Distress Centres of Greater Toronto
Helpline
Record #:
CMH1176
Last Modified:
27 Jul 2023
Last Full Update:
27 Jul 2023
Description & Services
| Alternate Name | Formerly Spectra Helpline (Spectra Community Support Services) and Toronto Distress Centre |
| Description | INBOUND PROGRAMS *24/7Helpline (Eng): Offers 24/7 telephone support, crisis intervention, suicide intervention and referrals to the community. Trained volunteers answer the line and provide listening, emotional support and empathy. Public education. *Multi-Lingual Distress Line: Multilingual Helplines are open Mon-Fri 10am-10pm. *Peel Elder Abuse Support Program: Offers telephone support to older adults or those out in the community who may be experiencing or suspect abuse. The service is provided 7 days a week from 12noon- 8pm by specially trained senior volunteers. The program also has a Program Facilitator that specializes in providing individualized support to those experiencing abuse. Public education and elder abuse awareness. OUTBOUND PROGRAMS *Telecheck Seniors Program (55+): provides ongoing telephone support for isolated seniors. Our regular calls provide safety check-ins, medication reminders, or social calls. We also focus on offering clients a chance to be heard by providing emotional support, companionship and a sense of community. We work together to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness, provide positive coping skills, offer referrals to community services, and keep people safe. *Touching Base Program (16+): Whether dealing with a mental health issue, preventing or de-escalating a crisis situation, or relieving loneliness and isolation, Spectra is here to support and listen whenever needed. Touching Base is a transitional support program for individuals 16+. Our program is available for 3-6 months during client crisis or transition, (e.g. hospital to home, between services, etc.). We provide medication reminders, safety checks, and/or emotional support. We work together to reduce feelings of isolation, provide positive coping skills, encourage recovery, and keep people safe. Please see website for phone number for your area. *Caller Reassurance for Seniors Program works to improve the emotional quality of life of vulnerable citizens over 55 in our community while empowering them to remain engaged in the community and continue to live independent lives. Our dedicated volunteer responders provide regularly scheduled and personalized call-outs to elderly program participants who live in Toronto (including Scarborough, Etobicoke and North York) providing social connection and emotional support. We have recently added medication reminders to this program. OTHER PROGRAMS *Survivor Support Our professionally developed traumatic loss support program is a safe space in which survivors of suicide and homicide loss can identify/explore/clarify their thoughts as well as feelings and begin to navigate the aftermath of suicide loss with peer-to-peer support. Highly-trained grief facilitators (many of which are survivors of suicide loss or homicide loss themselves) and our professional staff have come together to create a safe, caring and non-judgmental environment that empowers program participants with pathways forward. |
| Hours | *Helpline 24/7 *Multi-lingual lines: Mon-Fri 10am-10pm |
| Dates | All year |
| Areas Served | Peel Region ; Peel Region |
| Eligibility | All ages |
| Fees | None |
| Languages | English ; Chinese (Cantonese) ; Chinese (Mandarin) ; Hindi ; Portuguese ; Punjabi ; Spanish ; Urdu |
Contact Information
| Social Media |  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DistressCentresGTA/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/distresscentresGTA/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/distresscentres Website: https://www.dcogt.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ5pRjA93kzKPRaAyLIdcHA |
| Accessibility | Unknown |
| Mailing Address | PO Box 243 Adelaide P.O. Toronto, ON M5C 2J4 |
| Office Phone | 416-486-3180 |
| Fax | 1-888-658-8577 |
| Crisis Phone | Brampton: 905-459-7777 Mississauga: 905-459-7777 Caledon: 1-877-298-5444 Toronto: 416-408-4357 |
| TTY Phone | Distress Line 905-278-4890 |
| info@dcogt.com | |
| Website | https://www.dcogt.com |
| Primary Executive | Robert Ridge, Executive Director |
Other Details
| Service Level | (50) Non Profit ; (51) Registered Charity |