Steps for Getting into Women’s OHIP (Ontario Public) Treatment

A woman, Samantha*, called us looking for public treatment resources and the encouragement to seek them. This ended up being a long call that involved giving her all the steps she would need to make to change her current state and even other suggestions such as volunteering, going to the gym, and joining community classes.

Here is the information we spoke of: (Printing this email may help you in completing each step)

For OHIP treatment, there are set of steps that typically need to happen:

1. A person needs to detox/withdraw from substances
2. Once sober, make an appointment with a drug and alcohol counsellor at the closest local mental health and addiction office.
3. The counsellor may refer to an outpatient programs as an interim solution, while the client is put on a waitlist for a residential treatment program. When you’re searching for treatment facilities, here is a list of potential questions you may want to ask facilities.
4. Once waitlisted, client need to do whatever it takes to keep them sober while they wait for their intake date, which could be weeks to months. This means going to meetings, accessing outpatient services, volunteering, going to the gym, or anything that will keep them occupied until it’s treatment time.
5. Once in residential facility, a client will spend their time in an intensified treatment program. Hopefully with the pre-treatment sobriety and the new skills developed in treatment, a person can hopefully return back the “real world” and learn to live life without substances.

ASSESSMENT OFFICE LOCATION

Richmond Hill Outpatient
Addiction Services for York Region (ASYR)
Richmond Hill Office
 Family Life Centre
10610 Bayview Avenue 
Richmond Hill, ON L4C 3N8
Phone: (905) 841-7007 ext: 322 
Toll-Free: 1(800) 263-2288 ext: 322

This is your nearest outpatient office. They will be able to offer you more counselling for your addiction in the Richmond Hill area. Call them and book an appointment.

Here is a link to the outpatient locations that exist in Ontario you can use to find other offices if it’s going to take an unreasonable time to get an appointment with your local office.

DETOX – WITHDRAWAL MANAGEMENT

Here are the nearest locations that will see you through withdrawals if you cannot taper off alcohol on your own. It typically takes 5-10 days to complete withdrawals from alcohol. If preferable you can talk to your doctor about home withdrawal or safe taper.

You can also use this link to see if there are other cities nearby you would be willing to travel to for withdrawal: http://www.canadadrugrehab.ca/ON/Ontario-Medical-Detox-Alcohol-Drug-Rehab-Programs.html#medical

Richmond Hill Withdrawal Management Services (Detox)
Addiction Services for York Region (ASYR)
 Community Withdrawal
21 Dunlop St.
Richmond Hill, ON L4C 2M6
Phone: (905) 841-7007 ext. 322
 Toll-Free: 1(800) 263-2288 ext. 322
Website: www.asyr.ca

Addiction Services – Royal Victoria Hospital
Community Care Centre
70 Wellington Street West Barrie, ON L4N 1K4
Phone: (705) 728-4226 ext. 24300 or 24100 Fax: (705) 728-7308
Website: http://www.drugandalcoholhelpline.ca/Directory/Program/262

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

3rd floor – 60 White Squirrel Way
 Toronto, ON M4G 3Z1
Phone: (416) 535-8501 ext. 36071
 Toll-Free: 1(800) 463-2338 ext. 6616
Website: CAMH Medical Withdrawal Unit

Bridgewood Chemical Dependency Program
Elective Inpatient Withdrawal Program
2175 Keele Street
 Toronto, ON M6M 3Z4
Phone:(416) 658-2029
 Website: Mental Health and Addiction Services

OHIP RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS

Using the list of questions from above you can start calling these programs to see if they have a bed available sooner rather than later.

St. Joseph’s General Hospital Elliot Lake
Camillus Centre
3-9 Oakland Boulevard Elliot Lake, ON P5A 2T1
Phone: (705) 848-2652 Phone: (705) 848-2129 ext. 242 (intake)
Website: www.sjgh.ca
Note: 21-day abstinence and 12-step based program for adults 25 years of age and older.

Homewood Addiction and Mental Health Division
150 Delhi Street Guelph, ON N1E 6K9
Phone: (519) 824-1010 ext.2551 (Intake) Toll-Free: 1(866) 839-2594
Fax: (519) 767-3533 E-Mail: admit@homewood.org Website: www.homewood.org
Note: A 35-day residential program for adults 19+ with both government-funded and private-pay beds. Clients must be sober for 7 days prior to admission.

Stonehenge Therapeutic Community
60 Westwood Road Guelph, ON N1H 7X3
Phone: (519) 837-1470 ext. 226 (women’s program)
Phone: (519) 837-1470 ext. 227 (men’s program)
Fax: (519) 837-3232 E-Mail: info@stonehengetc.com Website: www.stonehengetc.com
Note: A 4-6 month 18-bed residential treatment for men and women 18+. Women’s program includes pregnant women and mothers with children 6 months of age or younger. Program is based on a harm-reduction model. 

