Searching for In-person Crisis Services

Telephone crisis support continues to operate 24/7. In Thunder Bay, call or text 807-346-8282, or in the district, call toll-free at 1-888-269-3100. Mobile Unit and Crisis Support Residence currently suspended due to covid-19.

• Provides 24/7 telephone support, including via text
• Offers an 8 hour mobile unit to provide in-person crisis assessment
• Operates a short-term Crisis Support Residence

Telephone support provides the following:

• Crisis assessment and intervention
• Follow-up
• Referrals to other community services
• Support to family and friends
• Wellness Planning

LOCAL CMHA BRANCH SERVICES DURING COVID-19

CMHA branches are open but many are offering alternative service delivery at this time
Service delivery may be provided:

• in person
• by phone

or in the following virtual ways:

• PCVC - Personal computer video conferencing
• OTN - Ontario Telemedicine Network
• ZOOM - Video/web conferencing platform

Please note: CMHA branch offerings are subject to change in response to the ongoing developments of COVID-19. The website below will reflect the most accurate and current information.

Follow this link to determine how service delivery is being provided by choosing the appropriate CMHA location from the website's drop down list.

• Offers on-site early intervention and crisis intervention
• Provides needs assessment, safety planning and referrals to community services
• Offers enhanced support for vulnerable victims
• Provides assistance with applications to VQRP+

Victim Quick Response Program+ (VQRP+)

Provides assistance with emergency expenses related to the eligible incident, including:

• home safety
• accommodation
• meals
• transportation
• basic necessities
• dependent care costs
• counselling
• traditional Indigenous health services
• cellular phones
• vision care
• dental care
• aids for victims with disabilities
• interpretation services
• crime scene cleanup
• government/medical documents
• funeral expenses

Additional assistance for victims of human trafficking includes:

• storage locker
• tattoo removal
• treatment at a recovery facility

Note: No direct reimbursement to victims for above supports

Financial support also available for:

• victims who sustained serious physical injuries during a crime
• parents of child homicide victims
• spouses of homicide victims

Volunteers

• Recruits individuals to provide support to victims
• Provides individuals with specialized training at no cost

Volunteers will:

• Assist in developing a personalized safety plan for the victim
• Provide information about legal assistance and programs
• Offer referrals to long-term service providers within the community
• Provide temporary practical and emotional support

Assists community members with the following legal matters:

• Criminal Law if custody is probable
• Family Law
• Child Welfare

Note: Does not help with civil law, employment law, human rights, housing, or social assistance (contact a Community Legal Worker (CLW) for a referral)

Functions as an alternative to the Court process regarding Child Welfare matters

• Provides family mediation services (dispute resolution) through traditional Circles
• Aims to restore harmony between family members through an agreed-upon family care plan

Provides an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process through traditional talking circles for Indigenous youth and young adults who are struggling with issues such as:

• Crisis
• Drug addiction
• Homelessness
• Human trafficking
• Lack of education
• Legal issues
• Lack of life skills and basic needs
• Mental health problems
• Violence

Allows youth participating in the talking circle to:

• Make decisions safely
• Speak and share freely
• Be acknowledged in a respectful traditional manner
• Be empowered and to build on their strengths, skills and resiliency
• Be supported through participants, family members and an Elder

Provides supports for Indigenous women, youth and girls affected by sexual exploitation

Crisis services include:

• Immediate response to women at risk of human trafficking or leaving a situation of trafficking
• Stabilization with transportation to safe housing
• Collaboration with police services as required
• Access to ongoing trauma-informed, culturally-based crisis care and supports as needed

Long-term supports and services include:

• Case management
• Developing safety plans
• Short and long-term planning
• One on one supportive counselling
• Referrals and transportation/accompaniment to community resources
• Follow-up services as required

Operates a trauma-informed care program for Indigenous women who have been impacted by trauma

Services offered include:

• Advocacy
• Cultural supports
• Holistic services
• Land-based therapy
• Referrals
• Safety planning
• Supportive and traditional counselling
• Traditional healing

• Provides support services to Indigenous women and their families who are experiencing violence and are involved in the child welfare system
• Works to meet the needs of women involved with both the Child Welfare Systems (CAS) and Violence Against Women Sectors (VAW)

Aims to create a safe and supportive means of living through collaboration with other community services and the provision of culturally based services including:

• Advocacy support
• Crisis management
• Cultural and traditional supports such as holistic teachings, sharing circles, ceremonies and guidance from Elders
• Information and education provision for mothers on their rights and responsibilities
• Systems navigation
• Work with families and Children's Aid Society (CAS) to resolve conflict

