The Downtown CORE Team is a pilot program in collaboration with Toronto Public Health (TPH) and the Toronto Police Service (TPS), designed to help vulnerable residents in the Yonge and Dundas area (Sankofa Square).
The program focuses on supporting individuals with complex health needs such as mental health, substance use and housing. The Downtown CORE Team will provide proactive support through an outreach model to improve access to health and social services.
The Downtown CORE Team is not an emergency crisis response service and cannot be reached through 911 or 211.
The Downtown CORE Team provides support through proactive, on-the-ground outreach and client engagement, 365 days a year from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Services include:
The program is led by a specialized team of public health nurses and is supported by a primary health care specialist. They work alongside TPS officers to connect people to important services such as health care, mental health support, and social services.
The police work alongside nurses to contribute to the safety of everyone involved, including clients receiving care, the nurses as they carry out their work, and the public. Officers also help connect people to health and social services by working with local support agencies. The goal of the Downtown CORE Team is to improve safety and well-being for everyone in Toronto.
Throughout the pilot program, the team will gather feedback and data through regular meetings with community partners, including individuals with lived experience of substance use and frontline services providers.to ensure the service remains client-centred and evidence informed, and to shape its future direction and approach. A review of the program will be completed at the end of the pilot.