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 Centre for Addictionand Mental Health |
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Getting Help
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Getting well and staying wellChallenges & Choices: Finding mental health services in Ontario On this page:
People first diagnosed with a mental health problem may feel that life will never be the same. They may find that their condition disrupts their work, school and home life. And they may feel unable to take on responsibilities or take part in activities. These feelings are natural and understandable. But with effective treatment and support, people often return to their previous lifestyle, responsibilities and activities. Setting goals and priorities is key to making changes successfully. Your goals and priorities are individual--it is different for every person. Set goals that will challenge you and that will allow you to enjoy and find meaning in what you do. And take some risks--without getting too overwhelmed. Decide how much stress is too much for you and know when to slow down. Finding the right balance can be hard, but it can be learned. Getting better is a process that happens in stages. It helps to discuss your goals with your family, psychiatrist or other health care professional, such as a social worker or a case manager. Both social workers and case managers can link you with other agencies and services, communicate with your family and other caregivers and keep track of your progress. Part of their job is helping you have the best quality of life possible in the community. That could mean finding housing, school, work, social activities or medical care--or dealing with money issues or other hardships. Family and friends An important part of recovery is spending time with loved ones--family, friends, a pet or perhaps your co-workers. These supports can be a great source of comfort. Other times you may want to open up to someone who has no connection to your personal life, such as a therapist. You must be the judge. People who don't listen and people who criticize or put you down are not supportive. Do you have supportive people in your life? Are your relationships only based on getting support from people or do you like spending time together? Does your friend or family member want to be a support? Social and recreational activities Exercising. Seeing movies. Having lunch with friends. Taking a bubble bath. Cooking. Looking at clouds. Drinking herbal tea. Taking up a hobby. Volunteering. There are lots of great, low-cost activities you can do alone or with a companion to feel better! Here are a few more ideas:
In the hospital, there may be a recreation therapist who can assess your recreational or social needs and help you create a plan to satisfy these needs. For example, if you're feeling alone or isolated, the recreational therapist may arrange social outings for you. We all need and deserve the self-respect that comes from doing something meaningful, whether it is a hobby, recreational activity or volunteer or paid work. It gives us a sense of purpose, connects us to other people, and, if we're lucky, provides the money we need to support ourselves. Our society places a great value on work. Often the first question people ask when they meet someone is, "What do you do?" It's the way people judge others and, often, the way we identify ourselves. Not having work can be discouraging and financially stressful. People who are out of work may begin to doubt their abilities and lose their self-confidence. Some people who have a period of mental health problems recover fully and return to their jobs. Others never have to leave their jobs and continue to work as usual. Still others find that their problem is more constant and serious and that related difficulties--such as a lack of confidence, difficulty remembering or paying attention, anxiety, restlessness and tiredness--make it too difficult to work. Sometimes these are symptoms of the mental health problem. Other times they are due to the side-effects of medication. People who have more than one problem (e.g., a substance use problem or an intellectual or physical disability in addition to a mental health problem) may find it harder to get a meaningful job and keep it. And they often face added discrimination. Work can mean having a full-time job, working part-time, doing casual work (work that is neither pre-arranged nor regularly scheduled), being self-employed or doing volunteer work to gain experience and confidence in an area that interests you. Volunteer work is often useful if you have been out of the workplace and need recent work experience and references. It is also an opportunity to find out if you need more training. Casual work is a source of additional income--for instance, for people who receive Canada Pension Plan Disability or Ontario Disability Support Program benefits. Another option is working with an alternative business. Alternative businesses are started up and managed entirely by consumer/survivors. Employees have the opportunity to work flexible or part-time hours and receive skills training and mentorship (guidance and teaching). They are expected to participate in all business matters and are paid a fair market value for their work. The Ontario Council of Alternative Businesses (OCAB) provides support to consumer/survivor groups that want to set up their own business. Alternative businesses employ more than 800 people across Ontario. For more information about creating an alternative business or working in one and for business contacts, call OCAB at (416) 504-1693 in Toronto. Their Web site is www.icomm.ca/ocab. For more information on how to approach economic development strategies, you can also contact the Ontario Peer Development Initiative. (See Consumer/survivor initiatives in Section 10) Reducing job stress Many aspects of today's workplaces can contribute to anxiety and depression--everything from job insecurity and intense competition to long hours and contract work. If you have a job, but worry that the effects of job stress may be making a health problem worse, you may want to consider asking for changes in your workplace or work schedule. These are called workplace accommodations. Depending on your needs, accommodations could mean changes in the workplace (e.g., a quieter office) or changes in how you do the work (e.g., taking more frequent breaks or time off to attend doctor's appointments, changes in job duties, working from home, or receiving more individual supervision or direction). Accommodations are made as long as you can still do the important, central tasks of the job. In a small organization, approach your immediate supervisor directly about an accommodation; in a large organization, contact your occupational health and safety department or employment (and family) assistance program (EAP or EFAP) first. You may have to tell your boss that you have a mental health problem. This decision should be made carefully. Weigh the possibility of getting special accommodations with the possibility that your supervisor may view you differently as a person and as an employee. EAPs and EFAPs are programs that an employer provides to its employees, usually for free. EAPs offer a range of mental health services, such as individual, family and marriage counselling and help with alcohol and other drug problems, legal and financial troubles, workplace conflict and other stress-related problems. Work supports Various income benefit programs offer employment (job) support. This support could include job coaching, computer training and paying transportation costs to attend the training.
