Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, growing public mental health demands have led to challenges finding locally available services.
As a result, the Ontario Counselling Finder was created to help reduce barriers to access and increase program visibility across the province.
Its website is being launched today, where individuals, couples and families across Ontario can find providers and, in some cases, make appointments for counselling.
Over 40 member agencies have come together to provide a platform to promote their service availability and offer virtual counselling, increasing service access for vulnerable families and communities throughout the province.
“For decades Family Service Ontario has tackled some of the most pressing social issues in the province’s social service sector,” says Susan Wells, chief executive officer at Family Service Ontario. “Right now the need for easy access to counselling, psychotherapy and community-based support is higher than ever.”
“Our hope is to increase awareness that these services are available, and to reduce the barriers in accessing them,” says Michelle Bergin, executive director of Catholic Family Services of Simcoe County. “There’s always a concern about having the capacity to deal with demand, but our hope is that initiatives like this one can also raise awareness about the urgent need for more mental health funding.”
With experienced therapists coming from multiple backgrounds and speaking multiple languages, the Ontario Counselling Finder aims to provide a diverse and inclusive environment. The network of therapists are all registered and experienced professionals, who work in collaboration with local services to assist clients with access to other supports as needed.
Family Service Ontario, with the help of Caredove, an Orillia-based software company, has launched the Ontario Counselling Finder website using Caredove’s WebBuilder, where members of the public can enter their home address to find the nearest Family Service Ontario member agency.
The platform can be found at: www.ontariocounsellingfinder.ca.