The services and resources listed below are available for residents in our region. Don’t forget to visit 211 to find more resources!
FINANCIAL
Ontario Works – Delivered by the County of Simcoe
- Financial and employment assistance
- Financial assistance includes:
- Support for those caring for a minor child to whom they are not related
- Vision, dental, and other benefits
- Immediate financial assistance is available for those with immediate needs
HOUSING
Affordable Housing Support – Delivered by the County of Simcoe
- Rent supplement or housing allowance
- Funds to help with home repairs
- Funds to aid in constructing a second suite in order to create more affordable housing in the County
Housing Retention Program – Delivered by the County of Simcoe
- Financial support for those at risk of losing their housing or electricity because they are in arrears
Emergency Shelters in Simcoe County
- Short-term overnight shelter for those who are homeless
Domicialiary Care Assistance – Delivered by the County of Simcoe
- Residential care housing for low income, vulnerable seniors and those with special needs
Salvation Army – Barrie Bayside Mission Centre
- Shelter for adult men (21+), including services such as food, laundry, showers, and computers
- Collaborates with Barrie Housing Support Services to help find more stable housing
- Three separate shelters for families, males (27+), and male youth (under 27) in Newmarket
- Assists with searching for housing and connecting with landlords.
- Provides counseling and case management
- Emergency shelter for youth ages 16-24, as well as transitional housing
- Option to speak to a youth worker if needed
- Provides necessary items such as clothing, toothbrush, and toothpaste, etc.
- Provides drop-in health care clinic once per week for homeless youth
Women & Children’s Shelter of Barrie
- Shelter for women and their children, with each family receiving their own room to sleep in, as well as shared spaces
- Collaborates with the Safe Pet Program for those who want to take their pets with them
- Also offers transitional housing, legal assistance, support groups, and a crisis telephone line
- Good resource for women planning to leave abusive situations.
Elizabeth Fry Society of Simcoe County – Joyce Kope House
- Shelter for women coming from the legal system, mental health system, homelessness, etc.
- Emergency shelter, transitional housing, drop-in services, and aftercare for women, located in Newmarket
- Operates the Emergency Shelter Program, including intake for all locations. Their Outreach Van can be called to meet people living on the street to offer assistance, and they provide assistance with housing.
S.H.I.F.T Support and Hope for Individuals and Families Today
- Safe, respectful, and welcoming overnight accommodations are provided along with meals and supports to those experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness and/or food insecurity in South Simcoe.
ADDICTION
Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre – Residential Withdrawal Management
- Detox centre for those 16+ to safely withdrawal from substances
Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres
- Methadone and Suboxone treatment for those experiencing opioid addiction
Connex Ontario – Online Searching Database
- Allows you to search for addiction treatment in Ontario by type of service, location, targeted population, and targeted gender.
MENTAL HEALTH
Canadian Mental Health Association – York and South Simcoe
- Provides a variety of mental health services to youth and adults in-person and over the phone
- Assertive Community Treatment Teams provide comprehensive and community-based support
- Bounce Back provides support for depression/anxiety over the phone by working through exercises meant to address specific issues
- Mental Health and Justice programs supporting those with mental illness in the criminal justice system
- Many other programs
CMHA York and South Simcoe-Youth Services
- Choices Program: 10-week program for teens to encourage positive decision-making.
- MOBYSS: Mobile walk-in clinic so youth can access care in different areas of the community; includes nursing assessments, counseling, pregnancy/STI testing, etc.
- Youth Wellness Program: Provides individual and group counseling, as well as psychoeducational groups for youth.
EMPLOYMENT
- Provides assistance and training for career changes, returning to work, working with a disability, and searching for a job in general
- Assists with job training and searching
CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Early ON Child and Family Centres
- Drop-in centres for play/social engagement
- Registered programs for specific age groups with activities designed to engage and encourage learning and encourage the development of motor skills
- A variety of parenting programs including nutrition, raising resilient children, discipline, etc.
- Developmental assessment and referral to appropriate services
Childcare Fee Subsidy – delivered by the County of Simcoe
- Financial support for childcare for low-income families
New Path Youth and Family Services
- Provides a variety of mental health services to youth: walk-in clinics, group counseling, outreach for teens, etc. They also work alongside schools to provide services.
Kinark Child and Family Services
- Provides community-based individual, group, and family counseling
- Works with Ontario Autism Program to provide services for youth with autism
- Works with youth experiencing mental health issues in the criminal justice system
- Provides childcare services
RVH Children Development Services
- Locations in: Bradford West Gwillimbury, Barrie, Alliston and more
- Support and programs for children who may be experiencing issues that will affect their development:
- Preschool speech and language
- Occupational therapy
- Infant hearing
- Blind low vision
- Feeding clinic
- Neonatal follow-up clinic
Seasons Centre for Grieving Children
- Programs for children and teens who have experience the loss of a loved one or who have a loved one with a terminal illness
- Programs for parents who have lost a child
- Programs for parents who have lost spouse/life partner and are raising a child under 18
2SLGBTQ+ RESOURCES
- Safe and inclusive communities within Simcoe County that support and unite people of all genders, sexes and sexual identities
- Monthly Social Events
- Events and Activities that celebrate or acknowledge key dates for people of diverse sexes, gender and sexual identities
- Fierté Simcoe Pride Festival
- The Gilbert Centre runs a program called, QT Youth Connection which is a drop-in and social space for LGBTQ+ youth ages 14-24
- Provides social and support services to empower, promote health, and the individuals and families from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) communities of Simcoe Muskoka
- They are a place for youth to connect with each other and to community. They also hold special events such as tea parties, picnics, cooking classes, movie nights, education presentations, guest speakers, and more
- A toll-free Ontario-wide peer-support phone line for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual 2-spirited, queer and questioning young people
- The LGBTQ line offers confidential and non-judgemental peer support through their telephone, text and chat services.
- It also provides online peer support through the online forum and email response
- All about the inclusion and support for 2SLGBTQIA+
- Great ways to connect through social media and events where everyone can be themselves