Counselling
Connect

More than 20,000 individuals in the Ottawa region have received the mental health and addictions support they needed, when they needed it, thanks to a ground-breaking, silo-busting initiative from the Ottawa Health Team - Équipe Santé Ottawa. 

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For two years, COVID-19 closed many doors across our region, including those to walk-in counselling services.  

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But for the dedicated allied mental health and addictions service providers in the Ottawa region, the pandemic presented an opening for change. 

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Organizations like Centretown Community Health Centre, Crossroads Children’s Mental Health Centre, the Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region, the Ottawa Black Mental Health Coalition and the Walk-In Counselling Clinic, came together with client partners to design an innovative solution.  Under the guidance of the Ottawa Health Team - Équipe Santé Ottawa, more than twenty community organizations collaborated to develop one website with an online booking feature to seamlessly connect people to brief counselling support.  

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Counselling Connect – Counseling en connecte now provides easy access to free phone or video counselling in Ottawa and the surrounding area. 

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“It really has been instrumental in improving access to short-term services,” says one of the providers. “It puts the client in the drivers’ seat, which is great.” 

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More than one in five Counselling Connect – Counseling en connecte clients say they would not have sought any support without this new, online option. 

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“I wish this service had existed years ago,” said one client about the confidential assistance. “And I hope it continues past the pandemic. It has the potential to help a lot of people.” 

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Not only has it provided important care, but it has provided an alternative for people who otherwise would have turned to their medical doctor or a hospital for help. 

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Without access to Counselling Connect, 27 percent of clients would have gone to their family doctor or a general practitioner for care, while 7 percent would have gone to a hospital emergency room.  

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“I couldn’t be more grateful for the understanding and expert help and kindness,” says a recent client. “I will recommend this service and turn to it in the future if I ever feel as desperate and despondent again. This service helped me and kept me out of the emergency room.” 

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Counselling Connect – Counseling en connecte has made it easier to seek help in other ways. 

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Online appointments reduce financial and access barriers that may prevent clients from seeking or obtaining help.  

Finding childcare, taking time off work, and getting to in-person appointments are all hurdles that prevent individuals from accessing counselling, especially for clients without leave and benefits provided by an employer.  

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This new approach has also bolstered collaboration between service providers, with more than 1500 cross-agency referrals. 

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There are specific counselling streams set up for clients identifying as LGBT2SQ+, African, Caribbean, or Black, or Indigenous. Counselling Connect – Counseling en connecte provides services in Arabic alongside English and French. 

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Since it began as a response to growing mental health and substance use needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, Counselling Connect – Counseling en connecte has evolved into an essential service for caregivers and communities. 

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To learn more, go to Counselling Connect: Free Phone or Video Counselling