Crisis Services

Fire  |  Police |  Medical Emergency 
Call: 911
 
Kids Help Phone
Canada’s 24/7 support service, offering professional counselling, information and referrals in English or French for young people.

Call: 1-800-668-6868
Text: CONNECT to 686868

 
Crisis Intake Team – Vanier Children’s Services
24-hour telephone crisis intervention. Crisis intervention, support and brief intervention to children and families.
Call: 519-433-0334
 
Reach Out (for people 16 years and older)
Trained professionals offer support, information and education. Direct transfers to crisis response team or can book a call back from a mental health or addictions services within 48 business hours of call.
Call: 519-433-2023

 

Find more immediate services:

Crisis Services and Support Lines can provide you with immediate assistance if you are very distressed, or feel as though you are in a life-threatening situation. If you feel frightened or unable to cope with a problem that requires immediate attention, there are phone numbers listed here that you can call.

Child Abuse and Welfare  - Programs provide information and/or interventions for individuals and/or families who are coping with the trauma arising from child abuse. Child abuse includes abandonment, neglect, or emotional, physical, or sexual abuse by a parent or other adult in a position of power. The Children's Aid Society accepts reports that a child is or may be in need of protection.
 
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault - Victims and survivors of physical, sexual, emotional, or financial abuse can find emergency shelter and housing, health care, legal services, emotional support, counselling, system navigation services, and accompaniment services for interviews or appointments. Intervention and prevention services often focus on abuse in the home or workplace, sexual assault, violent crime, or human trafficking.
 
Intimate Partner Violence Counselling - Counselling for individuals who commit acts of violence, intimidation, or sexual or emotional abuse against their partner.
 
Anger Management - Anger management programs provide education and/or therapeutic opportunity to deal with anger in a positive, functional way. Programs may be court-ordered or voluntary. Participants may include people who internalize their anger as well as those who act it out verbally or in behaviour towards other

Family Counselling

Counselling – Family, Couple, Individual - Counselling aims at assisting people to understand and overcome or manage personal problems, such as difficulties in relationships, anger, conflict, trauma, and abuse. There are many types of counsellors usually specializing in one particular area. The services listed here are non-profit or government-funded.


Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault - Victims and survivors of physical, sexual, emotional, or financial abuse can find emergency shelter and housing, health care, legal services, emotional support, counselling, system navigation services, and accompaniment services for interviews or appointments. Intervention and prevention services often focus on abuse in the home or workplace, sexual assault, violent crime, or human trafficking.
 
Intimate Partner Violence Counselling - Counselling for individuals who commit acts of violence, intimidation, or sexual or emotional abuse against their partner.
 
Anger Management  - Anger management programs provide education and/or therapeutic opportunity to deal with anger in a positive, functional way. Programs may be court-ordered or voluntary. Participants may include people who internalize their anger as well as those who act it out verbally or in behaviour towards others.
 

Victim Services

Victim Services - Government, police, and non-profit organizations provide victims of crime or tragic circumstances with intervention, compensation, referral, and other support services. The organizations listed here may also provide consultation, training, public education, and research.
 

Bereavement Support 

Bereavement Support Bereavement programs provide emotional support, problem-solving assistance, information, and guidance for people who have recently lost a loved one. Included are counselling programs and mutual support groups for widows and widowers, children who have lost a parent, parents who have lost a child, and other people who are grieving.

Pregnancy Supports services offer support and counselling for pregnant youth and women. Maternity homes provide shelter, as well as, care and support services and instruction in child care for women who are unable to remain in their own homes.

The Help Yourself Through Hard Times resource is a guide to basic needs services for London and Middlesex County. It lists services that provide assistance to individuals and families on limited incomes during times of financial hardship. The booklet is updated once a year, and is available for download (see below), or in print form from the City of London or at many social service locations in London.
 

Download the booklet:
Standard single-page layout  (PDF)
Standard 2-page spread layout  (PDF) * with service profile links
Booklet layout  (PDF)

Employment Assistance  

Employment Assistance - Unemployed or underemployed people can get help through drop-in resource centres, job search assistance programs, and job-skills workshops. Employment counselling and career planning services provide information on the labour market, grants, funding, apprenticeships, and other opportunities for ongoing support.
 
Employment Assistance for Youth - Unemployed or underemployed youth and young adults can get help through drop-in resource centres, job search assistance programs, and job-skills workshops. Employment counselling and career planning services provide information on the labour market, grants, funding, apprenticeships, and other opportunities for ongoing support.
 
Employment Assistance for People with Disabilities - Unemployed or underemployed people with disabilities can get help through drop-in resource centres, job search assistance programs, and job-skills workshops. Employment counselling and career planning services provide information on the labour market, grants, funding, apprenticeships, and other opportunities for ongoing support.
 

Clothing

Clothing and Household Items - Programs and services that provide free or low-cost clothing and household items. Services can be provided on an ongoing, seasonal, or emergency basis.

Sharing Shops and Thrift Stores - Programs and services selling and exchanging used clothing, furniture, and household items. Proceeds from sales go toward funding services and programs for those in need.
 

Financial Assistance

Financial Assistance - Programs that provide people in financial need with basic income support and temporary assistance for urgent and unexpected financial events.

