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There are organizations across the city that provide counselling for newcomers who experience a crisis. They provide emotional support, safe spaces and tips on how to cope with stress. Additionally, there are specific supports available for newcomers who experience gender-based violence.
In an emergency where someone may be hurt (for example serious medical problems, fire, or to report crime in progress) call 911.
An immigration and newcomer program designed for 2S-LGBTQIA+ youth who are newcomers to Hamilton.
Services include:
A free and confidential service that provides information and referrals on reproductive health options including referrals to clinics and hospitals that provide reproductive health services and abortion services.
Confidential and anonymous telephone crisis line for individuals experiencing domestic violence.
Services offered include:
Offers support services and counselling to children who have experienced abuse. Services include:
Offers a free confidential telephone counselling service to women, men, and youth who have been trafficked for the purposes of forced commercial sex or labour. Also offers ongoing support to sex workers who do not personally identify as being trafficked or exploited.
Provides callers with counselling, local referrals and Project Lifeline, a safe buddy system for sex workers operating in isolation.
Services provided by Interval House of Hamilton at Women’s Centre of Hamilton and Flamborough Women’s Resource Centre. Provides support for women and their children who are experiencing domestic violence and abuse including:
A free and confidential hotline that people with addictions can call to hear messages to help with cravings for alcohol, drugs, or gambling.
The Salvation Army Crisis / Hope Line providing telephone and intervention to individuals experiencing crisis.
24 hour crisis line offering confidential support for survivors of all genders who have experienced sexual violence as well has friends, family, and any others seeking information. Can organize accompaniment to the hospital or the police.
Emergency crisis line and response team to assist individuals who have serious mental health issues and who are in crisis. Also supports caregivers in the management of acute mental health concerns and crisis.
Intake can be initiated by individuals directly or through their family members and caregivers. Referrals are accepted from community agencies and professionals.
If anyone is at immediate risk of serious harm, CALL 911 instead. This includes medical distress or injuries, violence/use of weapons, or any immediate threat to someone’s physical safety.
Distress Centre Halton is a non-profit charitable organization that provides telephone and online support to people 365 days of the year. All services are confidential, anonymous, free and available to all age groups. They are staffed by volunteers who receive extensive training including communication, sensitivity, crisis management, and active listening.
Programs include:
One-on-one supports for coordinating services. Includes personal advocacy, community referrals, assistance with filling out forms, and intervention and supports for people facing homelessness, critical life changes, abuse, or isolation.
Offers a variety of recorded training videos and educational resources to help prevent elder abuse in Ontario.
Materials cover the following forms of abuse:
The Elizabeth Fry Society offers many programs to those in corrections. Content of these focuses on anger management, counselling for abuse and domestic violence survivors, relapse prevention and trauma healing.
Willowbridge Community Services offers family services. Including:
Confidential helpline for Francophone women dealing with violence that offers:
Offers support groups for people living with a gambling addiction. Services are available in-person, online, and over the phone. Visit the website for a full list of meetings in Ontario.
24 hour confidential crisis line offering support for individuals experiencing domestic violence. Can offer emergency counselling, crisis intervention, safety planning, and referral to community services or other emergency shelters.
Confidential telephone support and crisis intervention. Provides referrals to local community supports and inpatient programs including the Good Shepherd Barrett Centre for Crisis Support.
A 40-bed emergency shelter for individuals and their children who are homeless and fleeing violence and abuse. Provides safe, short-term accommodation in private family-style units, safety planning and emergency transportation to the shelter, if needed, referrals and advocacy for legal, medical, financial, employment, housing and community services.
A 20-bed emergency shelter for women that includes support programs addressing homelessness, poverty, mental illness, and violence, as well as programs for the children of residents.
Free and confidential helpline that provides professional counselling, information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being to post-secondary students in Ontario. Operates in partnership with Kids Help Phone, ConnexOntario, Ontario 211, and Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health.
Services are also available though text or Facebook Messenger.
Address issues, concerns, and challenges affecting seniors and disabled adults with respect to the law. This position is a community-based and community-driven initiative.
Information and support is available to seniors, their families or service providers. Programs and presentations are researched, developed and presented on a variety of topics (such as quality of life issues, frauds and scams, personal/home safety, etc.). Reports of abuse (physical, financial, psychological, or neglect) are forwarded to the officers for assessment and further investigation if required. Cases identified as criminal offences are followed up. Major cases may be referred to the Crimes Against Seniors Unit for further investigation.
Offers transitional housing and support programs for up to 12 months for Indigneous women and children who are at risk of homelessness and poverty. The supportive housing facility is geared towards women and children who have been victims of violence.
Offers peer support groups to adult male survivors of childhood sexual abuse and adult male victims of sexual assault.
An emergency shelter for women and children experiencing domestic abuse, as well as programs for the children of residents.
Services available for residents include:
A 24/7 free and confidential crisis line that offers emotional support and assistance to survivors of Canada’s Residential Schools.
