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Community Crisis Response Program (CCRP) |
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Emergencies and crises can happen at any time. Although disasters may cause destruction to the physical environment, they primarily affect people. Lives are lost, people injured, homes destroyed and families dislocated.
People must cope with intense psychological, emotional, social and economic issues. All these can affect the well-being of individuals, families and the community as a whole.
During and following an emergency or disaster, people must adjust to significant changes in their lives. They may have to grieve for their losses, cope with injuries or new disabilities, deal with personal or family crises, repair or rebuild their homes or perhaps look for a new job. Many people may wish to talk about their thoughts, reactions and experiences. They may need to plan to face an unknown future.
When there is an emergency or traumatic event, Toronto Public Health is responsible for organizing, co-ordinating delivery and managing psychosocial services to individuals, families and communities in Toronto. Public Health does this through a partnership of organizations, called Psychosocial Emergency Response and Recovery Services (PERRS).
PERRS agencies collaborate to provide immediate, short and long-term services and programs to help and support the physical, social, psychological, cultural, spiritual and economic recovery of citizens affected by a disaster.
The stress, loss and pain because of a major emergency may threaten to overwhelm the City's capacity to respond to mental health issues, given the demands for mental health crisis counselling for individuals or groups, including response personnel and their families.
PERRS supporting organizations help to meet these needs, as well as the unique needs of specific groups including children, the elderly and communities with a first language other than English. Some services provided include:
- Crisis intervention
- Psychological first aid
- Acute grief support
- Telephone information and support line
- Psychosocial educational outreach
- Self help groups
- Psychosocial rehabilitation services
- Public health informational/risk communication on mental health/public health issues
- Child and parent drop-in services
- Advocacy services
- Stress management services to people responding to the emergency
- Development, publication and distribution of information bulletins
- Assistance with problems-in-living issues, transportation, housing, relocation adjustments
Psychosocial Emergency Response and Recovery Services (PERRS) members include:
- Distress Centres of Toronto
- Bereaved Families of Ontario
- Toronto District School Board
- Toronto Catholic District School Board
- Children's Aid Societies of Toronto
- Mt. Sinai Hospital
- Sunnybrook Hospital Social Work Department
- Toronto Police Victim Services
- Toronto Public Health Community Crisis Support Team
- Yonge Street Mission
Last updated July 2011
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