COVID-19 has presented new and unique challenges. We are navigating uncharted waters with this virus, making it important to find new ways to work, learn and interact while also taking care of our mental health and well-being.

For the past year, our daily living routines have been disrupted causing added anxiety, stress and strain—physically, mentally, and financially. It is completely natural for this disruption and uncertainty to lead to anxiety and stress. Now more than ever, we all must take care of our mental health and well-being.

Whether you are returning to work, working from home, going back to school or starting virtual learning, there are many new challenges to face. Workforce WindsorEssex has compiled a list of resources to make navigating this time a bit more manageable for you.

We recommend you read the entire page, but if you want to learn more about a specific topic, please click below to fast-scroll to that topic:


Returning to Work

Return to the workplace: A psychological toolkit for heading back to work

CMHA toolkit supports employees, employers with planning psychologically-safe return to the workplace

As Ontario’s economy gradually re-opens during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new toolkit is now available to support employers and employees in navigating the mental health implications of returning to physical workplaces.

Developed by Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario Division, in partnership with Mental Health Works and BounceBack Ontario, Return to the workplace: A psychological toolkit for heading back to work aims to serve employees and employers across a variety of sectors. This toolkit provides guidance on how to support the mental health of individuals as they plan safe transitions back into their workplaces and to help employers as they develop policies and procedures for supporting staff returning to the work environment.

 

ADDITIONAL RETURNING TO WORK RESOURCES:


Working From Home

The Center for Workplace Mental Health

Working Remotely During COVID-19

This resource provides practical tips on taking care of our mental health and well-being.

ADDITIONAL WORKING FROM HOME RESOURCES:


Support Helplines

Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare’s (HDGH) Community Crisis Centre of Windsor-Essex County

Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare’s (HDGH) Community Crisis Centre of Windsor-Essex County works in partnership with community social agencies to provide crisis response services to individuals 16 years of age and older who are experiencing an acute mental illness and/or psychosocial crisis.

519-973-4435

 

Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre

The Tele-Mental Health Service offers improved access to specialized mental health consults for children and youth in rural, remote and under-served communities using videoconferencing. This includes First Nations, Métis, Inuit, urban Aboriginal, and francophone children, youth and their families.

1-877-454-0753

 

CRISIS SERVICES CANADA

Crisis Services Canada (CSC) is a national network of existing distress, crisis and suicide prevention line services. We are committed to supporting any person living in Canada who is affected by suicide, in the most caring and least intrusive manner possible.

833-456-4566

 

Windsor-Essex Counselling Support Line 

The Windsor-Essex Counselling Support Line provides free, safe, timely and responsive telephone counselling support to people who are struggling to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

519-946-3277 or 1-877-451-1055

 

Kids Help Phone

Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7, national support service. They offer professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people in both English and French.

1-800-668-6868


Local Services

Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) HAS A VARIETY OF RESOURCES AND SERVICES FOR A VARIETY OF TOPICS INCLUDING:

 

Suicide Prevention

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: September, 2020

The Canadian Mental Health Association, Windsor-Essex County Branch (CMHA-WECB) in partnership with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) is leading a campaign to bring awareness about mental health promotion and suicide prevention. They have gathered a large network of community partners to plan and organize the fifth annual Suicide Prevention Awareness campaign.

 

Family Services Windsor-Essex (FSWE)

Family Services Windsor-Essex provides professional, voluntary and confidential advocacy and support services to families, individuals, couples, older adults and persons with developmental disabilities or mental health issues. Our programs are client-centered. We provide strategies and support to resolve conflicts, address personal problems and help people live independently in the community.

 

Windsor-Essex County Health Unit

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has a list of resources and contacts for walk-in counselling clinics. If you or someone you know needs help in managing stress and anxieties related to Covid-19, visit the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit: Stress and Mental Health.

 

The Mental Health Program at Windsor Regional Hospital

The Mental Health Program at Windsor Regional Hospital provides acute services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for patients 16 years of age or older. Services include emergency psychiatric assessments through the Emergency Department, admission into our 60-bed acute mental health program, or admission into our 8-bed Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit. In addition, our team provides psychiatric consultation to in-patients throughout the hospital.

 


Additional Mental Health Resources