A support line staffed by a team of mental health counsellors who provide individualized support counselling, system navigation, and customized information and education to caregivers, and individuals living with chronic mental illness.
Counsellor support includes:
Please note this is not a crisis or distress support line. For mental health crisis, call COAST Hamilton at 905-927-8338. For immediate risk of serious harm, call 911.
Provides anonymous and confidential crisis support, counseling, safety planning, information, and referrals for women that have experienced abuse or violence.
The Family Support program provides support, information, early intervention, and referral to other services for parents with youth ages 12 to 17 who are experiencing parenting challenges or parent/child conflicts. This is a strength-based, family-centered service offered in individual and group formats.
This program is delivered on site and off site throughout Hamilton, Burlington and area. It is open to community referrals.
Funded by the United Way of Halton & Hamilton.
An immigration and settlement program designed for newcomer women, youth, and 2SLGBTQ+ youth.
Services include:
Provides an opportunity for communities to engage Indigenous men and youth in understanding violence against Indigenous women and support them in joining together to end the violence. Kizhaay Anishinaabe Niin workers provide one-on-one peer counselling and group activities to assist men who are committed to ending violence against Indigenous women in their personal lives and within their community.
An early intervention program that provides group supports for children who have witnessed woman abuse, by offering opportunities to share their feelings regarding the abuse and violence they have witnessed, in a creative and supportive environment.
The specifics of the course vary slightly by organization. Contact each site for specific details.
Provides confidential, anonymous, and non-judgmental peer support and information and referral service via text and internet chat. Service is provided for youth by youth, and for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersex, two-spirited, queer, and questioning youth.
Visit the website for online chat service. Text support is available by texting 647-694-4275.
Volunteer opportunities are available across Ontario.
Offers text message and web chat support for women experiencing abuse and homelessness. Provides confidential emotional support, practical advice, safety planning, and referrals to other local services.
A national phone line that offers crisis support and other support services for Black youth in Canada.
Offers a variety of workshops and training sessions centred around cultural competency, sensitivity, safety, and violence against women. Workshops vary in length and content but can be relevant to any organization.
Provides care by clinicians and psychiatrists who assess and treat patients with acute mental health problems who have presented to the emergency department. Works in partnership with other inpatient and outpatient mental health services to assist individuals in finding the right level of care.
Offers confidential support services for survivors of sexual violence, 16 years of age and older, who have experienced sexual violence at any point in their lives. Services include individual and group counselling.
Offers supportive programming for women from Hamilton’s diverse racial and cultural communities, in particular women who are immigrant, newcomers, and refugees. Services include: individual support, women’s support groups, information and referral, advocacy and accompaniment, and practical assistance such as childcare, bus tickets, and snacks.
24/7 phone line offering contact and referral information for local agencies across Ontario that can assist in cases of elder abuse. Trained counsellors also provide safety planning and supportive counselling for older adults who are being abused or at-risk of abuse.
The Seniors Safety Line can address the diverse needs of those with disabilities, immigrants, persons of colour, LGBTQ individuals, and two-spirit persons. Also offers information to relatives, friends, caregivers, and other service professionals who may have questions or concerns about an elderly person in their life.
Offers confidential support services for survivors of sexual violence, 16 years of age and older, who have left sex-trafficking at any point in their lives. Services include individual, group counselling and advocacy.
A free, anonymous, confidential chat for people who have or are experiencing sexual violence, and those who are supporting them.
Service offered to:
The program supports seniors who are at risk of homelessness and/or have an urgent situation that requires immediate supports. It develops goal oriented crisis support plans aimed to assist individuals in stabilizing their current crisis and connects individuals with the most appropriate community services. A plan of care is created that responds to the presented crisis. The program also provides short term case management (up to 3 months) as well as linkages and referrals to long term community supports.
A 24-hour, multilingual, toll-free service for immediate crisis and referral that supports male survivors of sexual abuse, both recent and historical. Services include:
Offers confidential telephone and text services for anyone having thoughts of suicide, or who are worried about someone else. Trained responders will listen without judgement, provide support and understanding, and can offer local support resources.
Offers culturally appropriate counselling services, advice, and support to Indigenous women by Indigenous women, via telephone, text, or online chat.
Program offers comprehensive assessment and specialized intervention and treatment for:
Offers direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis through their 24 hour confidential crisis line and micro-grant programs.
An emergency 22-bed shelter for women, with or without children, who are experiencing family violence, abuse and/or human trafficking. Offers emergency shelter, a safe environment, meals, and access to support workers.
Offers support to women who have been exposed to abuse and violence whether sexual, emotional, financial, or physical. Programs provide knowledge and understanding of abuse, and explore available options, resources, and supports.
Program that assists the urban Aboriginal youth at risk in providing access to activities that will ensure choices to healthy lifestyles. Client based support objectives general social supports, youth in care, healthy eating and physical development, education, justice intervention, and violence prevention.
A 24 hour confidential hotline offering mental health services and crisis support to youth. Also acts as the access point for Youthdale’s inpatient mental health services.