SHINE Strong

2019 - 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

WELCOME
BIENVENUE
BOOZHOO

It’s impossible to close the 2019-2020 fiscal year without acknowledging the global COVID-19 Pandemic. With what seemed to be in a blink of an eye, business as usual was halted and a whole new normal descended upon us. With schools and businesses ordered to close their doors and people encouraged to stay home, life as we knew it became radically different. At NOSP, we always look at change as an opportunity; we may not have any power over what is happening around us, but how we choose to respond is where our power truly lies. As such, we worked hard to shift from face to face service to incorporate the introduction of virtual services that included both telephone and video sessions to ensure quick access to single “Call-in vs Walk-in” counselling session, continuation of longer-term counselling sessions, and other vital services clients and partners rely on from NOSP.

Although 2019-2020 ended differently than we had ever experienced, NOSP continued to maintain a foundational commitment to the three main strategic directions of Optimizing Mental Health and Addiction Service System, Whole Health and System Capacity and Resilience. Regardless of what the new normal ahead may bring, NOSP will continue our commitment to SHINE Strong by caring for our Crew and ensuring client-centered systems of care are at the core of all planning and service delivery while also remaining rooted in innovative approaches, local solutions and our strategic transformation priorities.

NOSP has, and will always be strong advocates with regards to the fact that mental health is health; mental health matters and most importantly, rural mental health is, and needs to be, a priority. Now more than ever as we continue down the unknown path of what this pandemic has ahead of us, mental health needs to be made a priority on every level of awareness and planning. Let’s SHINE Strong together and make mental health a HEALTH priority! #strongertogether #SHINEstrong

Shannon Cormier
Executive Director Adam Brown
Board Chair

HEALTHY PEOPLE & RESILIENT FAMILIES

NOSP provides mental health and addiction services and support across the lifespan. In our Children/Youth programs, NOSP provides several different Core Services including:

Brief Service
Counselling/Therapy
Family/Caregiver Skill Building and Support
Intensive Treatment
Specialized Consultation and Assessment
Targeted Prevention
Access/Intake and Case Coordination
Specialized Community Support - Children Assessment and Counselling

With regards to Adult Programming, NOSP provides:

Mental Health Counselling and Psychiatry
Substance Abuse Case Management
Program Gambling
Senior Volunteer in Service Program
Rent Supplement/Support in Housing Program

Total Individuals Served

Description	2019-2020
Total Children/Youth Served	1,838
Total Adults Served	1,662
TOTAL	3,500

Total Client Visits Across the Lifespan

Description	2019-2020
Total Children/Youth Served	6,978
Total Adults Served	5,592
TOTAL	12,570

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.

SENIOR VOLUNTEER IN SERVICE PROGRAM

The Senior Volunteer in Service Program (SVIS) is a free friendly visiting program that provides seniors who live alone with companionship with another senior volunteer.

Everyday life can be a challenge for anyone – regardless of age. For many seniors, coping with isolation can be difficult. SVIS helps provide support with matching seniors and volunteers to reduce the sense of isolation and increase connection, companionship and support.

ADULT PROGRAM Program/Stat	2019-2020 Q4 Actuals
Individuals Served	67
District Volunteers	4

Volunteers Wanted!

If you’d like to learn more about our SVIS program and are interested in supporting seniors in your community please call 877-895-6677.

RENT SUPPLEMENT/SUPPORT IN HOUSING PROGRAM

The Rent Supplement/Support in Housing Program is available to support people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless, to secure safe, affordable and permanent housing by providing a rent supplement and ongoing support. In the 2019-2020 fiscal year NOSP received new core funding for an additional 8 rental units, bringing out count from 16 to 24.