Financial Assistance for Rent and Utilities - Unemployed or underemployed people with disabilities can get help through drop-in resource centres, job search assistance programs, and job-skills workshops. Employment counselling and career planning services provide information on the labour market, grants, funding, apprenticeships, and other opportunities for ongoing support.

Budget and Credit Counselling - Programs that help people with money management and budgetary problems, including financial literacy, budget planning, and credit counselling.

Financial Assistance for Children and Families - Programs that provide financial assistance for low-income families with young children.

Financial Assistance for People with Disabilities - Programs that provide financial assistance for people with physical and developmental disabilities.


Food

Food Banks and Community Food Programs - Provide free or low-cost food to individuals and families in need on an on-going, seasonal, and emergency basis. Services may include food banks, community gardens, Good Food Boxes, youth nutrition programs, and nutrition education programs. Identification for each family member and proof of income and/or residency may be required to access some programs.

Housing and Shelter 

Affordable Housing provides individuals and families housing that meet their needs and that they can afford.

Shelters and Drop-In Centres for Youth offer short-term accommodation along with other supports, such as counselling, meals, recreation, and emergency transportation. Some shelters also provide longer-term accommodation.
Drop-in centres offer social and recreational activities, snacks, information, and support and in some cases counselling.

Shelters, Transitional Housing and Drop-in Centres for Women  offer short-term accommodation along with other supports, such as counselling, meals, recreation and emergency transportation. Some shelters also provide longer-term accommodation.
Drop-in centres offer social and recreational activities, snacks, information and support, and in some cases counselling.

Shelters and Drop-in Centres for Adults offer short-term accommodation for men and women along with other supports, such as counselling, meals, recreation and emergency transportation. Some shelters also provide longer-term accommodation.
Drop-in centres offer social and recreational activities, snacks, information, and support, and in some cases counselling.

Housing Referral and Rights assistance is provided to individuals and families with low and moderate incomes to find affordable housing. Affordable housing is provided by public, non-profit, co-operative, or inexpensive private housing.

The Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board (see above) regulates and provides information about landlord and tenant rights and obligations for rental properties, including rent control guidelines. Local municipalities set property standards by-laws which outline minimum requirements for building maintenance and occupancy.

Community Legal Clinics provide a variety of services including legal advice, legal representation, and public legal education.

Legal Aid is available to people on low income to assist with legal problems, including disability support and family benefits payments.

General Support

Mental Health for Children and Youth programs provide preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services in a variety of community and hospital-based settings to help them achieve, maintain, and enhance their state of well-being, personal empowerment, and the skills to cope with the demands of everyday life.

Mental Health Peer and Family Programs focus on providing support to people who provide care and support to a family member or loved one with a mental illness. Support may include peer support groups, educational resources, case management assistance, and more.

Community Mental Health Programs provide a variety of services to help support people who have serious and ongoing mental health issues living in the community. Services offered include information and referral, advocacy, case management, housing advocacy, rehabilitation, employment assistance, counselling, support groups social and recreational opportunities, and peer support services for consumers and survivors.

Mental Health Hospital Programs offer a range of services to meet the needs of individuals of all ages who have mental illness and/or substance abuse issues. Services may be provided on an inpatient or outpatient basis.

Mental Health Peer and Family Programs focus on providing support to people who provide care and support to a family member or loved one with a mental illness. Support may include peer support groups, educational resources, case management assistance, and more.
 

Mental Health Support by Topic

Eating Disorders Support – An eating disorder is characterized by a compulsive obsession with food or weight and an inability to accurately perceive one‘s physical appearance. Individuals may compulsively overeat, engage in eating binges which may be followed by purging, refuse to eat or otherwise use food or the process of eating or not eating in a self-destructive manner.

Bereavement Support Bereavement programs provide emotional support, problem-solving assistance, information, and guidance for people who have recently lost a loved one. Included are counselling programs and mutual support groups for widows and widowers, children who have lost a parent, parents who have lost a child, and other people who are grieving.

Mood and Anxiety Disorders Support – Mood disorders or affective disorders are characterized by disturbances of mood or emotional tone to the point where excessive and inappropriate depression or elation occurs. Mood disorders include obsessive-compulsive, depression, bipolar disorders (manic depression), and states of anxiety and panic.

Self-Abuse programs help people with the deliberate, repetitive, impulsive, non-lethal harming of one's self.

Suicide programs listed here help people who have survived a suicide attempt, or have experienced the suicide of a loved one.

Addictions

Alcohol and Drug Addiction Assessment and Treatment programs provide therapy and mutual support for people affected by substance abuse or dependence. These services help them better understand their dependency and support their efforts to recover.

Addiction Support Groups are comprised of people affected by substance abuse or dependence who get together to share their experiences and get practical tips to prevent a relapse.

Addiction Education and Prevention programs provide information, training, and resources to educate the public about addictions and addictive behaviour.

Community Withdrawal Management - Adults who are medically stable, and who want to stop using alcohol or drugs, can get withdrawal management supports (prior to addiction treatment) at home, or in other supportive community environments.

Residential Treatment for People with Addictions Intensive addictions treatment at residential facilities which can support stays that last weeks or months.

Toll-free: 1-866-797-0000

Toll-free TTY: 1-866-797-0007