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Services & Programs

Mental Health Community Support Services

CMHA Ottawa works with a number of Ottawa agencies to provide and coordinate mental health service for people with a severe and persistent mental illness who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The program is designed to promote continuity of services, increase autonomy and enrich quality of life. These services comprising treatment, rehabilitation and support are portable, flexible, individualized and client-directed.


Outreach Services:

Outreach services engage with individuals who have complex needs to assist them in developing goals and connecting with ongoing supports to maintain their housing and stability. CMHA Ottawa offers Court, Hospital, and Housing Outreach.

• Court Outreach provides support to divert individuals from the justice system toward mental health court and services in the community.
• Hospital Outreach provides support to individuals who are being discharged from psychiatric hospitalizations to assist them with their return to the community.
• Housing Outreach provides support to individuals living predominantly in shelters to find and maintain housing in the community. The Branch has recently established a specialized Housing Impact Team to help chronically homeless people move into and keep their social housing units.

Case Management:

Case Management Services provide intensive long-term support using an intensive case management model, with each Case Manager having a caseload of approximately 12 clients. The Case Manager develops an individualized service plan with the full involvement of the client. A less intensive case management service is provided to individuals transitioning out of service.

Approximately 1200 clients receive case management services through a collaboration of CMHA Ottawa, Project Upstream, Ottawa Salus Corporation, the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Horizons Renaissance, Pinecrest-Queensway Community and Health Services, and the Somerset West Community Health Centre.

Case Management Services can be accessed through CMHA Ottawa Outreach Services, described above, or requests for services can be made by individuals in the community. Further information on how to access Case Management Services can be obtained by calling 613-737-7791 during regular business hours.

You may also print, complete and mail or fax a Referral Form to:

Intake/Assessment MHCSS
c/o CMHA, Ottawa Branch
1355 Bank Street, Suite 301
Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8K7
Fax: (613) 737-7644

Community Treatment Order (CTO):

Since 2001, CMHA Ottawa has been working with individuals who are using a CTO as part of their recovery plan. Under the authority of the Mental Health Act, the CTO is designed to assist those with multiple hospitalizations. It is a formal agreement between the individual, the psychiatrist and the community services that are needed to support the individual to maintain their wellness in the community.

Concurrent Disorder Treatment Program:

CMHA Ottawa operates a concurrent disorder treatment program for persons with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Twenty-two weekly groups are co-facilitated through purchase of service agreements with community addiction treatment agencies. Art therapy and group events that increase social skills are an ongoing part of the program.

Housing:

CMHA Ottawa owns 32 condominium apartments to house some of its clients. It also has referral agreements with public and private housing providers to provide rent-supplemented accommodation to more than 200 individuals.

Information and Referral:

CMHA Ottawa offers information on mental health and mental health services to any Ottawa resident. To access this service, please call (613) 737-7791 during regular business hours and ask to speak to the Information and Referral worker. For web-based information on mental health and mental health services please visit: www.ementalhealth.ca, www.connexontario.ca  You can also call “211” or Le Guichet (pour francophones) 1-877-311-2433.