• Provides individualized 24 hour emergency service to victims and survivors of sexual assault and/or domestic violence
• Provides emergency medical assessment and treatment
• Provides initial emotional and social support as well as ongoing follow-up care by specially trained nurses

Provides initial emergency care only with the patient's informed consent, and may include all or part of the following:

• Assessment and treatment of injuries
• Testing/treatment/prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STI) including HIV
• Emergency contraceptives
• Reassurance and emotional support
• Collection of forensic evidence including photographs
• Risk assessment and safety planning
• Referral for medical follow-up
• Referral to appropriate social services agencies
• Referral to shelter and or other relevant community resources
• Police involvement, at victims request
• Storage of forensic evidence for up to six months if the patient is uncertain about involving the authorities

Provides optional follow-up services accessible through the Sexual Assault/ Domestic Violence Victim Treatment Centre (SA/DVTC) that may include:

• Reassessment of injuries
• Further consideration of safety
• Continuing treatment and monitoring of STIs (including Hepatitis and HIV)
• Further photographs if indicated
• Appropriate referrals

• Promotes the safety of each community through the emergency response plans coordinated by the area First Response teams
• Acts as the liaison between the communities and Nishnawbe-Aski Nation in regards to responding to regional crisis situations
• Provides training to each community's crisis coordinators, volunteer crisis teams and community members
• Provides support to community crisis coordinators with office procedures, documentation and reporting
• Facilitates intervention, counselling and support group services for community members who are experiencing some form of crisis
• Maintains and updates a Regional Crisis Response Manual that includes all the Matawa Territory communities Crisis Response Plans

Support services provided can include:

• Debriefing and stabilization
• Identification of issues and appropriate referrals to community and regional resources
• Spiritual support

Services provided for various reasons including the following but not limited to:

• Accidental deaths
• Attempted suicide
• Bullying in the schools
• Domestic assaults and violence
• Flooding and/or evacuation
• Homicide
• Loss through fire
• Sudden death
• Trauma of any form

• Offers individual, family and group counselling for mental health issues
• Provides referral services to appropriate supports
• Offers limited supported housing services for qualifying individuals with serious mental health issues who are at-risk of homelessness

Services offered for mental health issues can include but not limited to:

• Bereavement
• Depression
• Relationship problems
• Stress
• Trauma

• Works in partnership with the mobilization officer of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and jointly with the Safe Bed Program
• Assists individuals who are in mental health and/or addiction crisis

Services provided include the following:

• Crisis prevention, intervention and postvention
• Education and support to OPP officers and civilian staff
• Community outreach
• Follow-up, advocacy and referrals to other community services as needed

Provides on-site support and assistance through outreach across the country to veterans who are in crisis, at risk of becoming homeless or are living homeless in Canada

Assistance and support offered includes:

• Moving the veteran from the streets or shelters into affordable housing (if available)
• Connecting veterans to needed health care
• Acting as a peer ally in accessing benefits and services from other organizations for the veteran (e.g. assisting with Veterans Affairs Canada paperwork requirements)
• Finding suitable employment for the veteran

In-crisis supports may include:

• Providing assistance with rental arrears, utility arrears, damage deposits, etc
• Offering peer support to the veteran
• Assisting with finding addictions programs
• Providing peer support through the Guitars for Vets (GFV Canada) program, which provides a guitar and 10 weeks of free lessons with a volunteer guitar instructor

COVID19 In-person and virtual services available; phone and virtual counselling to frontline health workers and their families, and others members of the public, in Ontario; also assists permanent residents, convention refugees, student visa and work permit holders with Employment Insurance (EI)and Canada Emergency Resource Benefit (CERB) applications

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Linguistically and culturally sensitive counselling and settlement services for individuals and families

Counselling and Psychotherapy
Individual, group, couple, marital and family counselling and mental health psychotherapy, for issues such as elder abuse, family violence, wife assault, male batterers, incest, sexual assault, offenders, bereavement, problem gambling, substance abuse; crisis intervention; referrals to community partners as necessary

• consultation for human service providers
• satellite offices (limited hours, by appointment only) in Toronto (602 Queen St W), Markham (5665 14th Ave), Mississauga (720 Burnhamthorpe Rd W, Unit 2), and Unionville (600 Village Pkwy)

Family programs, including parenting and family life education, and youth counselling and leadership development

Partner Assault Response (PAR)
12 week group education and counselling program on domestic violence and non-abusive ways of resolving conflict

