History

CareNow Ontario, formerly The Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association of Ontario (MEAO) is a non-profit organization that incorporated in 1992. It’s been known for many years that there is a strong association between the symptoms of the often co-morbid conditions of Fibromylagia (FM) and Environmental Sensitivities/Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (ES/MCS) with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

This lead to CareNow Ontario (formerly MEAO) in 2010, focusing on and advocating for a system of medical care and social supports for all the medical conditions of ME/CFS, FM and ES/MCS and other chronic complex and environmentally-linked medical conditions.

In 2011, the former MEAO received a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to complete a study for a model of care for ME/CFS, FM and ES/MCS. One year later, in 2012, the Alliance for Healthier Communities (formerly the Association of Ontario Health Centres (AOHC) received a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to develop a business case proposal for the Ontario Centre of Excellence in Environmental Health.

This led to the former MEAO and the former AOHC forming a partnership for the purposes of aligning the two projects – to complete a study for a model of care and the business case proposal.

The resulting business case is called “Recognition, Inclusion and Equity – Solutions for People Living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), Fibromyalgia (FM) and Environmental Sensitivities/Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (ES/MCS). This business case is a blueprint for care for these medical conditions with a number of key recommendations that include three key components.

1. A Toronto-based centre of excellence with specialist status
2. Regional, MCS-safe clinics across the province
3. Individual, locally designated, specially trained primary care providers

This business case is the blueprint for a call to action for Ontario to establish a health and social service system for people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), Fibromyalgia (FM) and Environmental Sensitivities/Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (ES/MCS) and other environmentally linked conditions. The implementation of the business case is our primary focus.

CareNow Ontario Objects

By Supplementary Letters Patent of November, 2020 and revised on Oct. 12, 2022, CareNow Ontario’s (formerly MEAO) new Objects are:

To improve care, treatment and support of individuals in Ontario who are living with complex, chronic, environmentally-linked medical conditions, focused on, but not limited to, myalgic encehpalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), and environmental sensitivities/multiple chemical sensitivity (ES/MCS), by:

1. Providing support to individuals, their families and caregivers, such as, publishing newsletters and maintaining website(s) with current information about the relevant conditions; and
2. Working with relevant government and public agencies, health and social services agencies and other professionals, the media and the public