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Mayor’s Mailbag – January 2023 Roundup – Mental Health Resources, Arts & Culture Fund, & Homelessness Support

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward Mailbag

Welcome to the Mayor’s Mailbag – January 2023 roundup.

The Mayor’s Monday Mailbag is a weekly initiative Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and the Mayor’s Office has launched to share answers to questions from the public we’ve received through our main email inbox at mayor@burlington.ca or the Mayor’s social media platforms.

At the end of the month, we publish a roundup of those most pressing questions we’ve received in the weeks prior.

Mayor’s Mailbag – January 2023 Roundup

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MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

QUESTION:

“What mental health support and resources are available to our community?”

ANSWER:

Safe-guarding and enhancing our mental health well-being can be a difficult task year-round, but particularly during the holidays in December and at the start of a new year in January.

There is support through mental health resources out there in Burlington and Halton Region. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please reach out to any of the organizations and programs listed below:

  • For Immediate Crisis Support
    • Text HOME to 686868 from any cellphone
  • Kids Help Phone
  • Talk Suicide Canada/Crisis Service
    • Call 1-833-456-4566
    • Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  • Hope for Wellness
    • Call 1-855-242-3310 or visit hopeforwellness.ca
    • Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to all Indigenous Peoples
  • Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST)
    • Call  1-877-825-9011.
    • Available to all Halton residents, aged 16 and older, experiencing a mental health crisis with immediate outreach and support. Anyone can call the COAST crisis line that is answered by a trained mental health crisis worker 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week.
  • Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK)
    • Call 905-878-9785 or visit rockonline.ca
    • For all ROCK services, call the Access Line at 289-266-0036. This line is answered Monday to Friday, between 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
  • Trans Lifeline
    • Call 1-877-330-6366
    • Provides peer support for the trans community
  • Connex Ontario
    • Call 1-866-531-2600 or visit connexontario.ca
    • Assists with helping you discover mental health, addiction and gambling services.
  • Wellness Together Canada
    • For immediate crisis support text WELLNESS to 741741
    • Visit: wellnesstogether.ca
    • A resource for mental health and substance-use support
  • BounceBack Ontario
    • Visit: bouncebackontario.ca
    • Free skill-building program managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). It is designed to help adults and youth aged 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression and anxiety, stress or worry. Delivered over the phone with a coach and through online videos, you will get access to tools that will support you on your path to mental wellness.
  • Halton Community Services Database
    • Visit: http://search.hipinfo.info
    • Offers links to: addiction counselling and support; child and youth mental health services; in-person crisis resources; mental health support; geriatric psychiatry resources; and support groups.
  • For Emergencies
    • Call 911 if you are in immediate danger
    • Call 988 for mental health emergencies.

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BURLINGTON ARTS & CULTURE FUND

QUESTION:

“What is the Burlington Arts and Culture Fund and how can I apply for it?”

ANSWER:

The Burlington Arts and Culture Fund (BACF) is an annual grant program from the City of Burlington that provides $70,000 of total available funding to local artists, multicultural groups and arts and culture organizations to foster creativity and enrich how Burlington residents experience and engage with arts and culture.

Intake for the 2023 BACF round is open now and applications will be accepted until noon (12 p.m.) on Friday, Feb. 3. Applications can be completed and submitted online at burlington.ca/artsandculturefund

The 2023 BACF will fund approved projects from April 2023 to March 2024 and successful applicants will be announced at the start of April 2023.

To be eligible for BACF funding, applicants must be located in Burlington and must be:

  • An incorporated not-for-profit arts and culture organization or a charitable arts and culture organization;
  • An individual artist or arts and cultural collective (defined as three or more individuals) that exhibit high achievement in arts and culture programming; or
  • A multicultural group that fulfills a significant role in the Burlington community through the arts and culture.

Grants are evaluated in part by a peer assessment jury for artistic merit and by City staff for program merit and strategic initiative, citywide and community impact and economic impact.

Anyone interested in being a part of the peer assessment jury can the Arts and Culture Council of Burlington (ACCOB) at info@artscultureburlington.ca by Feb. 1.

The public can also learn more about this fund, the jury opportunity and the application process at a virtual information session with City staff and arts and culture professionals tomorrow (Jan. 17) from 7-8 p.m. Click this link to participate in the virtual session over Microsoft Teams.

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HOMELESS SUPPORT SERVICES

QUESTION:

“Are there any support services available to help the homeless in Burlington?”

ANSWER:

Most of the support services for those experiencing homelessness in Burlington come through the Region of Halton.

Housing assistance in the City of Burlington is administrated through Halton Region as housing falls under the jurisdiction of Regional government. Two of the programs available are:

  • Halton Housing Help (HHH): provides assistance to would-be renters in locating safe, affordable housing across Halton, available through 311.  HHH offers a rental listing service which includes affordable rental accommodation across Halton; and
  • Housing Stability Fund: Once affordable accommodations are secured, Halton Region is able to assist with last month’s rent as well as moving/storage costs, as may be appropriate.

All homelessness prevention services are continuing to be delivered by the Region by appointment only. To book an appointment, please email accesshalton@halton.ca or call 311. For emergency shelter programs, please call 311.

If you see a person who is homeless, we encourage you to call Halton’s 311 number and let them know the location of the individual — this can help Regional staff locate the person and offer temporary housing to them, particularly if the weather can become an increased danger to health. The Region’s program has agreements in place with some local hotels and motels for emergency situations when needed. Sadly, staff have let us know that often when the help that is available, is offered, it is turned down by the individual for various reasons.

If you know of someone who is experiencing homelessness, encourage them to reach out to Halton Region directly for assistance — help is available.

Additionally, Halton Regional Police Service’s COAST program (standing for Crisis Outreach and Support Team) serves Halton residents who are experiencing mental health concerns, and/or are in crisis, with immediate outreach and support.

COAST is made up of a team of health care professionals and Halton police officers trained in mental health and crisis intervention.

The COAST Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-877-825-9011.

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1 thought on “Mayor’s Mailbag – January 2023 Roundup – Mental Health Resources, Arts & Culture Fund, & Homelessness Support”

  1. Elizabeth Guertin

    Parking in my area is atrocious, for seniors. Grandchildren have no where to park as most people don’t use garage and park on street as long as 4days consecutive

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