The Journey of the Ottawa Guiding Council for Mental Health and Addictions
The Guiding Council for Mental Health and Addictions is progressing on the call to action to deeply examine our responses to community members experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. We expect that residents of Ottawa will have equitable access to a well-resourced, non-policing, alternative mental health and substance use crisis response service. This service will be rooted in a trauma-informed, anti-racist approach.
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Research
Community Engagement
Strategy
Development
Business Case
Call to Action - Get Involved
Reference
Group
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The Journey so far...
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Stakeholder Mapping
Our Journey Includes:
1. Stakeholder Mapping
Diverse communities affected by the issue across the city of Ottawa, service providers, and frontline workers.
3. Community Engagement
We are holding consultations and 1:1 interviews and using online surveys to seek authentic engagement with diverse and marginalized voices who are most often negatively impacted by the existing crisis response system, as well as frontline workers and service providers. This work is done through a community development process that includes multi-stakeholder consultations. As of November 1, 2022, we have completed 18 consultations.
5. Strategy Development
We will develop recommendations and actions based on consultation feedback by:
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analyzing the results of the consultations
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validating what we heard from you
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comparing consultations results with the research
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creating a strategy report that includes recommendations for pilots
2. Established a reference group of people with lived and living experience.
The Reference Group provides expert counsel and share their insights from the much needed critical lens of lived experience. Participants represent themselves rather than an organization.
4. Research
We have examined what other cities are doing to address mental health and substance use crisis response, including Toronto, Vancouver, Niagara, Eugene, OR. Other research studies include:
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a deep dive into past 911 calls directed to Ottawa Police Services
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a literature review of existing studies
6. Business Case
A business case will provide a cost-benefit analysis of and justification for recommended pilot(s) for alternative options for crisis response
7. Call to Action – Get Involved!
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Check out our Guiding Council Members
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Keep up to date with the Ottawa GCMHA by signing up to our monthly e-newsletter
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Check out the Secretariat Team
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Check out our website
Contact Us
815, boulevard St Laurent
Suite 107, Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, K1K 3A7
guidingcouncil@cesoc.ca
613-304-8330