Mental Health
Mental health is an important aspect of overall health. Having good mental health is important because it helps us build self-esteem, create positive relationships with others, handle emotions and events, manage stress effectively, and achieve balance in our lives.
- Settlement.org has additional information about mental health, and access to the Alone in Canada: 21 Ways to Make it Better – A Self-Help Guide for Single Newcomers publication, available in multiple languages.
- The Canadian Mental Health Association has brochures about many different mental health topics.
- The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has factsheets and booklets about many different mental health topics available in multiple languages.
- The North Simcoe Muskoka Healthline has information about services and programs for mental health through an online directory, which covers most of the geographic region of Simcoe County.
- The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has information on post-traumatic stress disorder for refugees and new immigrants.
Substance Use
An addiction is when a person becomes dependent on a substance or a habit, such as alcohol, drugs, or gambling. An addiction becomes a problem when it starts to affect other areas of a person’s life, such as their relationships with others, their health and/or finances.
- The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has factsheets and booklets about many different mental health topics available in multiple languages.
- The North Simcoe Muskoka Healthline has information about services and programs for addictions though an online directory, which covers most of the geographic region of Simcoe County.
Disability
The term disability is used in Canada to describe different physical, mental or intellectual conditions that affect a person’s ability to move, see, hear, or learn. Disability could also refer to intellectual or mental health conditions, such as Down Syndrome, Autism, or schizophrenia. Many organizations throughout Simcoe County have resources, programs, and services to help people who have a disability, and their families.
Visit the Children with Special Needs section to learn more about services for children with special needs aged 0-6 in Simcoe County and Special Needs in the Learning in Simcoe County section to learn more about programs and services through the Ontario public school system available for children and youth with special needs.
- Settlement.org has additional information for people with disabilities and their rights.
- The North Simcoe Muskoka Healthline has information about services and programs for people with disabilities through an online directory, which covers most of the geographic region of Simcoe County.
Domestic violence
Domestic violence is a term that describes when a person is being hurt or treated badly by a family member or spouse (such as their husband/wife or boyfriend/girlfriend). Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological. It is also sometimes called domestic or spousal abuse and is against the law in Canada. There are places to find help and temporary shelter for women and children in Simcoe County if you are experiencing domestic violence.
If you are a woman in an abusive situation, you can call the Assaulted Women’s Helpline, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. They have translation and interpretation services in many languages as well.
Call from anywhere in Ontario: 1-866-863-0511
- To learn more about local programs and services in Simcoe County, contact 211 Community Connection by dialing 2-1-1 or visiting www.infosimcoecounty.ca.
211 Community Connection provides free, confidential information about human services, and is available in over 150 languages and TTY. - Settlement.org has additional information about domestic abuse, and access to the Abuse is Wrong in Any Language publication, available in multiple languages.
- The Prevention of Senior Abuse Network – Simcoe County provides local services, supports and resources related to the prevention of senior abuse in Simcoe County.
- The North Simcoe Muskoka Healthline has information about services and programs for abuse and sexual assault through an online directory, which covers most of the geographic region of Simcoe County.