Violence Intervention & Support Unit (formerly Community Crisis Response Program) works across Toronto providing support and resources to communities impacted by violent and traumatic incidents. By providing immediate supports, the Violence Intervention & Support Unit (VISU) mobilizes local resources to address individual/group needs, coordinates community debriefings and facilitates information sharing. Long-term supports offered by the program include establishing training and education sessions, facilitating community safety audits, and fostering the development of innovative, community safety projects.
Apply for the Community Crisis Response Fund (General or Youth-Led streams) which help communities respond to the impact of violent traumatic incidents.
The Violence Intervention & Support Unit (VISU) works across the city of Toronto in partnership with community members, agencies, and internal City divisions to enhance community safety and wellbeing. VISU provides coordinated, trauma-informed responses to violent incidents and supports communities in recovery, prevention, and long-term safety planning.
VISU supports communities affected by violent or traumatic incidents, including:
VISU is activated within 12 to 72 hours following a violent incident. The Unit mobilizes local partners and resources to address immediate community needs, coordinates community debriefings, and facilitates timely information sharing to support stabilization and recovery.
VISU also provides long-term supports to strengthen community healing and recovery, including establishing training and education sessions, facilitating community safety audits, and fostering the development of innovative, community safety projects.
VISU collaborates directly with residents, grassroot organizations, and other partners to identify safety concerns and develop localized safety strategies. VISU’s work is grounded by the following three pillars:
| Joya Mukherjee, (A) Manager
437-218-0534 |
Kevin Bourne, Supervisor
416-677-5094 |
Destiny Gutherie, Supervisor
437-385-1094 |
| West District | Central District | East District |
| Saleha Nahdi
647-210-8189 |
Rimay Yohannes
437-331-2637 |
Trisha Morrison |
| Chelsea Davis
437-226-7203 |
Chance Grandmaison
416-318-8731 |
Jerome Leach
437-552-8582 |
| Ama Ackon
647-308-5865 |
Abel Tesfaldet
437-551-0297 |
Sharon Jones
416-454-3297 |
| Shannon Ashman
Special Projects, City-Wide Safety Tables 416-566-7239 |
Nikki Browne
437-830-2573 |
Nneka Perry
437-533-6972 |
| Stephanie Mazerolle
Special Projects, Weston Mount Dennis Stephanie.Mazerolle@toronto.ca 416-526-0588 |
Learie Duncan
437-757-0412 |
Christene Lewis
437-551-1173 |
| Mikaila Morales
416-454-2863 Special Projects, Driftwood |
Kavi Parameswaran
416-454-1562 |
|
| Segun Akinsanya
437-676-9313 Special Projects, Grandravine |
VISU is not a first responder. Members of the public are reminded to call 911 in emergency situations.
Name/Agency |
Phone |
|---|---|
| Toronto Police Services | Emergency: 911
Non-Emergency: 416-808 2222 |
| Toronto Community Housing | 416-981-5500
416-921-2323 |
| What's Up Walk In Youth (13-29 yrs)
Free Walk-In Mental Health Counselling. No fee. No appointment. No Health Card. Six locations across Toronto. |
1-866-585-MHTO (6486) |
| Toronto Public Health – Community Support Team | 416-338-7600 |
| Victim Services Toronto
Victim Services Toronto provides 24/7 Immediate Crisis Response, intervention and prevention services which are responsive to the needs of individuals, families and communities affected by crime and sudden tragedies. |
416-808-7066 |
| Province of Ontario - Victim Witness Assistance Program | 416-325-3265 |
| Crisis Outreach Services for Seniors (COSS) | 416-217-2077 |
| Crime Stoppers
Crime Stoppers takes anonymous information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls are not recorded and Crime Stoppers does not have call display, guaranteeing your identity remains anonymous. People providing information will be given a secret code number. You will never be asked to identify yourself or testify in court. |
416-222-TIPS (8477) |
| Toronto Distress Centre
Provides 24-hour telephone support, 365 days a day. Offer round the clock response to those experiencing emotional distress or in need of crisis intervention and suicide prevention. They also provide face to face support and counselling to people dealing with the effects of suicide and homicide. |
416-408-HELP (4357) |
| Kids Help Phone Line
When young people reach out for help, either by phone or online. Kids Help Phone is there for them with the immediate, caring, professional, anonymous help and hope they need and deserve. Kids Help Phone doesn’t trace calls or IP addresses, and they don’t use call display. |
1-800-668-6868 |
| Gerstein Centre
The Gerstein Centre provides crisis intervention to adults, living in the City of Toronto. The Centre provides supportive counselling for immediate, crisis issues and referrals to other services for on-going, non-crisis issues. Our service is a community mental health service and is non-medical. |
Crisis line: 416-929-5200
Referral line: 416-929-9897 |
| Emergency Shelter | Central Intake: 416-338-4766 or 1-877-338-3398 |
| 211Toronto
Web-enable local data to create a fully searchable, bilingual point of access to over 60,000 community, social, health and related government programs and services in Ontario. |
211 |
| 311
Information about City Services. |
311 |
City-Wide Safety Tables (CWSTs) supports localized community safety networks with the aim of bringing together residents, business owners, community organizations, and faith-based groups to develop safety networks in their communities. Specifically, supporting the ease of information sharing within and across neighbourhoods, and working with community partners on localized strategies to address safety concerns.
CSWTs operate in three districts across Toronto—West, Central and East, with each district supported by an anchor agency that operates and facilitates the tables of their respective district.
| West District | Central District | East District |
| Anchor: Learning Enrichment Foundation
West Tables: Black Creek, York Weston Pelham, Etobicoke North, Etobicoke South |
Anchor: Unison Community Health Services
Central Tables: North York, Downtown East, Downtown West |
Anchor: ACSA Community Services
East Tables: North Scarborough, South Scarborough, East York/Don Valley |
CWSTs are open to residents and agencies who participate in local safety networks within their region.
Safety Networks are connected to a City-Wide Safety Table in each district, and they bring together residents, grassroots groups, businesses, and community organizations to collaboratively address safety concerns in their local neighbourhoods. Each network serves as a platform to: