Searching for Child Abuse Services

• Promotes the development of good mental health and provides services for individuals with mental health and addictions issues
• Provides the services of a youth support worker and an elder support worker

Provides information, services and activities including the following areas but not limited to:

• Addictions
• Depression
• Family violence
• Health promotion
• Stress management

Services include:

• Counselling services
• Cultural activities, feasts and ceremonies
• Group workshops
• Educational sessions that promote wellness
• Fitness activities
• Coordination and referrals to psychologist, psychiatrist, other counselling services and treatment centres
• Coordination of aftercare services

Supports reduction or prevention of family and community violence

• Provides victim service referrals and emergency support for family violence
• Works one-on-one with families experiencing family violence to develop a plan of action for identified concerns
• Provides referrals to counselling, legal services, and treatment centres
• Offers Aboriginal culture-based healing, illness prevention, and crisis intervention workshops
• Organizes and facilitates community events in schools, powwows, and health fairs to promote a healthy lifestyle and prevention of family violence
• Develops programs, workshops, promotions, and prevention education campaigns dealing with family-based violence awareness

Provides crisis intervention services to community in crisis situations and to individuals affected by family violence and suicide

• Offers immediate on site or telephone assistance
• Dispatches call to police when deemed necessary
• Ensures victims receive support and assistance to secure their safety
• Arranges meeting family members at centre or agreed upon location to discuss possible crisis resolutions

Also coordinates:

• Crisis plan to follow in response to suicide intervention, domestic violence intervention and any other form of crisis situations that may arise in community
• Information sessions and workshops on techniques for healing strategies

Support Services

Supports can include but are not limited to:

• Debriefing and stabilization following crisis situation
• Advocacy on behalf of individuals and families dealing with various agencies
• Meal preparation, transportation, homemaking and other areas requiring support for families in crisis situations such as the suicide of a youth
• Information about/referrals to appropriate resources and services

Delivers child care and protection services and family support services to community members

• Administers services for Anishinaabe Abinoojii Family Services, a mandated Native Child Welfare Agency in Kenora
• Partners with community police officers and local nursing staff to identify and support troubled families

Customary Care (Foster Care)

Coordinates foster care child placement in the following order of priority:

• With immediate or extended family members in the community
• With other community members
• With extended family outside the community
• With a family in another Native community
• With a non-Aboriginal family as a last consideration

Prevention Services

• Teaches parenting skills and assisting children through difficult times
• Develops and administers healthy social and recreational programs for families
• Hosts community forums to address issues such as problematic substance use in youth, inadequate housing, schooling problems and after school activities
• Organizes elders meetings that address traditional child rearing methods
• Provides information sessions about understanding substance dependency and resulting family violence, and overcoming oppression by understanding cultural realities
• Provides referrals to other programs and supports

• Offers a variety of programming to support expecting parents and families with young children
• Programs support healthy pregnancies, child development and family living

Program participants are provided access to:

• Emergency food, if required
• Facilitated parenting groups
• Group recreational activities
• Free clothing exchange
• Home visits post birth to offer support to new mothers
• Home visits pre birth to prepare family for new arrival
• Prenatal food supplements
• Prenatal nutrition groups

Note: Transportation and child care is available to all participants

Promotes healthy individuals, families and communities with regard to family violence

• Provides culturally appropriate support services, resources, educational materials, and workshops to address community wellness needs
• Provides cultural teachings and direct traditional activities such as sweat-lodges, medicine picking and drumming
• Provides referrals to counselling, legal services, and treatment centres
• Organizes and facilitates community events in school, powwows, and health fairs to promote a healthy lifestyle and prevention of family violence

Offers workshops/education including but not limited to the following topics:

• Alcohol, street drug and solvent abuse
• Bullying and cyberspace
• Family violence
• Healthy relationships
• Healthy families and surviving responsibilities
• Prescription drug abuse
• Self esteem

Promotes the development of good mental health and provides services for individuals with mental health issues

Provides information and awareness activities including but not limited to:

• Depression
• Family violence
• Stress management

Services include:

• Counselling services for children, youth and families
• Cultural activities and crafts
• Recreational activities
• Wellness activities

Delivers child care and protection services and family support services to community members

• Administers services for Weechi-it-te-Win Family Services, a mandated Native Child Welfare Agency in Fort Frances
• Partners with community police officers and local nursing staff to identify and support troubled families

Alternative Care Program

• Provides assistance and support to children in care
• Coordinates recruitment and maintenance of alternative care homes including completion of home studies
• Provides training for child care providers
• Offers support and guidance in reuniting siblings who are/have been part of the foster care system

Prevention Services

• Teaches parenting skills and assisting children through difficult times
• Develops and administers healthy social and recreational programs for families
• Hosts community forums to address issues such as youth drug abuse, inadequate housing, schooling problems and after school activities
• Organizes elders meetings that address traditional child rearing methods
• Provides information sessions about understanding substance dependency and resulting family violence, and overcoming oppression by understanding cultural realities

