Information about CAMH for clients and families: Part 2

Your care

You can expect quality care

Whether you are receiving treatment as an outpatient or an inpatient, your care, recovery and quality of life are our main concerns.

Everyone is different, and we recognize that each client has individual social, physical, emotional, cultural, spiritual and psychological needs. This is part of CAMH’s client-centred philosophy.

Wherever possible, your care plan includes your preferences, needs, hopes and cultural beliefs. We believe in respect and fairness. We also believe in being sensitive to issues of race, culture, ethnicity, gender, age, ability, religion, sexual orientation and diversity of all kinds.

You and (if you wish) your family or friends can be active partners in your care.

Interpreters

If we cannot provide services for you or your family members in a language you understand, CAMH can arrange the services of a professional cultural interpreter free of charge. The interpreters can work with you in a range of situations, including assessments, consultations, intake and meetings.

This service can be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Services are provided in a range of languages, including American Sign Language (ASL), Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Farsi, French, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Macedonian, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese.

If you would like to use an interpreter, CAMH’s Cultural Interpretation Services can be reached at: 416 535-8501 ext. 6462 (during regular hours) or ext. 3435 (after hours, on weekends and in emergencies).

Planning your care

Before you begin treatment, you will complete an assessment—a meeting with a clinician who will ask you questions about your current problems.

Most inpatients have this assessment during an Emergency Room visit before being admitted, and again regularly throughout your treatment. The clinician will help you determine what your treatment goals are and which program best suits your needs.

Beginning treatment

CAMH is committed to understanding and helping the whole person. We take a holistic approach that focuses on the process of recovery.

Depending on your treatment needs, your care team may include a number of health care providers, such as psychiatrists, other doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, spiritual and religious caregivers, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, pharmacists, laboratory technologists, dieticians, employment counsellors, addiction therapists, child and youth workers, and others. The health care providers will develop your care plan with you. They will help you identify treatment goals and achieve the best results possible.

A teaching hospital

CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a teaching hospital and research institute. Many different health care students work at CAMH and may be involved in your care. If you have questions or are uncomfortable with this, please talk with your care team.

As a CAMH client, you may be asked to take part in a research study to improve our knowledge of addiction and mental health issues, so we can help even more people. Many clients participate and have a positive experience, but not everyone chooses to take part.

If you are asked to take part in a research study, it is up to you to choose whether or not to take part. If you decide not to take part, it will not affect your care in any way.

Your input is important

If you or your family have any questions or concerns, please feel free to discuss them with CAMH staff or administrators.

While you are a client at CAMH, you may be asked to give feedback on the care you are receiving. Your input is important. It is used to identify ways we can improve our care and programs to best meet people’s needs. The information you provide is confidential.

If at any time you have concerns about the care you are receiving, please contact the CAMH Client Relations Service at 416 535-8501 ext. 2028 or ext. 2078.

Family

While you are at CAMH, your family may help you through your treatment. At CAMH, we use the word “family” to refer to those people who you tell us are important in your life. Examples include a relative, partner, best friend, case worker or any other supportive person.

Family members are important partners in treatment. With your consent, CAMH staff will inform them about your progress. A social worker is available to discuss their concerns, and support groups are available for them.

We offer education to help you and your family understand and deal with addiction or mental health problems. Printed material is also available—just ask us.

CAMH serves families in a number of other ways:

The Family Council represents the interests of family members at CAMH. Anyone experiencing an addiction and/or mental health problem in his or her family can become a member. The Council advocates on behalf of families on a systemic level, develops information, writes position papers, and supports learning opportunities for families. Families are encouraged to participate in CAMH committees through the Family Council. To learn more, please call our Family Council Co-ordinator at 416 535-8501 ext. 6499, or e-mail family_council@camh.net.

CAMH, in partnership with the Family Council, has launched the Family-Centred Care Initiative to improve the care and support that CAMH provides to family members, and to improve the quality of life of clients. The Family-Centred Care Initiative:

involves families in client care
develops and improves professional services for families
supports families in helping each other.

For more information on the Family-Centred Care Initiative, contact CAMH’s Community Support and Research Unit (CSRU) at 416 535-8501 ext. 2068 or the Family Council at ext. 6490.

The Family Resource Centre is staffed by volunteers who have experienced the impact of mental health and addiction problems in their own families and friends. They provide education, support and information about available resources. The Family Resource Centre also has a lending library with books, magazines and videos on topics of interest to families. To speak to a trained family volunteer at the Resource Centre, please call 416 535-8501 ext. 4015, or e-mail famrescentre@camh.net.

The Family Outreach and Response Program offers telephone and group support, and holds educational events for anyone who has a relative, partner or friend receiving services at CAMH. Please call 416 535-8501 ext. 2011.