an intellectual process. Your nervous system has been conditioned to fear vulnerability, minorities, and to take pleasure in domination, so you’ll need to unlearn a lot on a somatic level. However, decolonizing your inner being is worth it for more fulfilling relationships that are authentic and aligned with your values. Good luck on your beautiful journey. 🌟 Follow us for more polyamory content from a decolonizing lens 🔍 If you’re looking for personalized polyamory coaching, you can book your session through the link in the bio. #Polyamorous #polyamory #nonmonogamy #openrelationship #relationshipgoals

Russian Blue cat with a copy of Frantz Fanon's the Wretched of the Earth

Thema Bryant on Decolonial Psychology:

Why we need to decolonize psychology | Thema Bryant | TEDxNashville What affects your mental health beyond your thoughts, emotions, or biology? The cultural, political, and even economic context of your life influences your p...

We have always existed. We will always exist. Protect Q***r and Trans rights now and always.