Who Should Call?

• children and youth aged 18 and under
• parents and guardians
• caregivers
• service providers including teachers, police, hospitals, medical professionals
• any adult concerned about a child or youth in crisis or at risk of crisis

When to Call?

• evenings and weekends in particular, when many agencies are not staffed
• if you are not sure which agency to contact in your community
• if you or the young person has an existing relationship with an agency in your area, you can contact them directly during normal business hours

Defining a Crisis

• clients define the meaning of "crisis"
• keeping the definition open so as not to discourage reaching out for help
• depressed, overwhelmed, unable to cope

Who Will Answer?

• a trained crisis professional
• someone with expertise in crisis support for children and youth
• someone connected to the regional network

What Kind of Help Will Be Provided?

A crisis professional will assess the situation and work with the client (young person or adult) to determine the best response. The professional will deal with both immediate and longer-term needs.

Help may include...

• supportive listening
• immediate crisis counseling on the phone
• information on resources and service providers in your community
• direct referrals to child and youth service providers in your community
• a visit to your home by the Mobile Crisis Team (in Ottawa only)
• short-term follow-up contact
• stabilization program for a short period, up to 5 days