COVID-19 Resources

We are compiling a list of resources available within the north east region of Ontario, this list is being updated on an on going basis. If you know of a resource or a change to any of the programs already listed please email them to info@livedexperience.org

COVID-19 Informational Fact Sheet

Resources by District

The Beehive – Elliot Lake and The Lounge – Blind River are currently closed

Algoma Consumer Survivor Network -Sault Ste. Marie is currently closed

Iris Place – Wawa is currently closed

CMHA Sault Ste. Marie has closed their office and are advising individuals in the Algoma district that require help to call Crisis Services at 1 705 759-3398 or the Mental Health Helpline at 1 866 531-2600

Surrender and Live – Iriquois Falls is now open

Save Our Serenity – Cochrane is now open

Northern Star – Kirkland Lake & New Liskeard are currently closed

CMHA Cochrane-Timiskaming deemed essential service; providing community supports in different ways

Amid public health concerns related to COVID-19, Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Cochrane-Timiskaming has been deemed an essential service by the Ontario government. Although our office remains closed to the public, we are ensuring community mental health and addictions supports are safely available by providing programs, services and information online and over the phone as this situation develops.

In accordance with social distancing measures outlined by public health agencies, CMHA Cochrane-Timiskaming has recently altered service delivery to protect public health and safety, pivoting services and information sharing to virtual or other means so individuals in need of mental health and addictions supports can continue to get the help they need.

To protect clients and staff while continuing to support the community, CMHA Cochrane-Timiskaming will continue to provide the following services by telephone until further notice:

  • Addictions Services (Timiskaming only)
  • Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACTT)
    • Note: Medication support visits are still being provided
  • Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO)
  • Concurrent Disorders (Timmins only)
  • Crisis Intervention
    • Note: Crisis telephone lines are active 24/7 to support individuals in need
  • Development Disabilities (DDS)
  • Early Intervention Psychosis (EIP)
  • Housing Support
  • Justice Support Services
  • Mental Health Case Management
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Peer Support Program
  • Primary Care
    • Note: Some primary care services (e.g. injections) are still being provided in office and community
  • Psychiatry Services
  • Seniors Mental Health Program

For essential services not possible online or by telephone, arrangements will be made with each client to ensure the service can still be provided safely and in accordance with public health recommendations. This includes, but may not be limited to injections, medication support visits, some housing support services, some primary care services, and RAAM (Rapid Access Addictions Medicine) Clinic (Timiskaming only).

If you or someone you care for is experiencing a mental health crisis, please call:

CMHA Crisis Line (24/7)
Toll Free: 1-888-665-8888

If you have any questions about our services or have a non-urgent request, please reach out to your local CMHA office at one of the following numbers – (8:30am – 4:30pm, Monday to Friday):

  • Timmins — 705-267-8100 ext 0
  • Kirkland Lake — 705-567-9596 ext 0
  • New Liskeard/Englehart — 705-647-4444 ext 0

All Council of Consumer/Survivor and Family Initiatives (COI) programs are currently closed, services are being offered by telephone and video conferencing.

CMHA, Muskoka-Parry Sound deemed essential service; providing community supports in different ways

Deemed an essential service by the Ontario government amid public health concerns related to COVID-19, Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Muskoka-Parry Sound remains open and is ensuring community mental health and addictions supports are safely available by providing programs, services and information [online and over the phone] as this situation develops.

In accordance with social distancing measures outlined by public health agencies, CMHA, Muskoka-Parry Sound has recently altered service delivery to protect public health and safety, pivoting services and information sharing to virtual or other means so individuals in need of mental health and addictions supports can continue to get the help they need.

To protect clients and staff while continuing to support the community, CMHA, Muskoka-Parry Sound is providing face to face and telephone clinical appointments by pre-arranged appointments only until further notice. If you need an appointment please contact your local office of CMHA, Muskoka-Parry Sound to discuss:

  • Bracebridge – (705) 645-2262 or 1-800-245-5036
  • Parry Sound – (705) 746-4264 or 1-866-829-7049
  • Sundridge – (705) 384-5392 or 1-866-829-7050

As this public health situation develops, CMHA, Muskoka-Parry Sound will continue to inform clients and the community of further changes to programs and services as they occur. Stay up to date by visiting our website or contact us at above numbers with any questions.