Repatriation Services

• Processes requests to have children in external foster care brought back to homes within the community
• Provides advocacy on behalf of the child and family

Outreach Services

• Provides the option to children adopted by outside families to discover their birth family and heritage
• Provides records and information to Tribal Agency and external resources

• Offers community based family counselling for children, teens, men, women and families as a group
• Provides assessments and case management services
• Provides services of traditional healers
• Offers community workshops to raise awareness of issues affecting families including substance abuse and family violence
• Supports community initiatives that promote family healing such as traditional gatherings

Also offers the following family support services including but not limited to:

• Advocacy and referral to external agencies
• Assistance in the planning of child's and family's needs
• Emergency financial assistance for basic needs only in cases where the welfare of child/children is at-risk
• Home visitation arrangements and supervision to enable parents to visit with their children living in alternative care

• Offers community based family counselling for children, teens, men, women and families as a group
• Provides assessments and case management services
• Provides services of traditional healers
• Offers community workshops to raise awareness of issues affecting families including problematic substance use and family violence
• Supports community initiatives that promote family healing such as traditional gatherings

Also offers the following family support services including but not limited to:

• Advocacy and referral to external agencies
• Assistance in the planning of child's and family's needs
• Emergency financial assistance for basic needs only in cases where the welfare of child/children is at-risk
• Home visitation arrangements and supervision to enable parents to visit with their children living in alternative care

• Promotes healthy individuals, families and communities with regard to family violence
• Provides culturally appropriate support services, resources, educational materials, and workshops to address community wellness needs
• Provides cultural teachings and direct traditional activities such as sweat-lodges, medicine picking and drumming

Offers workshops including but not limited to the following topics:

• Alcohol, street drug and solvent abuse
• Bullying and cyberspace
• Family violence
• Grief and loss
• Healthy relationships
• Healthy families and surviving responsibilities
• Prescription drug abuse
• Self esteem

• Focus is on improving the overall health and well-being of communities and to empower families to build healthy relationships
• Works to eliminate family violence, the number of youth involved in the justice system and the number of children in care

Activities and programs provided can include but are not limited to the following:

• Activities that revitalize Native language
• Problematic alcohol and substance use prevention and intervention
• Community events such as feasts
• Family circles, counselling and child/youth support groups
• Referrals to other programs and services
• School programs
• Traditional land-based healing events

Provides a health promotion and injury prevention program for community children and youth

• Offers information and awareness activities to promote good mental health including topics such as depression, stress management and family violence
• Coordinates traditional craft sessions and recreational activities
• Offers injury prevention workshops and activities including water, fire and bicycle safety

Program includes the following services:

• Child Development
• Healthy Babies
• Injury prevention
• Mental Health
• Parenting

Delivers child care and protection services and family support services to community members

Alternative Care Program

• Provides assistance and support to children in care
• Provides training for child care providers
• Offers support and guidance in reuniting siblings who are/have been part of the foster care system

Prevention Services

• Teaches parenting skills and assisting children through difficult times
• Develops and administers healthy social and recreational programs for families
• Hosts community forums to address issues such as youth struggling with problematic substance use, inadequate housing, schooling problems and after school activities
• Organizes elders meetings that address traditional child rearing methods
• Provides information sessions about understanding substance dependency and resulting family violence, and overcoming oppression by understanding cultural realities

Repatriation Services

• Processes requests to have children in external foster care brought back to homes within the community
• Provides advocacy on behalf of the child and family

Outreach Services

• Provides the option to children adopted by outside families to discover their birth family and heritage
• Provides records and information to Tribal Agency and external resources

Functions under the Community Care Program

• Offers community based family counselling for children, teens, men, women and families as a group
• Provides assessments and case management services
• Provides services of traditional healers
• Offers community workshops to raise awareness of issues affecting families including problematic substance use and family violence
• Supports community initiatives that promote family healing such as traditional gatherings

Also offers the following family support services including but not limited to:

• Advocacy and referral to external agencies
• Assistance in the planning of child's and family's needs
• Emergency financial assistance for basic needs only in cases where the welfare of child/children is at-risk
• Home visitation arrangements and supervision to enable parents to visit with their children living in alternative care

• Focus is on improving the overall health and well-being of communities and to empower families to build healthy relationships
• Works to eliminate family violence, the number of youth involved in the justice system and the number of children in care

Activities and programs provided can include but are not limited to the following:

• Activities that revitalize Native language
• Alcohol and drug abuse prevention and intervention
• Community events such as feasts
• Family circles, counselling and child/youth support groups
• Referrals to other programs and services
• School programs
• Traditional land-based healing events

Provides services and programs to enhance the lives of pregnant women and families with infants and young children

• Provides screening of new mothers
• Offers individual counselling services for pregnancy, child development concerns and related issues
• Promotes breast feeding
• Offers welcome home bags with baby supplies to all new mothers
• Provides baby supplies to low-income families