Womankind Addiction Service
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
431 Whitney Avenue Hamilton, ON L8S 2H6
Phone: (905) 521-9591 ext. 237 E-Mail: lwhalen@stjosham.on.ca
Website: http://www.stjoes.ca/default.asp?action=article&ID=626
Note: 14-bed 35-day program for women 16+. Onsite social detox available, but must be arranged prior to admission. Otherwise, clients must be sober for 7 days prior.

Hope Place Centres Women’s Treatment Centre
9605 Regional Road 25 Milton, ON L9T 2X7
Phone: (905) 875-3214 ext.303 Toll-Free: 1(877) 399-7299
Fax: (905) 875-3635 E-Mail: intake@hopeplacecentres.org
Website: hopeplacecentres.org/womens_residential.html
Note: A 21 or 35-day program for women 18+ only with12 funded beds and 3 fee-for-service beds. There is specialized programming for expecting mothers or women with infants 6 months of age or younger.

North Bay General Hospital
Nipissing Detoxification and Substance Abuse Programs
A-120 King Street W North Bay, ON P1B 5Z7
Phone: (705) 476-6240 Fax: (705) 476-6136
E-Mail: ndsapinfo@nbgh.on.ca Website: North Bay Addiction Services
Note: This is a 29-bed 21-day harm reduction residential program for men and women 16+. Clients must be referred and clients must be sober for a minimum of 72 hours.

Empathy House of Recovery – Sunnyside Avenue
360 Sunnyside Avenue Ottawa, ON K1S 0S4
Phone: (613) 730-1350 E-Mail: empathyhouse@bellnet.ca
Note: a program for women 18 and older.

Port Colborne General Hospital
260 Sugarloaf Street Port Colborne, ON L3K 2N7
Phone: (905) 378-4647 ext. 32500 Fax: (905) 834-3002
E-Mail: NewPortAdmin@niagarahealth.on.ca
E-Mail: Roberta.tayti@niagarahealth.on.ca
Website: www.niagarahealth.on.ca/services/addiction-recovery
Note: Separate residential programs for men and women 16+. Clients must be referred. Referrals accepted from the Correctional Services Canada. Clients must be sober for 5 days prior.

Norfolk General Hospital Holmes House
394 West Street Simcoe, ON N3Y 1T9
Phone: (519) 428-1911 Toll-Free: 1(888) 999-4966 Fax: (519) 428-7756
Website: http://www.ngh.on.ca/services/detox.html
Note: A 6-bed 21-day co-ed residential program for adults 16+. Clients need to be referred and sober for 7 days prior to admission. There is also a day program for clients who can commute to Holmes House.

Iris Addiction Recovery for Women – Iris Treatment Centre
405 Ramsey Road Sudbury, ON P3E 2Z5
Phone: (705) 674-4193 Phone: (705) 674-5090 (Assessment)
Fax: (705) 674-8002 Website: www.irisaddiction.ca E-Mail: iris@personainternet.com
Note: Programs are for women 16+ and include: a 35-day program, a one-week refresher course for alumni, and a program for native women. Clients can self-refer, but must be sober 3-14 days prior to admission.

Westover Treatment Centre
P.O. Box 8 2 Victoria Street South Thamesville, ON N0P 2K0
Phone: (519) 692-5110 Toll-Free: 1(800) 721-3232 Fax: (519) 692-3138
E-Mail: Use form on the “contact” page Website: www.westover-fdn.org
Note: Has 22 Substance Dependence Program beds and six Family Program beds. Also has 2 fee-for-service beds for those looking for faster admittance.

Sister Margaret Smith Centre
St. Joseph’s Care Group
301 Lillie Street N Thunder Bay,ON P7C 0A6
Phone: (807) 684-5100 E-Mail: mha@tbh.net
Note: Separate residential programs for men and women ages 18 and older.

Centre de Reeducation Cor Jesus de Timmins Incorporee
Jubilee Centre Addiction Services
140 Jubilee Avenue W Timmins, ON P4N 4M9
Phone: (705) 268-2666 E-Mail: louise@jubileecentre.ca
Note: A co-ed program delivered in French and English.

CAMH Residential Service
60 White Squirrel Way Toronto, ON M4G 3Z1
Phone: (416) 535-8501 ext. 6616 Toll-Free: 1(800) 463-2338 ext. 6616
Note: A program available in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Has a Women Only Program, which is 3 weeks long.

Jean Tweed Treatment Centre – Lakeshore Boulevard

3111 Lakeshore Boulevard W
Toronto, ON M8V 1K8
Phone: (416) 255-7359 ext. 227
E-Mail: intake@jeantweed.com
Note: A residential program for women 16+.

Renascent Fellowship, The

Graham Munro Centre
356 Dundas Street West
Toronto, ON M5T 1G5
Phone: (647) 258-5960
Note: A residential program for women 16+.

