The Community of Oxford Support and Treatment Team is part of the integrated, county-wide, 24-hour mental health service plan. The team consists of professional staff trained in a variety of disciplines including social work, mental health nursing and occupational therapy. This program is a client-centred, voluntary service offered to adults with serious mental health concerns throughout Oxford County.

Operating since April 1999, the community of Oxford Support and Treatment Team is an amalgamation of three programs previously offered through the Canadian Mental Health Association - Oxford County Branch, Woodstock General Hospital and Telecare. These services are now incorporated into one program directed by the Canadian Mental Health Association.

The program consists of three main components:

Crisis Response
Case Management
Supportive Housing

Within these components, professional staff designated as community support workers and crisis support workers offer the following services:

Crisis Intervention & Response
Individual Case Planning
Symptom Management
Supportive counselling
Life Skills Training
Vocational Support
Client/Family Education
Community Linkages
Social Support Development

Staff based in Woodstock, Ingersoll and Tillsonburg provide services in the surrounding areas of Oxford County.

Crisis Responce Service is available to adults within Oxford County.

To use this service the individual must be:

Experiencing a crisis
At least 16 years of age
Interested in using the service
Willing to provide identifying information

All information shall be treated as confidential and will not be released without consent unless we are legally or professionally required to do so.

Professional staff are available to provide phone and/or personal contact to sudden and unexpected events that put people in distress. Crisis workers can provide referrals to appropriate agencies and offer follow up service until individuals are connected with other supports or the issue has been resolved.

Our mandate, skills and expertise are to support individuals who experience a psychiatric or psychosocial crisis.

A crisis occurs when the individual's usual coping skills are not effective and the situation has led or may lead to an immediate deterioration in mental or physical health.

Suicidal thoughts or attempts
Grief reactions
Distressing mental health symptoms
Assistance for indiviudals requiring immediate access to mental health services.

The service is not suitable for individuals under 16 years of age. Calls from individuals looking for social contact due to boredom or requesting transportation are not appropriate.

Case Management involves individualized, community-based support to adults with a serious mental illness. The service is available days, evenings and weekends and is provided in the individual's home or a place of their choice in the community.

The goals for Case Management Services are:

To assist people to live as independently as possible
To assist people in making their own decisions
To assist people in accessing a range of resources that will enable them to realize personal goals and acquire skills needed to be successful.

Opportunities are provided for people to meet others, to establish social relationships and to participate in various recreational activities.

Supportive Housing offers people with a serious mental illness the opportunity to achieve greater independence. Together with CMHA owned houses, community partnerships allow us to provide 48 permanent, independent living units throughout Oxford County. The purpose of this housing is to:

Prevent homelessness
Reduce the length of hospital stays
Provide alternatives to long term care facilities
Enhance the quality of life through the security of housing

Referrals for case management and housing may be made by the individual, the family, the doctor or other community agencies by contacting CMHA directly.

We ask that referring agencies ensure that consent for release of information forms are sent with referrals.