The Canadian Mental Health Association Grand River Branch provides a variety of individualized support services for people who have significant mental health issues. In order to support people with mental health issues in the community, it is important to acknowledge, not only the role that psychiatry, medicine and other health professionals play, but the important personal and societal aspects that impact on an individual's life. Services provided through CMHA GRB offer people the support they need to connect them with their community as a means to enhance quality of life. The purpose of our work is to facilitate recovery in the lives of people we support based on our philosophy of empowerment and community inclusion.
Who We Support
Services are provided to persons who have ongoing and significant mental health issues that notably affect their quality of life and who may also be experiencing difficulties such as:
- Homelessness or substandard housing
- Poverty
- Difficulty managing finances
- Isolation
- Difficulty accessing treatment services
- Difficulty accessing social and leisure activities
- Lack of natural support (few people in their life)
- Complicating problems such as substance abuse, victims of physical or sexual abuse, developmental difficulties, physical challenges
- Difficulty managing the symptoms related to mental health issues
- Difficulty related to medication and effects
- Cultural differences (those who have experienced trauma in their native country and/or those who are having mental health issues due to the stresses involved in immigration and settlement
- Difficulty obtaining/maintaining employment and/or education
- Returning to the community following a hospitalization or are new to the community and may require additional support during a transition period.
The role of support staff is to assist the person in identifying personal goals and dreams and supporting them to achieve these goals. The Canadian Mental Health Association Grand River Branch believes the ideal supportive relationship as one where the person is in charge of his/her own life and support staff are the facilitators with whom they work to achieve a meaningful life in the community.