Salvation Army Homestead- Toronto

160 Jarvis Road
Toronto, ON M5B 2E1
Phone: (416) 921-0953 ext. 33
E-Mail: vmoore@salvationarmyhomestead.org
Note: A residential program for women 18+.

House of Friendship of Kitchener 
Alcontrol

215 King Street S
Waterloo, ON N2J 1R2
Phone: (519) 745-4691
Note: A residential program for women including women who are pregnant or have children 6 months of age or younger. Length of stay is up to 12 weeks.

Pinewood Centre
Destiny Manor 118 Cochrane Street Whitby, ON L1N 5H8
Phone: (905) 668-1858 Toll-Free: 1(800) 825-6325
Note: Residential program for women, including pregnant women or mothers with children 6 months of age or younger.

Charity House (Windsor) 

Brentwood Recovery Home
2335 Dougall Avenue
Windsor, ON N8X 1S9
Phone: (519) 253-2441 ext. 240
 E-Mail: email@brentwoodrecovery.com
Note: A 21-day and 13-week residential program available in French and English. Also has a private-pay program (call for details).

House of Sophrosyne

1771 Chappell Avenue
Windsor, ON N9C 3E8
Phone: (519) 252-2711
 Toll-Free: 1(877) 533-9503
Note: Has a 7 Day Relapse Prevention program, 14 Day Beyond Trauma program, and a 35 Day Integrated Addiction/Trauma program. Programs are for women only 16+.

This link where I got these programs from: http://www.canadadrugrehab.ca/ON/Ontario-Residential-Alcohol-Drug-Rehab-Programs.html#adult

There are more options on the list, but the ones I did not copy and paste are either private treatment programs or faith-based programs.

MEETINGS

Here is the contact information for AA, NA, online meeting groups, and a few non 12 step alternatives:

Anchor Area NA
Phone: (416) 410-3689
Toll-Free: 1(877) 414-4464

AA meetings

Greater Toronto Area Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous
#202 – 234 Eglinton Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario, M4P 1K5
Phone: 416.487.5591 Toll-Free: 1.877.404.5591

ONLINE MEETINGS

1. AAOnline.net
2. Lamplighters Group of Alcoholics Anonymous
3. Online Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous
4. Cocaine Anonymous Online Service Area
5. LifeRing
6. Narcotics Anonymous Chat and Online Meetings
7. NA Chatroom
8. Online Al-Anon

OTHER ALCOHOL AND DRUG RELATED SUPPORT GROUP MEETING

LifeRing
1509 Douglas Street
Victoria, BC V8W 2G4
Phone: (250) 920-2095
 Toll-Free: 1(888) 920-2095
 Fax: (250) 590-1301
E-Mail: Use form on “contact us” page
 Website: www.liferingcanada.org
Note: There are online meetings and local meetings. Check to see what is available in your area.

SMART Recovery
7304 Mentor Ave., Suite F Mentor, OH, USA 44060
Phone: (440) 951-5357
 Toll-Free: 1(866) 951-5357 Fax: (440) 951-5358
E-Mail: Please use form on their site – click here contact us
Website: www.smartrecovery.org

SOS – Secular Organizations for Sobriety
4773 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
USA
Phone: (323) 666-4295 (US) 
Fax: (323) 526-1257 (US)
 E-mail: sos@cfiwest.org
Website: www.sossobriety.org


Women (or Men) for Sobriety
Phone: (215) 536-8026 (U.S.)
Fax: (215) 538-9026 (U. S.)
E-mail: newlife@nni.com
Website: www.womenforsobriety.org

OTHER SUGGESTIONS

Here is a Distress Line: 416-408-4357
 Survivor Support Program: 416-595-1716
 Website: www.torontodistresscentre.com

You can call and talk to someone no matter what you want to talk about.

They offer 24/7 support and I have heard nothing but good things this service offers.

Volunteering – Give yourself a purpose that is something you want to do for you

1. SPCA – Dog Walking
2. GYM – Think about going to the gym, get those endorphins in your system going. Change up your routine, try going before or after work to break old cycles.
3. Community Centre – Use your guide to sign up for a class start being social. Start learning something new, you’re going to be bad at something before you are good at it. But be brave and sign up for something that sounds good. If you don’t like it when the season is done, you can say “I tried” and then try something else. There will be something you will find that you will like doing.
4. MUSIC – maybe think about learning an instrument
5. BOOKS – get involved with a book club
6. FOOD – If you have any friends or family you haven’t seen in a while, invite them for a dinner. Cook them something your proud of. Sharing a meal is a great thing.

There will be lots of things in your home community that you can do or try. You just have to sign up or make that phone call. You might not find something right away, but you will find something new that you enjoying.

Lastly…

Remember that it’s time to take care of yourself.