A new neighbourhood crisis response program launching in Ottawa for mental health and substance use

Aug 14, 2024
ANCHOR program logo and vehicle

Who do you call when someone is going through a mental health or substance-related crisis? Starting August 15, 2024 at 7:00 a.m., you can call 2-1-1 to reach the ANCHOR program if you are in Ottawa Centretown or West Centertown.


About ANCHOR

The Alternate Neighbourhood Crisis Response (ANCHOR) is a new mobile crisis response initiative available 24/7 in Ottawa. The program provides free, compassionate and confidential in-person support for people aged 16 and older. The mobile crisis team workers will get to the person where they are at in the service area—whether on the sidewalk, at home, in a shelter, a park or elsewhere—and either on foot or with a vehicle.



The ANCHOR program is managed by two partner agencies: the Centretown Community Health Centre (CCHC) and the Somerset West Community Health Centre (SWCHC). The city-funded three-year pilot project is part of a new mental health response strategy. One of the goals is to decrease the number of mental health and substance use crises handled by the Ottawa Police. It is also intended to reduce cycles of criminalization, barriers to care, and reduce gaps in service for Indigenous, Black and other racialized people.


The service area boundaries are the Ottawa River (North), the Rideau Canal (East), Highway 417 (South) and Preston Street (West).


Map of the ANCHOR project service area


“Experiencing a mental health or addiction-related crisis is a distressing situation, as much for the person as for their loved ones, and for other people nearby. Now we have a dedicated mental health and substance use health response in our area,” says Michelle Hurtubise, CCHC Executive Director.


Michelle Hurtubise

The mobile team’s focus is on de-escalation, counselling, intoxication, and overdose prevention and response, as well as establishing a wraparound support system for individuals. The team members can bring people to emergency shelters, and make referrals to health and social services. They can also provide food, water and harm-reduction material. 

Suzanne Objorah


“People experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, like distress, suicidal thoughts or drug overdose, can receive a community-based response 24 hours per day, seven days a week. We are thrilled to offer community-based support, meeting people where they are at, whether in their homes or on the streets. Our response workers will assess the needs, respond immediately and ensure individuals have access to follow-up care,” explains Suzanne Obiorah, SWCHC Executive Director. 


An alternate response model


The ANCHOR approach works to decrease recurrence of crisis calls by reducing barriers to care and providing individuals with system navigation and continued support.

 

The need for a safer alternate response model became obvious after several deadly interactions with the Ottawa police during mental health crisis calls. There are alternate response models in other major Canadian cities like Toronto and Montreal. The report Toronto Community Crisis Service: Six-month implementation evaluationreveals that the Toronto Community Crisis Service diverted 78% of mental health and substance use calls received from 911, and that Emergency services were requested by the mobile crisis teams in only 4% of events responded to. The ANCHOR program is independent of police services and the project is expected to divert calls from the police. It is important to understand that the ANCHOR program is not intended to respond to situations where threats of violence or use of weapons are present or likely to occur. In these situations, 9-1-1 should be called. 

 

The ANCHOR program is a community-led, culturally sensitive, and equity-centred service with the capacity to serve individuals in a variety of languages, including English, French, Arabic, Cantonese, Swahili, and Somali. Crisis workers also have access to interpretation tools to respond to clients who speak other languages. The mobile response team includes Crisis Response Workers from diverse professional, educational and personal backgrounds. That includes individuals with lived and living experiences of mental health and substance use, and from racialized and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. ANCHOR team members are trained in crisis response and de-escalation, with nearly 200 hours of position-specific training. There is an emphasis on equity and the needs of equity-deserving populations. The team is supported by a post-crisis support worker who can connect clients with further resources and services.

 

The Archipel Ontario Health Team (OHT) sees this pilot project as a model for the future and is working to bring together partners in the region to secure its success. The partner agencies are confident that this approach will mitigate crises and improve interactions and outcomes for people experiencing mental health issues, addictions and similar challenges. For more information about this program, visit ANCHOR – ANCRE.


About Somerset West Community Health Centre (SWCHC)

The SWCHC is a non-profit, community-governed organization that supports people and communities by providing health and social services with the goal of improving their social determinants of health. The centre removes barriers to accessing services for people who are vulnerable because of their age, income, ability, sexual orientation or gender identity, and language or culture.


Their model of health combines the provision of low-barrier primary health care and mental health and addiction services with a wide range of ethno-specific programs and other health promotion and community development programs. The organization is committed to providing care that is informed by anti-racism, anti-oppression and trauma-based lens. The SWCHC works alongside community members to make their neighbourhood and city an even better place to live. To learn more about the organization, visit Somerset West Community Health Centre.


Somerset West Community Health Centre is a partner of the Archipel OHT. 

About Centretown Community Health Centre (CCHC)

logo of Centretown Community Health Centre

The CCHC is a non-profit, multi-service centre that offers a full range of community health and social services to families and individuals. Their diverse team of professionals includes doctors, nurses, social workers, counsellors, dieticians, community developers, health promoters, and outreach workers. 


Care is delivered through one-on-one services, personal development groups, and community-level involvement. While most services are offered in both English and French, cultural interpretation is available and some groups are offered in other languages. Through active community engagement, the CCHC strives to respond to local needs and delivers tailored services to improve individual and community health by addressing underlying conditions. To learn more about the organization, visit Centretown Community Health Centre.
Affiche de la journée mondiale de la MPOC 2024

Mois de la sensibilisation à la MPOC : Soutenir et améliorer les soins pour les patients et les aidants

31 oct., 2024
Novembre est le mois de sensibilisation à la MPOC. C’est une période importante pour les prestataires de soins de santé et les organisations dans leurs efforts de sensibilisation à la maladie pulmonaire obstructive chronique (MPOC) et aux défis auxquels sont confrontées les personnes qui en souffrent.

COPD Awareness Month: Focusing on support and improving care for patients and caregivers

31 oct., 2024
November is COPD Awareness Month, a critical time for healthcare providers and organizations to raise awareness about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the challenges faced by those living with it.
Voir d'autres articles
Share by: