Community Health and Social Services Network

What Community Health and Social Services Network does

Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN) is a Canadian non-profit organization founded in 2000 and headquartered at the Jeffery Hale Pavilion in Quebec City. Its mission is to support Quebec's English-speaking minority communities in redressing health status inequalities and promoting equitable access to health and social services in English, with a population health mandate addressing social determinants of health through community mobilization, knowledge sharing, training, and advocacy.

CHSSN delivers its mandate through a portfolio of concurrent programs rather than a technology product. Core programs include the Networking and Partnership Initiative (NPI) covering all 17 Quebec regions, the Senior Wellness Initiative (SWI) operating through 33 partner organizations across 120+ locations, the Youth Mental Health Initiative (YMHI) implemented with 29 community organizations, and the Provincial Patient Navigation Network launched in 2026. Earlier-stage and archived programs include Bright Beginnings, Healthy Early Years, PAOSM, CHEP, CMHI, ERCC, Youth Employment, and SPMH. The organization maintains a member directory of 60+ community organizations, healthcare providers, social service agencies, and advocacy groups. No proprietary technology platform, API, SDK, or AI/ML capability is disclosed; distribution of services occurs entirely through member organizations and regional health/social services institutions.

The revenue model is grant-funded rather than commercial. CHSSN's funding sources are listed as Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d'expression anglaise, and the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation. A related foundation (QCHF) shares leadership with CHSSN (Jennifer Johnson serves as Executive Director of both since 2005/2011). The go-to-market motion is community-led: the organization strengthens networks at local, regional, and provincial levels through networking, representation on advisory tables, knowledge development, partnership creation, and outreach to vulnerable and isolated English-speakers. Quantified outcome signals include a 33-organization SWI footprint, a 29-organization YMHI footprint, and reported differential psychological distress data (40% of English-speaking Quebecers scoring at the high end of the distress scale versus 37% of French-speaking Quebecers).

Name

Community Health and Social Services Network

Legal name

Community Health and Social Services Network

Website

https://chssn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CHSSN is a Quebec-based non-profit network, founded in 2000, that promotes equitable access to health and social services in English for the province's English-speaking minority communities through programs spanning seniors, youth mental health, early childhood, and patient navigation, coordinated via a 60+ member organization network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Health Care and Social Assistance (62), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Systems Strengthening & Universal Health Coverage (UHC) (BPADAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) & Mental Health Programs (BPADAIAK), Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) Partnerships (HLAJAOAG), Continuing Care at Home (CCaH) / Virtual CCRC Programs (HLADAEAH)

Keywords

• Community health services
• Social services network
• Health equity programs
• Minority language access
• Community wellness programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Quebec

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government and Foundation Funding: CHSSN is funded primarily through government grants and foundation support. Funding partners include Health Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d'expression anglaise, and the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation. The organization also has a related foundation (QCHF - Quebec Community Health and Social Services Foundation) for additional funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CHSSN delivers community health and social service programs that promote equitable access to health and social services in English for English-speaking communities across Quebec. Offerings are coordinated through the Networking and Partnership Initiative (NPI) and include senior wellness programs, youth mental health initiatives, early childhood and family programs, patient navigation, and knowledge-building initiatives, all delivered through partnerships with community organizations and regional health institutions.