For more information, contact your local ODSP office, or view their website.
For more information, contact Human Resources Development Canada toll-free at 1-800-206-7218. For a list of Human Resource Centre Canada offices, view the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) website at www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca.
For more information about getting support, contact a caseworker through OW. To find your local OW office, call 211 in Toronto or (416) 397-4636 outside Toronto, or view their website.
For more information, call Human Resources Development Canada toll-free at 1-800-461-3422.
The disability has to have occurred within five years of the injury or within five years of the last surgical procedure. You cannot receive WSIB benefits for traumatic mental stress that results from the employer's work decisions or actions: for instance, if you are laid off, demoted or transferred. WSIB provides 85 per cent of your net (after deductions) average income before the accident, helps with health care and offers various work supports. They include return-to-work programs involving changes to your job, job market re-entry assessments, job search skills and financial assistance for post-secondary education or other schooling. For more information on WSIB, call 1-800-387-0750 or see the listing of phone numbers and addresses of local WSIB offices on the WSIB website at www.wsib.on.ca. Speak with a local mental health agency (e.g., your local CMHA office) about work supports in your area. Or ask your health care provider to refer you to an employee support program. (For more information about these programs, see Income benefits. For information on vocational programs, see Learning and developing skills below.) Learning and developing skills Many people develop a mental health problem between ages 15 and 30, a time when they may be finishing secondary school or taking a post-secondary education program. People with mental health problems succeed in their education like everyone else but mental health difficulties can affect learning. For instance, people with mental health problems may not be treated well by other students. They may fear failure, feel tired and have problems with some thought processes: focusing attention and thoughts, remembering things in the short-term, thinking and arguing critically, and solving problems. Some people may experience a crisis related to their condition, which could interrupt their studies. In Ontario high schools, students with behavioural and emotional problems can receive special education through the Individual Education Plan. However, services for children and youth with mental health problems are very limited in the schools. Some Ontario universities and community colleges have offices where students with mental health problems can get accommodations, or supports, to help them continue their studies; however, these services may also be limited. The name of the office to go to varies; for instance, it could be called the disability office, accessibility services or special needs office. These offices can help students get accommodations such as:
Students can also get help to access other school services, such as the finance department, tutoring or mental health services. While you can approach a disability office at any time in the school year, contacting them early will mean that your request for an accommodation may be processed faster if you experience a crisis. Learning and skills programs Some programs will help you upgrade your skills and increase your confidence:
Drug benefits Psychiatric drugs sometimes cost a lot, but various benefit programs exist that will cover some or all of your medication costs. If you feel that you cannot afford medications, discuss this with your doctor, pharmacist or caseworker. They may have helpful suggestions. The Ontario government does not cover all prescriptions automatically. Some drugs are only covered for a specific use (e.g., bupropion is covered for use as an antidepressant but not when used by someone to stop smoking). You may have to try other less expensive medications first. If they do not work or have too many side-effects, then the cost of the more expensive or alternative drugs may be covered. You may be eligible for the following:
To find out more about who can use these programs, call the Seniors Information Line of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care toll-free at 1-888-405-0405.
Call the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care toll-free at 1-800-575-5386 for more information about the Trillium Drug Program.
Legal help The laws around clients' rights may be difficult to understand, even to people who work in the mental health system. Various brochures and booklets are available to help you know your rights.
