What Services Are Available For My Loved One?

Oftentimes when we think of mental health support, we think of psychiatric hospitals. Many individuals are unaware that the majority of mental health services are actually provided by community-based mental health agencies, not hospitals. Community mental health encompasses a wide variety of programs and services designed to meet the needs of individuals at home, so they do not have to turn to hospitals for treatment.

The truth is that only a small number of individuals are admitted to hospital each year for psychiatric reasons. Hospitals have very strict criteria for admission and tend to only admit individuals who are an immediate threat to themselves or others.

You can learn more about admission criteria by clicking here.

Often, people that receive community mental health services have more severe diagnoses, such as: schizophrenia, chronic depression, bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder. However, community mental health agencies also serve individuals experiencing mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety. It is important to understand the services and supports offered by both community and hospital settings, to ensure your loved one is received the most appropriate level of support.

Here are some of the mental health and addictions supports available within our service area of York Region and South Simcoe.

Early Intervention Services

Early Intervention Services are services for youth between the ages of 16-24 years old who begin exhibiting symptoms of mental illness.  Early intervention services may be geared towards specific illnesses, such as “early-onset psychosis” or may be more general in nature. Early intervention services strive to connect youth to support and provide treatment to youth before their mental health deteriorates significantly. By intervening early, youth have the best chance of learning how to manage their symptoms and the greatest likelihood of recovery. Many early intervention services can be found in York Region and South Simcoe.

Supportive Housing

Many mental health and addictions agencies provide different types of subsidized and supported housing options. In York Region and South Simcoe, there are 4 main types of supportive housing options.

Group Homes

Group homes are large homes intended for individuals who are not able to live on their own because of their mental health. They provide 24 hours supervision and ensure all of an individual’s basic needs are met by providing all meals, administering and monitoring medication, providing housekeeping and laundering services, as well as ensuring residents attend regular medical appointments.

Mental health and addictions supportive housing

This type of housing is typically available to individuals who are homeless or experiencing chronically unstable housing, who, without additional support, may not be able to maintain stable housing on their own. Housing workers visit sites regularly offering support with symptoms, coping strategies, daily living skills such as budgeting and preparing shopping lists, as well as holding tenants’ meetings as these types of housing tend to be shared accommodations.

Subsidized housing

This type of housing is typically offered through the Municipality. It is intended for individuals who do not have any concerns with being able to maintain housing on their own, however, due to a low income, are unable to afford housing. The municipality will provide housing, at a subsidized rate, which is typically dependent on income and family size. Most subsidized housing programs have extensive waitlists.

In addition to the programs above that provide physical housing, some agencies work with individuals to find appropriate housing in the private sector. Given the competitiveness of the rental market, housing workers can work one-on-one with individuals to wade through rental postings, contact landlords and develop budgets etc.

Transitional housing

Transitional housing is housing that is offered for a specific amount of time (usually ranging between 6-12 months, however, some programs can last for 2-3 years). The purpose of transitional housing is to assist someone in transitioning from one living arrangement to another, it is seen as a stepping stone from hospital, incarceration or homelessness, to independent living. Transitional housing living arrangements are often shared and have staff on site. Staff teach daily living skills, ensure residents basic needs are met, assist in connecting to medical and community supports and assist with future planning.

Crisis Beds

‘Safe houses’ or ‘crisis beds’ are short term housing options (usually a few nights) which provide short-term accommodation for people in crisis, designed to prevent hospitalization.  In York Region, residents experiencing a crisis can access crisis stabilization though 310-COPE. More information can be found below, in the Community Crisis Response section of this article.

Case Management

Case managers work one-on-one with individuals, often several times a week, in the setting of the client’s choice (apartment, coffee shop). They help people find the services they need, access medical care, acquire new skills, find jobs and make friends. Certain case managers also provide counseling or help in overcoming addictions and work to prevent hospitalization

Assertive Community Treatment Teams

The Assertive Community Treatment Teams typically work with individuals who experience a psychotic component to their illness and have had multiple hospitalizations due to symptoms. Psychiatric treatment includes assessment, diagnosis, the prescription and monitoring of medication, and interpersonal or cognitive therapy (individual, group or family). In the community, multi-disciplinary teams that include psychiatrists, social workers, nurses and case managers provide treatment to clients in their homes and in their communities so that hospitalization can be prevented.

Peer Support

Peer Support brings together people with similar circumstances or illnesses to share experiences, challenges and coping strategies. Mental health and addictions agencies recognize the power of lived experience. By bringing together those who are experiencing mental illness or addictions, with those who are in recovery.

Community Crisis Response

Community mental health agencies respond to people who are in a crisis situation by assessing their immediate circumstances, providing crisis support, offering admission to short-term crisis beds for crisis stabilization, or assisting with hospitalization, if it is required.

310-COPE is the community crisis response service in York Region. They offer a broad range of supports, including:

Telephone crisis support

Those experiencing a crisis can immediately connect with a crisis response worker by calling 1-855-310-COPE (2673) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Crisis Beds

Individuals in crisis who feel as though they need more support than can be provided over the phone, can access the 310-COPE crisis beds. There are 4 beds available in a clean, quiet, comfortable home located in Newmarket, Ontario. Crisis Response Workers provide 24 hour supervision, one-on-one support is provided as often as needed, medication monitoring, meals and all other basic needs are also provided.

Mobile crisis supports

These services operate similar to telephone crisis services, however, when requested, they are offered in-person, instead of over the telephone.

Mental Health Support Team (MHST)

310-COPE crisis response workers have partnered with several local police forces, including York Regional Police, South Simcoe OPP, and Nottawasaga OPP to provide on-scene and follow up support to those who call 911 presenting with a mental health concern.

For more information on any of the services offered by 310-COPE, call 1-855-310-COPE.

Court diversion programs

People with a mental illness who have committed a minor offense need not go to jail. Instead, court diversion programs work to get them the help that they need outside of the judicial system. Court division programs reduce court costs and meet people’s mental health needs in a more effective manner than the corrections system. Court diversion programs in York Region are offered by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).

Employment services

Agencies partner with local businesses to find jobs for people with a mental illness. Staff may also provide skills teaching and job coaching. When accessing employment supports, specifically through a mental health agency, a person’s strengths and symptoms can be considered when matching them to a position. This customized approach leads to more successful outcomes.

Other programs

Community mental health services are developed with the particular needs of the community in mind. Some agencies provide warming rooms for those experiencing homelessness in the winter where people can take a shower, eat and have a good night’s sleep. Other examples of programs include support groups for the newly bereaved, or people who are divorcing, clothing or food banks, and education programs on mental illness for high school students.

To learn more about any of the programs listed above,
contact Streamlined Access at 289-340-0348.

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