Product overview

CHSSN operates as a non-profit community health network rather than a technology product company. Its portfolio consists of community health and social services programs organized around addressing health equity for English-speaking communities in Quebec. The core programs include the Networking and Partnership Initiative (NPI) serving as the foundational community mobilization framework, the Senior Wellness Initiative (SWI) providing health education across 120+ locations, the Youth Mental Health Initiative (YMHI) addressing mental health for youth aged 12-29, and the Patient Navigation Network helping Quebecers navigate healthcare. Additional programs include PAOSM (mental health organizational support), the Adaptation Initiative, Enhancing Knowledge, Bright Beginnings (early childhood), and Healthy Early Years. Past archived programs include CHEP, CMHI, ERCC, and Youth Employment. These programs collectively aim to strengthen networks at local, regional, and provincial levels to address health determinants and improve access to health and social services in English.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Networking and Partnership Initiative (NPI) Foundational program that develops and mobilizes health and social service networks for English-speaking communities throughout Quebec, focused on networking, representation, knowledge development, partnerships, and outreach.
• Senior Wellness Initiative (SWI) Network of 33 organizations offering health education and health promotion activities for English-speaking seniors in more than 120 locations across Quebec, designed to increase access to health services and reduce social isolation.
• Youth Mental Health Initiative (YMHI) Initiative implemented in partnership with 29 community organizations to improve access to mental health resources and services for young English-speaking Quebecers aged 12-29, promoting mental health literacy, awareness building, and service adaptation.
• Patient Navigation Network Provincial network providing guidance and resources to help English-speaking Quebecers navigate the healthcare system and access health and social services.
• Partenariat d'assistance aux organismes en santé mentale (PAOSM)

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% of English-speaking Quebecers score at high end of psychological distress scale vs 37% of French-speaking Quebecers - highlighting significant mental health needs that CHSSN programs address
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• QCHF (Quebec Community Health and Social Services Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelated foundation with shared leadership (Jennifer Johnson serves as Executive Director of both organizations). Supports funding and foundation activities for community health.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Red Cross: National humanitarian organization delivering community health, vulnerable-population support, and emergency response programming. Comparable as a federally and donation-funded non-profit that addresses health equity for vulnerable populations, though at materially larger scale.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): Nationwide federation delivering mental health promotion, advocacy, and direct service across all provinces. Comparable as a multi-program mental health delivery network with a federation structure, though operating at much larger scale and across all linguistic groups rather than a targeted minority.
• Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) Canada: National non-profit delivering home and community health services, including senior wellness and chronic care navigation. Comparable in delivering senior-focused community health programming with a province-by-province operating model, though as a direct service provider rather than a coordinating network.
• YMCA Québec: Provincial federation operating community recreation, youth, and senior wellness programming across Quebec. Comparable as a multi-site, multi-region community-services network with senior wellness and youth programming that overlaps with SWI and YMHI program archetypes.

Others

• Association des CLSC et des CHSLD du Québec: Provincial association representing Quebec's local community service centres (CLSCs) and long-term care facilities, many of which CHSSN's members coordinate with. Comparable as the umbrella voice for the front-line community health institutions CHSSN's network depends on for English-language service delivery.
• Centraide Québec: Quebec division of United Way, funding and coordinating a portfolio of community organizations addressing health, poverty, and social exclusion. Comparable as a community-level funder/coordinator whose grantees overlap with CHSSN's member ecosystem.
• McGill University Health Centre (MUHC): Tertiary hospital network in Montreal that explicitly serves Quebec's English-speaking population and partners with CHSSN on access pathways. Comparable as a downstream ecosystem participant that delivers the clinical services CHSSN helps English-speakers navigate toward.

Regional players

• CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale: Quebec City-area integrated health and social services authority that CHSSN partners with to deliver services in English. Comparable as the institutional counterparty CHSSN negotiates with, and as a regional player responsible for the same health determinants CHSSN addresses.

Direct peers

• Société Santé en français: National umbrella network coordinating 16 regional French-language minority health networks outside Quebec. Operates the structurally analogous model to CHSSN but on the opposite side of Canada's official-languages equation, making it the single most direct comparable for funding model, network governance, and program design.
• Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN): Provincial umbrella advocating for English-speaking Quebecers across health, education, justice, and immigration. Closely overlapping constituency and policy-advocacy posture with CHSSN, with complementary (non-health-specific) scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CHSSN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chssn
• Instagraminstagram.com/chssn_quebec
• Facebookfacebook.com/chssnqc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Health and Social Services Network