True Self Debwewendizwin – North Bay statement as follows;

Given the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, all NFN office closures have been extended to April 20, 2020 Please note that True Self Debwewendizwin Office as a Program of NFN will be closed.

However staff will be working remotely and can be reached by phone
705-477-4043 for Administration inquiries or
705-494-0743 for General Information and for a call back from staff

Individual Staff can also be contacted by email

We will continue to adapt as necessary as the situation evolves.
While we endeavor to maintain business as usual, there may be some gaps resulting from working remotely. We will reply to emails as soon as possible, and appreciate your understanding if there is a delay in response.

Stay Safe, Stay Home
Donna Forget

Nipissing Mental Health Housing and Support Services (NMHHSS) offices are currently closed however staff are available to answer phone calls and emails. All of their essential core services remain opened. These include;

  • Specialized Housing homes and the Recovery Home Residential programs are open and staffed
  • ICM staff are available to provide remotes services to clients as needed
  • Continuing the HCAP program
  • The Warming Centre will remain open at it’s new location, the YMCA of North Bay
  • All of their buildings and tenants will continue to be serviced by the agency
  • Bridges Trusteeship program remains open for the weekly deposit/pick up of client cheques

Low Barrier Shelter in North Bay

The District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB) has announced they will be continuing the services of low barrier emergency homeless shelter at a new location.

Currently operated by the Nipissing Mental Health and Housing Support Services out of the Pete Palangio Arena, the new facility will open at 590 Chippewa Street, the old OPP building which will be a future home of transitional housing. Officials say this new plan features the use of a portable building to accommodate vulnerable individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, and will run 12 hours a day.

An update from NISA;

NISA’s services are closed until further notice, to help protect all of our members and staff from exposure to COVID-19.

☎️🤙🏾 However, we are still offering peer support over the phone between 8:30 a.m and 4 p.m. (705-222-6472) as well as through our Regional Warm Line between 6 p.m. and midnight (1-866-856-9276). We are also exploring video, phone-in, and online peer support options right now and we need our members’ input to guide us in the right directions to meet your needs. Click here to fill out the survey right now.

We understand that this is an incredibly stressful time for many of us. For the time-being, we warmly welcome you to call in for a listening ear, or some emotional support around what you are experiencing right now.

Click here for a list of practical steps offered by Public Health around preparing in case COVID-19 should personally affect you. Further, click here for some helpful tips on things you can do to take care of your mental health in the face of all this emerging uncertainty.

We will continue to provide updates on any changes to access to our programs and services across our various communication channels (i.e. here on our website, on our Facebook page, and on our voicemail system.) In the days and weeks ahead we encourage people to be proactive about caring for their own well-being, as well as empathetic and considerate towards those directly affected. We wish our community good health and steadiness in riding through yet another one of life’s challenging waves.

Resources for Everyone

CERB: Canada Emergency Response Benefit: Taxable benefit of $2,000/month ($500/week) for up to 16 weeks for workers who have stopped working due to COVID-19 – 15 March to 3 October 2020. ODSP recipients who were also employed will have their ODSP offset but exceeds maximum ODSP by $831 for 4 months so we think it’s worth considering.
Criteria:

  • Must be “residing in Canada” but not necessary to be citizen or permanent resident
  • Must have a valid SIN, and be at least 15 years old
  • Must have had income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or past 12 months (employment / self-employment / EI maternity or parental benefits or combination thereof)
  • Must expect to have no employment / self-employment income for at least 14 days in initial four-week period and no employment income at all in subsequent benefit periods

What does “stopped working due to COVID-19” mean?