• victims/partners of the offender provided with support including safety planning, referrals to community resources, and information on offender's progress
• group counselling in Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese

Settlement Program
Orientation, needs and eligibility assessments, interpretation and translation; information and referral topics include immigration, issues of concern to refugees and foreign domestic workers, citizenship, social assistance benefits, legal aid, housing, child care, English classes, and education and employment training

• computer access
• job search and employment counselling
• assistance in accessing services

Housing and Transitional Support Program
Counselling, information and referrals, crisis intervention and case management for women who have experienced violence, and their children

• community services information on issues such as housing, legal, financial, health care, immigration, children's services
• settlement support including assistance setting up safety plan, ongoing counselling and support

COVID19 -- Call main hospital switchboard or visit website to find updates to current screening and visiting policies


Pediatric acute care hospital

• dental clinic, physician referral required
• emergency department, see separate entry
• classroom for children with epilepsy in elementary school struggling with school or who learn differently from peers
• psychiatry

International Patient Office-- 416-813-7654 ext. 428917

• for children who need medical care not available in their own country
• Herbie Fund -- provides financial support for children from around the world requiring treatment not available in their own countries to receive surgical care at SickKids in Toronto

SCAN (Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect) Program-- 416-813-6275, Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm 416-813-7500 after hours - ask to be put through to the SCAN Team

• assessment of child abuse and neglect
• care and support for children and teenagers who may have been mistreated
• referrals for parents/guardians
• consultation for medical professionals and community workers regarding child abuse and neglect

Lotus Health -- Call or text 437-226-3579, responses within one business day; for urgent concerns call 416-813-7500 and request that SCAN be paged

• health and advocacy program for children and youth under the age of 18 years who have experienced, are currently experiencing, or may be at risk of experiencing commercial sexual exploitation or trafficking
• coordinated approach to care

Ontario Poison Centre -- see separate entry

SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health (formerly Hincks-Dellcrest Centre) -- see separate entries

Francophone helpline for women

• crisis intervention
• support and referral to community agencies
• confidential calls

COVID-19 (9 Jun 2020) Tungasuvvingat Inuit Food Bank is open for Inuk in need of food support. * Contact TI worker for details or call Paulina at 613-857-1709. * All TI non-essential services programming are suspended until further notice. Mamisarvik Healing Centre is an essential service for the participants. * This information is regularly updated on their Facebook page.

Community centre that provides services adapted to the needs of Inuit clients

The Family Well-Being Program (1071 Richmond Rd): Prevention-focused, culturally-responsive supports to promote healthy communities * supports families to heal from the effects of intergenerational trauma, reduce violence * addresses the over-representation of Indigenous children and youth in child welfare and youth justice systems Child development and nutrition * cultural development and retention * parenting and care-taking skills * community development * pre and postnatal program

Youth Program (1071 Richmond Rd, 297 Savard): Various programs that promote Inuit culture and language * life skills education * promotes exercise * provides alternatives to negative environments

Counselling Services: assists clients with day to day personal and emotion struggles * Inuit Residential School Program provides support to former IRS students and their families.

Community Support Program, Drop In (297 Savard Ave): supportive environment attempting to duplicate the community spirit and cultural surrounding of the Inuit homelands * socialization opportunities * settlement services, housing assistance and information and referral to legal, medical and social services * Interpretation services and assistance in obtaining non-insured health benefits * weekly Inuit women's healing circle * men's group and Community Kitchen, Weekly Food Bank

Housing Support Services (297 Savard Ave): housing-based case management program for clients who are chronically or episodically homeless * general Housing assistance * crisis intervention services

Inuit Court and Justice Programs (604 Laurier West): offers supports to Inuit involved with the legal system. Restorative Justice model and Gladue Services

Exiting Sex Trade/Anti Human Trafficking Program (604 Laurier West): offers support to Inuit involved in the sex trade being trafficked or at risk in a harm reduction model

Employment Services (1071 Richmond Rd): assistance with writing resumes, cover letters, finding employment or training assists in the removal of barriers in the road to long-term employment

Cultural Programming : Cultural events and activities throughout the year * Inuit craft workshops * Elders Tea

COVID-19 (9 December 2021): Staff is delivering services remotely. Métis who are in need of help accessing supports are urged to contact the MNO toll free at 1-800-263-4889 or email covidhelp@metisnation.org for COVID-19 support programs

Support and development of self-government institutions of Métis people

• healing and wellness
• education
• labour market development
• housing
• Duty to Consult and Accommodate
• community relations
• traditional knowledge
• intergovernmental relations
• economic development
• finance
• communications
• human resources
• information technology