Work-Life Balance Quiz

Do you find it difficult to balance the different roles in your life? If so, you’re not alone – 58% of Canadians report “overload” as a result of the pressures associated with work, home and family, friends, physical health, volunteer and community service.

 Take this quiz to see if you’re in balance.

http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/work-life-balance-quiz/#balance-quiz

 

Check up from the Neck up

Mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder, are very common. They affect 1 in 5 people at some point and yet few people seek treatment. Sometimes people are afraid to talk about it, or they don't recognize that they're experiencing a treatable health condition. They may not know where or how to get help. This quiz was created to raise awareness about mood disorders and connect people with resources to get help if they need it. An online check-up offers privacy for people who want to learn more, and it's so easy to do that everyone can participate as part of their basic health care routine.

http://www.mooddisorders.ca/sites/mooddisorders.ca/quiz2/checkup.php

 

Mental Health Meter

Assessing our mental health is not as simple to do as measuring our physical health. There are no scales or endurance tests that rate mental fitness. But with the help of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Mental Health Meter, you can reflect on your unique strengths and identify areas where your level of mental fitness could be improved to help you cope with all of life’s up and downs.

http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/mental-health-meter/#.V2q_FvkrKAl

 

Distress and Crisis Ontario

Distress and Crisis Ontario (DCO) is the provincial networking organization that supports and helps build and sustain the capacity of its member agencies through PARTNERSHIPS in the continuum of support, referral and mental health services offered to the people of Ontario.Distress Centres (DC’s) across Ontario.

A DC is a listening ear for lonely, depressed, and/or suicidal people, usually 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Many centres also have Suicide Survivor programs, support services for youth, telephone call out programs for seniors and vulnerable people, mental health Crisis Lines services and much more. DC’s provide their listening and referral services primarily through highly trained and committed volunteers. 

If you are in distress or crisis and need support, if you, or someone you know, is having suicidal thoughts, or if you just need to speak with someone, please call one of the Distress Lines or Crisis Lines listed below.  There is a volunteer willing to listen. Look at the LINKS section of this website for other partner agencies and mental health service providers.

http://www.dcontario.org/centres.html

E-Mental Health Ottawa Carleton

This bilingual site provides a wealth of information to all Canadians, not only in Ottawa and Carleton area, assisting them with finding mental health help in their area. The site has a powerful search engine that allows selecting the preferred area across the country using keywords to describe the nature of the help needed.

The site provides mental health help in a selected area by searching for one of the following main categories:

• A-Z mental health conditions and topics
• Basic needs
• Counselling and therapy
• Crisis and emergency
• Mental health professionals
• Self-help, mutual aid and support groups
• Specific groups and populations
• Mental health facilities
• More categories

The site’s content includes the following:

• Info Sheets – A-Z Mental Health Topics and Medications
• Screening Tools – free, anonymous, clinically validated screening, self-assessment questionnaires to see whether or not there may be a mental health issue, so population may refer to specialized help needed
• News – Health news in Canada
• Events – Canadian Health Events
• Research Studies – Mental Health and Pregnancy: Women’s Experiences in Canada. The present is a Pan Canadian study. The information resulting from the interviews will be used to develop a ‘trigger’ film that will show the needs and issues that are most important to these women, to assist other people with the same health condition to learn from the experiences of others, and this can help them cope with the daily challenges they may face.
• A Crisis option – a help line for kids and youth anywhere in Canada and a website for adults for suicide prevention.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):

This is a section of the ementalhealth.ca/Ottawa-Carleton site mentioned above. Definition, causes, signs and symptoms, common problems, kids with PTSD, treatment and therapies available, self-help strategy.

 http://www.ementalhealth.ca/Ottawa-Carleton/Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder-PTSD/index.php?m=article&ID=8885

PTSD in Adults Self-Survey:

This is a section of the ementalhealth.ca/Ottawa-Carleton site mentioned above.