  • You have been let go from your job or your hours have been reduced to zero – layoff not required
  • You are in quarantine or sick due to COVID-19
  • You are away from work to take care of others because they are in quarantine or sick due to COVID-19
  • You are away from work to take care of children or other dependants whose care facility is closed due to COVID-19
  • You cannot quit your job voluntarily
  • Not currently available to people with minimal income or students unable to get work
  • No medical certificate required for CERB – personal contact information and SIN only – but additional documentation to verify eligibility may be required later
  • Apply for CERB online or over the phone, for details click HERE 

CCB: May payment will be automatically increased by up to $300/child

GST credit: One-time enhancement of $400-$600 on April payment

  • Impact on clients with CRA refund setoffs? Speak to CRA collection officer at 1-800-675-6184 (8am-4pm)

Taxes: Filing due date for 2019 tax returns deferred to 1 June 2020

Seniors: GAINS payments for low-income seniors doubled to $166/month for singles and $332/month for couples for a period of six months beginning April 2020.

Children: One-time payments to families with children affected by school and daycare closures ($200/child up to 12, $250/child with special needs) –application portal now open (Should be exempt from income/assets for purposes of OW/ODSP eligibility – no confirmation yet)

Energy relief: off-peak price 24 hours a day for 45 days – expanded eligibility for LEAP – winter ban on disconnections for non-payment extended to July 31. Also consider the $45/month energy subsidy you might qualify for!

Students: OSAP loan and interest accrual relief for 6 months

Expanded funding for discretionary benefits to both OW and ODSP recipients – request must be made through online application portal or caseworker

Ontario Works and ODSP recipients can access emergency benefits by contacting their caseworker.
Emergency benefits for COVID-19 related expenses are the same for both programs: up to $100 for single individuals and up to $200 for families. We recommend all communications with ODSP be in writing by mail or fax, as phone calls are rarely answered. For the address and fax number of your local office, click HERE

ODSP applicants or recipients facing deadlines to submit DDPs or medical review packages who cannot get appointments to see health-care providers should call the DAU at 1-888-256-6758 to request extensions

Expiry dates on special diet allowance, MSN benefits and pay-direct arrangements are to be automatically extended through SAMS (manually by First Nation Administrators)

New applications for pregnancy-breastfeeding nutritional allowance will be accepted without usual health-care provider verification – clients can self-declare or submit verification by midwife

SBT will continue to schedule telephone hearings – staff will not contact parties in advance – objections may be made under the SBT Rules and concerns will be addressed on a case-by-case basis –- Members have been directed to treat adjournment requests with flexibility and empathy

For more information on Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, visit
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html
and
https://covid-19.ontario.ca/

If you’re feeling anxious, experiencing other mental health or addiction challenges or you can’t access your regular in-person counselling support, there are services you can access online or by phone:

  • ConnexOntario: Adults and frontline workers who are dealing with the realities of COVID-19 can call ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600 for mental health, addictions and problem gambling support.
  • 211 Ontario: For information and referrals for community, government, social and health services, including mental health resources across Ontario, call 211 or 1-877-330-3213. Live web chat is also available.
  • BounceBack: A free, evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) program that offers guided mental health self-help supports for adults and youth 15+ using workbooks, online videos and phone coaching. Call 1-866-345-0224.
  • Kids Help Phone: Children and youth 18 and younger who need to talk to someone about their mental health can call 1-800-668-6868, for 24/7 phone and text support.
  • Good2Talk: A phone and texting service that offers confidential support to post-secondary students. Call 1-866-925-5454.
  • Hope for Wellness Helpline: Indigenous peoples can call 1-855-242-3310 for immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention across Canada (available in some Indigenous languages). Live web chat is also available.
  • Talk 4 Healing: Indigenous women can get help, support and resources seven days a week, 24 hours a day, with services in 14 languages by calling or texting 1-855-554-4325. Live web chat is also available.
  • Senior’s Guide to Mental Health During COVID-19 is a webpage with tips to help seniors stay healthy and connected during the pandemic.

We wish you all continued health and safety during this difficult time. Stay well.