Client Access Team (CAT) and Addictions and Mental Health Services (AMHS) Team

New social services walk-in

Following a period of offering alternative social service walk-in supports during the pandemic, and as a result of a thorough planning process to propose a post-pandemic structure, CAT relaunched our formal social services walk-in hours in the new year. Along with a change in schedule to increase access, the team developed a new social service walk-in space in collaboration with the property management team, with the goal of creating a warm, welcoming environment for clients, and a social services “hub”.

Care CoordinationJosée Anne Gauthier

In 2021, we implemented a Care Coordination role. This new role was intended to meet the needs of clients who were lost in the addiction and mental health system, and who experienced relatively more stable social determinants of health. For example, clients and their families may have received more acute care at a hospital and left with a list of resources, perhaps some referrals, but no real timeline or clear instructions for next steps. Enter our Care Coordinator, whose main role is to create system level treatment plans, and help guide clients and their loved ones throughout the system. Of course, this work is made easier by being embedded in a CHC with access to multidisciplinary teams of providers.

In her time in this role, Josée Anne Gauthier has served 235 clients in various ways. She has supported her colleagues with information, referral and general support in helping them understand the addiction and mental health system and services in Ottawa and in the province. This new role has provided an invaluable service to clients, and undoubtedly has contributed to staff wellness by ensuring that providers can focus on their role and know who to reach out for support when needed.

The staff at the Central Reception are always eager, welcoming, and patient in addressing my questions.

Onboarding of new AMHS clients

The Client Access Team is a team of social workers and social service workers who have a diversity of advanced skills in multiple areas related to psychosocial services. In 2023, they implemented a new client on-boarding system that enhanced client engagement, reduced no-show rates, and furthered electronic access to care.

Holiday cheer for our clients

Every year for the past fifteen years, the SHCHC have given out hundreds of pairs of heavy, woolen socks to some of our clients who need them the most. The warm socks are stuffed with toiletries, food items and other useful things, offered by some of our community partners with extreme generosity.

This year in particular, when many organizations were struggling to meet the needs of community members, we appreciated the socks and toiletries even more, because this supported us to carry on this fun annual project that helps so many people have a bit of cheer at a cold time of the year.

With the uptake in virtual services, it was imperative to create new ways to confirm client consent, communicate informed consent and onboard clients to our Symptom Management Tool. In addition to supporting clients through their initial engagement with treatment, the client access workers coordinated the administrative process and optimized it for efficient clinical client care.