You can call on people who will advocate for you (speak for you and stand up for your rights) and provide you with information about your rights:
Question: What can I do if I have a complaint about the care I have received from a particular health care worker? Answer: The answer really depends on where you are living and your complaint. If you are a client at a psychiatric facility or hospital in Ontario, you can contact the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office (PPAO). Or find out if there is a client relations office or patient representative that handles your complaints at the hospital. If the complaint is with a community agency or clinic, there won't be a patient advocate. However, certain health care workers, such as a case manager or social worker, could advocate for you. You could also report the problem to the health care worker's employer (e.g., a unit director or a supervisor). If the complaint is against your therapist, you should contact the complaints department of the governing or regulatory college your therapist belongs to. Usually, a complaint needs to be in writing and must be sent to the registrar or complaints department of the college. For more information, contact the PPAO for a copy of their brochure How to Complain Against Health and Social Service Practitioners. Question: Can I see my file? Answer: Clients in a psychiatric facility can ask to look at and copy their clinical record by filling out a Form 28, which they can get from the health records department of the facility. However, the hospital can try to hold back all or part of your record if you are considered at potential risk to yourself or others. To do this, the hospital must apply for permission to the Consent and Capacity Board. You will get notice of this application, and you have the right to participate in the Board hearing, with or without legal representation. If you want to see your therapy records and you are receiving therapy outside of a psychiatric hospital, you can write a letter to the therapist requesting your records. Or ask the therapist in person if you can see them.
If you need legal advice, there are a number of ways to find a lawyer who knows mental health law: Talk to family members and friends to see if they know someone. Contact a community agency, such as a counselling service or women's shelter, to see if they know someone who can help you. Check the Yellow Pages of your phone book under "Lawyer" or contact the Lawyer Referral Service offered by the Law Society of Upper Canada (Ontario). Note: There is an automatic charge of $6 for contacting this service at 1-900-565-4577. People in jail, people under 18 or people in crisis situations (e.g., domestic abuse) can call (416) 947-3330 in Toronto or toll-free at 1-800-268-8326. The referral service gives you up to a half-hour free consultation, which includes referring you to a lawyer who's best suited to help with your concerns and needs. If you need help to pay for a lawyer, contact Legal Aid Ontario to find out if you can use their services and, if so, how to apply. Call them at (416) 979-1446 in Toronto or toll-free at 1-800-668-8258. Or visit their Web site at www.legalaid.on.ca. (For information on diversion programs, see Forensic services, in Section 8.) We all need comfortable, safe, affordable housing, a place we can live with dignity--not just a house but a home. Many people will comfortably continue to live where they've always lived. But some people will need to make changes. If you need housing, various options exist for people with a mental health problem. You can find an apartment or house where you can live independently or with varying levels of support from workers who will come to your home. Or you can live in a home where you have support with day-to-day living. If you have been an inpatient in a psychiatric hospital or unit, a social worker or caseworker may talk to you and members of your family about living arrangements. You may be able to return home, go to a group home or find a room or apartment where you can live on your own. It is common for people to try one living plan and then another to find the one that suits them best. For instance, you may find that a more supportive environment is important early on in your recovery, but you might prefer to live independently at a later stage. Ask about all the options that are available in the community. Choosing the best housing What you choose will depend on your needs as well as what is available when you are looking. Here are some questions to help you choose the most appropriate housing:
There are housing workers in the community who can assess your housing needs and tell you about the housing and supports that are available. You may face a waiting period before the type of housing you want becomes available. The range of housing choices varies greatly between communities--with far less available to First Nations and other isolated communities. Here are the five main types of housing:
In Toronto, you can call Toronto Social Housing Connections (416) 392-6111 to find out about all rent-geared-to-income places in the city. There is no central number for social housing outside Toronto.
For information about landlord and tenant laws, call the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal's toll-free number at 1-888-332-3234, or view their Web site at www.orht.gov.on.ca. Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) offers free, easy-to-read information on such topics as rent increases, maintenance and repairs and care homes. To order materials from CLEO, view their Web site at www.cleo.on.ca or call (416) 408-4420. If you are looking for housing but don't have a telephone where someone can reach you, some drop-in centres or community facilities will let you use their address or phone number as a temporary contact. Some may even set up a voice mail message system for you. Income benefits Many people with mental health problems maintain their job and income levels. For others, it is a struggle and they may find themselves in need of income support. The income programs listed below have different applications, conditions and requirements. They may also have long waiting times. Types of benefits These are all income benefits not related to work that you may qualify for if you have a mental health problem. (For work-related benefits, see Work supports)
You can apply for ODSP directly at the Ministry of Community, Family and Children's Services office or your local OW (social services) office if you need money immediately. The application includes forms that must be filled out by your doctor or another health care professional.
You must apply in writing. To get an application kit, call toll-free at 1-800-277-9914. If you have a hearing or speech impairment and use a TDD/TTY device, call 1-800-255-4786. You can also view the Human Resources Development Canada Web site at www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/isp. Tips on applying
Challenges & Choices: Finding Mental Health Services in Ontario
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Last updated: Jan 02, 2007 1:29 PM Published: Jul 04, 2008 3:00 PM ID#P2592 |