Offers education and information on various topics including:

• Early childhood development
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) awareness
• Child nutrition issues
• Healthy cooking and shopping for families
• Prenatal nutrition

• Offers a variety of programming to support expecting parents and families with young children
• Programs support healthy pregnancies, parenting skills, child development, mental health, injury prevention and family living

Program participants are provided access to:

• Emergency food, if required
• Facilitated parenting groups
• Free clothing exchange
• Home visits post birth to offer support to new mothers
• Home visits pre birth to prepare family for new arrival
• Indoor playground
• Prenatal food supplements
• Prenatal nutrition groups

Note: Transportation and child care is available to all participants

Supports reduction or prevention of family and community violence

• Provides victim service referrals and emergency support for family violence
• Works one-on-one with families experiencing family violence to develop a plan of action for identified concerns
• Provides referrals to counselling, legal services, and treatment centres
• Offers Indigenous culture-based healing, self-help processes for anger management, and positive self-image development; alternative discipline methods and positive relationships
• Organizes and facilitates community events in schools, powwows, and health fairs to promote a healthy lifestyle and prevention of family violence
• Develops programs, workshops, promotions, and prevention education campaigns dealing with family-based violence awareness

Serves as a child welfare agency to protect and ensure the safety and well-being of Métis children, youth, adults, Elders and their families

• Provides prevention-based services and programs to meet the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of children and families
• Offers cultural services including ceremonies, land-based activities and mentorship
• Promotes health and wellness
• Managed by a regional Board of Directors

Services and programs include:

• Cultural services
• Customary care/Alternative care
• Family preservation
• Legal and repatriation services
• Youth services

Provides a culturally based program to support and address concerns of Indigenous youth who are at risk of negative behaviors

Addressing Violence

• Provides education on how to end violence in Indigenous communities
• Teaches about the effects of drug and alcohol abuse

Education

• Encourages youth to remain in school and provides support for obtaining high school diploma
• Offers homework assistance and time at the Centre to complete homework with access to computers and Internet

General Social Supports

• Provides individual counselling for areas that youth may be struggling with such as socialization and peer pressure
• Offers Native craft classes and regalia making sessions
• Teaches Native dancing, singing and drumming
• Allows the youth to participate in Elder's Circles

Healthy Living and Physical Development

• Holds individual and group educational sessions on healthy lifestyle choices including good nutrition and traditional food preparation
• Supervises non competitive recreational activities

Justice Intervention

• Accompanies any youth registered in agency programs to court proceedings if requested

Youth in Care

• Provides cultural education and support for youth living in foster homes within community

Provides legal advice and assistance to individuals who do not have the means to assert or defend their legal rights through the following services:

• Client representation in clinic areas of practice
• Free summary legal advice
• Information and referral
• Law reform advocacy
• Public education
• Specialized legal services

Services are offered in the following areas:

• Birth certificates
• Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Disability or Pension benefits
• Canada Child Benefits (CCB)
• Consumer and Credit/Debt issues
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB)
• Disability Tax benefits
• Employment Insurance (EI)
• Employment Standards (ESA)
• Human Rights
• Native Status applications
• Old Age Security (OAS)
• Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
• Ontario Works
• Residential Tenancies (tenants only)

Provides legal assistance for low-income people

Services include:

• Legal representation for eligible clients who appear in court without a lawyer
• Legal aid applications and information over the phone
• Legal resources and referrals to other social assistance agencies
• A legal aid certificate program which enables a client to retain a lawyer for complex and serious cases

Areas of law served include:

• Criminal
• Domestic violence
• Family
• Immigration and refugee

Does NOT cover applications for:

• Wrongful dismissal
• Change of name
• Personal bankruptcy
• Power of attorney
• Money lent to others or money owed to others
• Sponsorship of relatives
• Commercial litigation
• Real estate matters and libel
• Defamation and slander

Provides long term mental health services and supports to adults

• Offers case management services including individual assessment and treatment planning
• Provides supportive mental health counselling for various issues including depression, anxiety, panic and phobias, stress and trauma, suicide ideation, eating disorders, grief and loss, life transitions, behaviour problems, relationship problems and mental health conditions
• Offers accompaniment to community activities and appointments

General Counselling

• Provides individual mental health counselling
• Offers bereavement counselling
• Offers services to male survivors of sexual abuse

LOCAL CMHA BRANCH SERVICES DURING COVID-19

CMHA branches are open but many are offering alternative service delivery at this time
Service delivery may be provided:

• in person
• by phone

or in the following virtual ways:

• PCVC - Personal computer video conferencing
• OTN - Ontario Telemedicine Network
• ZOOM - Video/web conferencing platform

Please note: CMHA branch offerings are subject to change in response to the ongoing developments of COVID-19. The website below will reflect the most accurate and current information.

Follow this link to determine how service delivery is being provided by choosing the appropriate CMHA location from the website's drop down list.