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Home » CMHA Ottawa deemed essential service; providing community supports in different ways
COVID-19 UPDATE ON OUR SERVICES

CMHA Ottawa deemed essential service; providing community supports in different ways

Please note: Due to COVID-19, our offices at 311 McArthur Avenue will remain closed to all visitors until further notice.
Veuillez noter qu'en raison de COVID-19, nos bureaux au 311, avenue McArthur resteront fermés à tous les visiteurs jusqu'à nouvel ordre.

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

In accordance with social distancing measures outlined by public health agencies, CMHA Ottawa 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 Ottawa has implemented the following changes:

  • The establishment of a Pandemic Response Team (PRT) consisting of our directors, manager of nursing and communications desk.
  • The establishment of the following PRT committees:
    • All-management daily huddle and resource-sharing
    • Communications
    • Courier and mail
    • Fax and reception
    • Finance
    • Food security
    • Housing
    • Medication and infection control
    • Social isolation support
      • For clients
      • For staff
    • Transportation
  • Intensive case management continues over the phone, by email and text
  • We have also implemented a work-from-home policy for all employees who can perform their functions remotely and suspended all work-related travel deemed non-essential
  • We have implemented PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) in order to safely provide in-person service delivery when necessary (treatments)
  • We are replacing all in-person group/individual support and counselling – both on- and off-site – with phone calls and/or online communications
  • All in-person training is cancelled until further notice; virtual training is being explored

As this public health situation develops, CMHA Ottawa will continue to inform clients and the community of further changes to programs and services as they occur. Stay up to date by visiting https://ottawa.cmha.ca or contact us at 613-737-7791 with any questions.