This survey is designed as a screening tool to provide a quick self-assessment of whether a person shows signs and symptoms of possible PTSD. This is a brief, 4-item questionnaire used in screening for PTSD in primary care (PC-PTSD). It was developed by the Education Division of the National Center for PTSD, with the help of patients in a U.S. veterans administration primary care clinic.

 http://www.ementalhealth.ca/index.php?m=survey&ID=7

Peer Support Program – Mood Disorders Association of Ontario (MDAO):

This site is a strong hub of the following peer support services and programs offered at the head office in Toronto, as well as through the MDAO’s 35 affiliate member organizations that offer peer support across the province.

• Provincial Peer Support Program
• Peer Recovery Programs
• Family Programs
• Students and Young Adults
• In the Workplace
• Online Programs
• Check Up from the Neck Up
• Research Opportunities
• Regional Groups

Recently, with the support of funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Peer Support Provincial Capacity Building (PSCB) project was launched. The purpose of the project is to help Ontarians better connect with and build the capacity of the 35 affiliate member organizations, which run 45 peer support groups across Ontario.

The main purpose of the project is to come up with an organization and membership model that will be sensitive, flexible, and adaptable to the demands and expectations of each region. Funding will be used to implement training and develop volunteer, e-learning, and communication tools that will help strengthen the capacity and sustainability of the provincial peer-support network. The initiative will help remove barriers and standardize peer-support and recovery programs for Ontarians living with mood disorders.

Toll-free Telephone Information Support Line – offers callers from across the province access to information and support. This service is offered on a volunteer basis during office hours (Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) to provide callers with local support group details, guidance on how to find a doctor as well as offering peer to peer support.

Peer Support Groups Across Ontario – regular drop-in peer support groups are held at 45 locations throughout the province of Ontario. There is no registration required and most of the groups are free of charge. Confidentiality is always respected. A calendar with dates and times for drop-ins is also available on the site.

Fact Sheets about Mood Disorders – A-Z list of mood disorders including fact sheets and FAQ re: definitions, % of occurrence, risks, symptoms, treatments available.

http://www.mooddisorders.ca/program/provincial-peer-support-program

Local Health Integration Networks in Ontario (LHINs) – Find a LHIN Near You:

The LHINs plan, integrate and fund local health care, improving access and patient experience. This site allows to search by postal code among 14 area LHINs in Ontario. By clicking on each of the 14 area links, Ontarians may find a comprehensive description of all the public health care services and providers available in that specific area.

http://www.lhins.on.ca/

Suicide Prevention and Intervention Information for First Responders:

Centre for Suicide Prevention is a branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and it is a non-profit education centre, established in 1981.

The site provides nine (9) workshops focused on the following topics:

• Intervention
• Prevention
• Indigenous
• Postvention
• Children and Youth

The Resources available focus on the First Responders & Trauma Intervention, including information in reference to the following topics:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Risk Factors and Warning Signs for Trauma
• Protective and Resiliency Factors Against Trauma
• Trauma Intervention
• Peer Support: An Intervention Success Story
• Additional Resources
• Excerpt and References

Free Mental Health Information in Ontario:

This site provides free health services information in English and French, as well as in over 170 languages upon request, including: Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Vietnamese, Greek, Polish, Russian, and Serbian.

Public may order free marketing resources regarding mental health, access Quick Facts about mental health including an Information Guide of Anxiety Disorders and online assessments linked to the mooddisorders website mentioned above (the 4-item questionnaire).
 
Public may access the free services available by phone, chat, email, and directory. Other links are also available.

http://www.mentalhealthhelpline.ca/Home/FAQ

Distress Centre - Ottawa and Region:

This site provides information for distress phone lines available 24/7 in the Ottawa and surrounding region. The site provides a 24/7 Distress Line and a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Line. The centre answers more than 50,000 calls a year and operates with over 200 volunteers. 

http://www.dcottawa.on.ca/english/