Description	2019-2020
Number of funded units	24
Individuals served	24

OPTIMIZING ACCESS THROUGH DIGITAL CONNECTION

Ontario Tele-Medicine (OTN)

235 Specialized service sessions

49 Counselling sessions

Zoom

1500+ Meetings, video-counselling sessions, and consultations

NOSP phone-in and video counselling flyer

WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING: OVERALL CLIENT SATISFACTION BASED ON CLIENT FEEDBACK SURVEYS

Client Experience	Total Surveys Completed	Overall Satisfaction Children’s Program	Overall Satisfaction Adult Program
Satisfaction with care received	435	82%	92%
Client have enough input in care/treatment		88%	94%
Treated with dignity and respect		100%	96%

What Clients are Saying

It has been really helpful having my child seen at the school instead of the office. [The Counsellor} working with the school team this year has been a great support for me at home as well.
~ Parent

It’s no big deal to get help. Your Counsellor doesn’t judge you & helps you figure things out.
~Youth

Counselling helps me feel no so alone.
~Youth

Helped me with my weaknesses to make them my strengths.
~Youth

NOSP helped me think of problems in a different way which helped a lot.
~Youth

Services are easily obtained and staff are very knowledgeable and friendly.
~Parent

I recommend NOSP 100%, very good program.
~Client

I’ve been getting grief counselling, and it helped me a lot.
~Youth

Counselling helps me with my anxiety.
~Youth

NOSP is one of the best places I’ve gone to counselling.
~Client

Staff are wonderful to talk with. Confidentiality is important to them and they have lots of great resources.
~Client

I would describe NOSP as accessible, caring, comprehensive and welcoming.
~Client

Easy to access, friendly staff and good services.
~Client

The staff are very wonderful caring people who go over above to help in any way they possibly can.
~Client

2019-2020 SUCCESS HIGHLIGHTS

STRATEGIC DIRECTION: Optimize Mental health & Addiction Service System

Crisis Response Planning:

Access to Crisis Response Services has been a longstanding gap for all communities across the District of Thunder Bay. In the 2019-2020 fiscal year, NOSP received some funding to host 5 community hub engagement sessions to help inform a Crisis Response Planning Process with multiple community partners in Manitouwadge, Marathon, Schreiber/Terrace Bay, Nipigon and Greenstone area. The engagement sessions helped successfully inform proposal applications that have resulted in new funding for the initiation of Joint Mobile Crisis services in the Greenstone and Nipigon areas with intentions of further funding in other communities when be funding opportunity arise. The process also resulted in further transition planning between OPP and Hospitals across the District that has commitment to continue development in 2020-2021.

5 District of Thunder Bay Community Hub Engagement Sessions

Rural RAAM Clinic Collaborations:

NOSP is a proud collaborative partner with the Marathon Family Health Team, Nipigon District Family Health Team and PACE in the launch of 2 Rural District RAAM Clinics in the communities of Marathon and Nipigon.

District of Thunder Bay Situation Tables:

NOSP continues to be an active collaborative partner with the 3 different Situation Tables across the District with numerous successes in supporting clients and identified community gaps.

Partnership with School Boards:

There have been a number of opportunities to strengthen collaborative planning with school boards throughout the fiscal year, including but not limited to, scheduling walk-in counselling clinics at schools, shared training opportunities, NOEL programming in the Greenstone area, and on-site crisis response support.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION: Whole Health

Social Media Platform:

NOSP has been working on building a more visible social media platform to raise awareness, help reduce stigma and increase connection and communication with communities across the District of Thunder Bay.

Rent Supplement/Supportive Housing Program expansion:

NOSP received an increase in funding to support an additional 8 rent supplement units (for a total of 24 units) to further offer support for clients who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

Community Hub Planning:

Focused on ensuring local solutions, NOSP has been active partners in 3 Community Hub Planning tables across the District that are focused on strengthening community care systems and localized solutions for gaps, service pressures and strategic collaborative planning.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION: System Capacity Resilience

Mental Health Across the Lifespan:

NOSP is a proud provider of mental health across the lifespan. Throughout the 2019-2020 fiscal year we have worked hard to streamline internal systems and protocols that will better support a more efficient and effective system that benefits access, clients, and staff.

Virtual Service Delivery:

As a result of responding to COVID-19, NOSP continuously remained available throughout the pandemic by shifting from primarily face-to-face counselling to also including telephone and video counselling options to ensure quick and ongoing access to mental health and addiction support throughout such a difficult trying time.

At Work:

In the 2019 Guarding Minds workplace survey, staff reported a number of workplace “strengths” with “minimal concerns.” The survey also indicated an average score with regards to more satisfaction than stress and overall satisfaction in terms of positive mental health culture. Improving the workplace is an ongoing commitment to ensuring a strong healthy work environment, strong system resilience and long-term sustainability.

SHINE Strong

2019 - 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

WELCOME
BIENVENUE
BOOZHOO