We are committed to remaining transparent and accountable to the communities and individuals that we support. Here is an overview of our crisis calls (call metrics and demographics).
Resources, Guides & Publications
Our Caregiver Corner is designed for caregivers to help them navigate their journey. We provide information on understanding mental illness, how to support your loved one, and most importantly – and most often overlooked – how to take care of yourself and make your well being a priority.
The Up Your Life guide (formerly the York Region on a Limited Budget book), a collection of more than 400 community resource listings, tips, and other helpful information for people living in York Region, is now available as a free, downloadable PDF on uphub.ca. The guide is also available in French.
Our Call. Talk. Connect. awareness campaign featured people with lived-experience who shared their stories and experiences with mental health. YSSN staff and peers raised awareness of local resources and supports available to people in crisis, or those who need help connecting to mental health and addictions services.
This handbook serves as a self-help guide for senior caregivers aged 55 and older, living in York Region or South Simcoe who are caring for a family member with a mental health challenge. It includes resources and supports that can help connect seniors and their loved one(s) to local formal and informal supports earlier on in the process, so that they may both live a more meaningful life.
This initiative has been funded by the Government of Canada-New Horizons for Seniors Program.
Mental Health Senior Caregiver Handbook – English
Mental Health Senior Caregiver Handbook – French
This guide aims to build genuine relationships with families, self-advocates and service providers. It was developed by Your Support Services Network (YSSN) to strengthen the working partnerships between families, self-advocates and the service providers. Many of the recommendations from this guide come from families and self-advocates who have lived through first-hand experiences. Input was gathered over several months including what has worked well and what could be improved. Family Peer Mentors were involved in gathering information and seeking feedback from families to help put together a comprehensive guide.
This project was funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) through a Modernization grant in January 2018.
Resources from section 1 of the guide
- Activity and Program Evaluation
- Building a Solid Foundation
- Building Opportunities for Feedback: Agency Tips
- Coming to Agreement
- Communications Pathways Template
- Tip Sheet: What to Consider when Choosing and Monitoring a Service Provider
- Working out the Bumps – Complaint Resolution Tip Sheet for Agencies
Resources from section 2 of the guide
Resources from section 3 of the guide
Resources from section 4 of the guide
Connections is a guide to transition planning that has been developed to assist parents and individuals as they transition from school to life in the community. The guide is intended to provide readers with information on transition planning and the issues that need to be addressed, starting at a very young age, in order to develop a successful transition plan. Readers will learn about tools and community resources that can assist them through these life transitions as they work to make their dreams become realities. Please click on the link below for the updated guide.
Connections Guide (English)
Connections Guide (French) coming soon
An updated version of the handy resource manual, Supports and Services for Persons with a Dual Diagnosis, is now available. Originally developed in 2003 under the direction of the Simcoe York Dual Diagnosis Education Committee, this manual is updated on an annual basis by Your Support Services Network staff and shared throughout the community.
To access a PDF version of the 2008 edition of Supports and Services for Persons with a Dual Diagnosis, please click on the link below.
Supports and Services for Persons with a Dual Diagnosis (Family Resource Manual) – 2009
The Canada Revenue Agency is asking organizations that work with persons with disabilities to promote the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) by posting the following information on their web sites:
Disability Tax Credit
The disability tax credit (DTC) is a non-refundable tax credit that helps persons with disabilities or their supporting persons reduce the amount of income tax they may have to pay. Being eligible for the DTC can also open the door to other government programs. For more information, go to www.cra.gc.ca/dtc or phone 1-800-959-8281.
The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology released its final report on mental health, mental illness and addictions, Out of the Shadows at Last.
One of the key recommendations in the report was to create a national mental health commission to help ensure that mental health issues were never again driven back into the shadows.
In its March 2007 budget, the Government of Canada provided funding for the creation of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. The Government also named the Honourable Michael Kirby as the first chair of the Commission.
We invite you to click on the link below to visit the Commission’s website to learn more and, if you are interested, to explore how you can become involved in the work of the Commission.
Video links TBD.