Bruce County Outreach is a resource now being offered across Bruce County to provide people with knowledge and awareness of services and supports in their communities, and connect them with these supports and services.

Organizations and services available at the outreach may include all or any of the following: Bruce County Housing; YMCA Housing Services; Bruce County Paramedic Services; Grey Bruce Public Health; Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce; VPI Employment Solutions; Bruce County Ontario Works; United Way of Bruce Grey; Salvation Army Owen Sound – Saugeen Shores.

No registration is needed to access this help. It will be on a first-come, first-served basis

July

COAST (Community Outreach and Support Team)

Bruce County is sharing they have funding for a one-year mobile outreach program in Bruce County. COAST (Community Outreach and Support Team) is a mobile outreach initiative designed to enhance access to support services in our rural communities.

COAST will provide:

• Mental health and addiction care
• Harm reduction services (including naloxone distribution and overdose prevention)
• Housing and social support navigation
• Community paramedicine support

The initiative builds on the existing Bruce County Outreach program and responds to the increasing rates of opioid use, overdoses, homelessness, and unmet service needs, as well as the barriers faced by individuals in rural areas.

The project is a collaborative partnership between CMHA, Bruce County Housing, and Bruce County Paramedic Services. The team will include:

The plan is to extend outreach services to individuals who are unable to access existing locations. This will include visiting motel shelter sites, libraries, encampments, and rural communities across the county.

• A Community Paramedic
• A Community Support Coordinator
• A CMHA Peer Support Worker
• A CMHA Harm Reduction Counsellor

Port Elgin: