Glossary

Challenges & Choices: Finding mental health services in Ontario

Advocates are people who speak for or support someone else and stand up for that person's rights.

Assertive community treatment (ACT) team is a multidisciplinary team (a group of professionals with different areas of expertise) offering intensive case management for people with severe, continuing mental health problems. ACT teams help people who have been hospitalized often and who may need help managing their medication, finding housing, and using work and other support services.

Attorney for personal care is someone given power of attorney by another person to make personal care decisions for that person if that person can no longer make those decisions.

Attorney for property is someone given power of attorney by another person to make decisions about that person's property if that person can no longer make those decisions.

Case managers are people who work one-on-one with clients to provide more complete, client-centred support services, particularly for people with many complex needs.

Community treatment order (CTO) is a legal order issued by a doctor and consented to by the person or the person's substitute decision-maker that sets the conditions under which the person with a serious mental health problem may live in the community.

Compliance is a client's full participation in the treatment prescribed by the doctor; for example, a person taking medication as directed and attending therapy sessions.

Concurrent disorders refer to conditions in which people have both a mental health and substance use problem.

Consumer/survivor is a term used by some people who have a mental health problem and/or who have used mental health services or programs. Some believe that they have survived a mental health problem. Others see themselves as having survived the mental health system--depending on their experiences.

Crisis is a time of danger or great difficulty. A person in crisis may feel out of control or unable to cope (e.g., the person may have difficulty sleeping, eating, paying attention or carrying on a normal routine at work, school or home).

Diversion programs are programs set up by the courts as a way to redirect clients and connect them to mental health treatment services or supports. They prevent some people from going to jail and having a criminal record.

Episode is a period when a person has symptoms of a mental health problem like depression or mania.

Forensic clients are people with mental health problems who have come into conflict with the law.

A governing or regulatory college has the legal responsibility for licensing and overseeing a specific group of health care workers. The college tries to make sure these professionals do their work properly and fairly. The college must deal with all complaints from clients. All regulated health care and social services workers in Ontario are members of colleges or governing bodies that set guidelines, rules and standards to regulate their work.

Incapable, according to the Health Care Consent Act and the Substitute Decisions Act, means that a person is unable to understand information that is needed to make certain decisions, and he or she is unable to appreciate the reasonably foreseeable consequences that making or not making a decision is likely to have.

Informed consent means making a decision knowing what your condition is, what the proposed treatment is; its possible risks, benefits and side-effects; what happens if you don't have treatment; and what other treatments are available, and then giving your consent to it.

Involuntary commitment means that a person is admitted to a hospital against his or her will for a period of time.

Mood disorder is a pattern of symptoms defined by a disturbance of mood. Bipolar disorder and depression are both mood disorders.

Naturopathic doctors are health care professionals trained to use natural methods (such as homeopathy, clinical nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine and botanical or herbal medicine) to promote healing.

Occupational therapists are regulated health professionals who help you to identify areas of your life where you are having difficulties. Their main goal is to work with you to identify what you want to do and what you need to know in terms of self-care, productivity and leisure. Learning new ways to adapt and gain new skills to live more independently and with greater happiness is the ultimate goal of occupational therapy.

Power of attorney is a legal document that a person can use to authorize another person(s) to make important decisions for him or her. There are two types of powers of attorney: for property (e.g., finances) and for personal care (e.g., health care, shelter, nutrition, hygiene, safety).

Psychosis refers to disturbances that cause someone's personality to break down. The person loses touch with reality; he or she may imagine hearing voices or seeing things or believe things that seem untrue.

Psychotherapy is a general term used to describe a form of treatment based on talking with a therapist. The purpose of psychotherapy is to relieve your distress by discussing and expressing feelings; helping you change your attitudes, behaviours and habits; and building better ways of coping.

Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) is a government official (with a large staff) that is required by law to help people who are vulnerable by making treatment decisions for them and managing their property if they are not able to do so themselves. The PGT only steps in as a last resort, if no family member is available.

Relapse is the return of the symptoms of a mental health problem after the client appears to have improved with treatment but before the symptoms are completely gone.

Side-effects are the effects of a drug treatment that occur in addition to the desired effects. Usually side-effects are unwanted.

Sliding scale (of a cost or fee) means that the cost or fee is adjusted based on a person's income or ability to pay.

Social housing is housing that is partly paid for by the government or has rent geared to income.

Stigma refers to negative attitudes people have toward people with mental health problems, leading to prejudice and unfair and discriminatory behaviour.

Substitute decision-maker (SDM) is the person who has legal authority to make treatment or other personal care decisions for a person who is incapable.

A support group is a group of people who have a common interest or situation, such as the same mental health problem, who meet regularly to share ideas, feelings and community resource information.

Vocational rehabilitation specialists help people to assess their skills and abilities and develop strategies to prepare for education, training and/or employment. They also offer support to people to maintain their employment or learning situations.

Workplace accommodations are changes made to the workplace or changes in how you do the work depending on your needs. They are made in order to accommodate your special needs due to disability or handicap. Changes might involve a quieter office, more frequent breaks, time off to attend doctor's appointments, working from home, more individual supervision or direction, and so on. Accommodations are made provided that you can still do the important, central tasks of the job.

Some of the legal information contained in Appendix C and this glossary has been reproduced with permission. ©Queen's Printer for Ontario.

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