What is Tele-Mental Health?
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.
Videoconferencing helps to connect children and youth, who are already receiving mental health services, to a specialist who can address their issues. Services are culturally safe, and offered as close to home as possible.
SOAHAC as a Coordination Agency
The Southwestern Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) facilitates access to Tele-Mental Health for community service providers/agencies in our service area. All publicly-funded mental health professionals, and others working with Indigenous youth, are able to refer to the Tele-Mental Health Coordinator at SOAHAC.
SOAHAC Tele-Mental Health Resources
Referring service providers are welcome to access our resource links below to provide you the information you need to access our services.
We look forward to hearing from you and supporting clients through their mental health and wellness journey.
Tele-Mental Health Services Referral Package
Tele-Mental Health Services Consent Disclosure Form
Referring service providers can print and use these Tele-Mental Health Referral Forms
(Also available in electronic format in English and French at http://www.sickkids.ca/tele-link/Referral-Forms/referral-forms.html
In order to ensure the appropriate provision of consultation and support services for the client, SOAHAC’s Tele-Mental Health Coordinator:
- Conducts a ‘Service Readiness Review’ for every referred child/youth with the referring agency;
Works in partnership (where appropriate) with the community service provider to review alternate local mental health supports, determine that the service will meet the needs of the child/youth, and that it is the most effective service; - Schedules consultations between community service providers on behalf of the client and appropriate Hub;
- Follows up with the community service provider to ensure ongoing Case Management and to review consultation and determine if further consultation is required;
- Provides education and training to designated sites and satellites and the community about the program;
- Participates in committees composed of Tele-Mental Health Coordination Agencies and Hubs to work collaboratively across the Service areas.
Service Area
Our service area is called “Area 4” and covers the existing SOAHAC catchment area (London, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation – Muncey, Windsor and Owen Sound), as well as additional territory as far north as Nippissing First Nation and southeast to Tyendinaga.
SOAHAC Tele-Mental Health Contact
Lainie Antone- Gardner, CYW
Tele-Mental Health Coordinator
Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre
77 Anishinaabeg Drive
Muncey, ON N0L 1Y0
Phone: (519)289-0352 Ext. 248 Fax: (226) 667-6461
Cell phone: (226) 377-0748
Email:[email protected]
