Community Services

You do not have to have a doctor’s referral to access the services of the following. They are there to support you and your family/loved ones as you navigate the mental health system and help you understand more about your illness and treatments.

1-800-SUICIDE line: 1-800-784-2433

Provides access to telephone suicide prevention and intervention services in British Columbia, staffed 24/7 by trained volunteers, and available to people of all ages. For people who are suicidal or those who have lost someone to suicide.

Abbotsford Hospice Society: (604) 852-2456
www.abbotsfordhospice.org

For those who are grieving the death of a person in their life, regardless of when the death occurred. Bereavement Support Groups include women’s groups, men’s groups, teen grief support, children’s art therapy, and a group aimed at looking ahead and moving into the future.

BC Schizophrenia Society – Abbotsford Branch: (604) 859-0105

This organization provides support and information to people with any kind of mental illness and their family members. They offer ongoing family support groups and a twelve-week education program for family members of people with mental illness. BCSS also offers a program called Kids in Control for children eight to thirteen years old, an eight-week long group for children whose parent has a mental illness. They also have an up-to-date library with video and written information on most major mental illnesses available to the public.

Christmas Bureau: (604) 826-3634

Designed to assist low-income families with obtaining food and toys at Christmas.

Central Fraser Valley Brain Injury Association: (604) 557-1913
www.fvbia.org

Support and advocacy for individuals with brain injury and their families. They offer case management, counseling, and personal and family support. They also provide youth group support, peer support, and art therapy groups. They are a good source for brain injury education and prevention. Phone ahead to book an appointment for intake and assessment. Open Monday and Tuesday for drop in.

Community Employment Development Office (CEDO)
Abbotsford: (604) 870-8738
Mission: (604) 820-8738

Provides personal, professional employment expertise to help unemployed residents return to work. Services include: local employment program referrals, individual employment counseling, assistance with the development of a realistic return to work action plan, and other employment-related services.

Family Development Response Program: (604) 826-3634

Qualified workers provide prevention, intervention, life skills, counseling, advocacy, mediation, and support services to families and youth in the Mission area. Referrals are accepted from families, individuals, agencies, professionals, and the Ministry for Children and Family Development ( Mission).

Family Outreach and Education: (604) 870-3768

Support to families. Relationship/family counseling. Assisting families in finding local resources to meet their needs, including one on one work with children and youth. Offer classes that focus on specific needs that parents and children may have, i.e. anger/stress management and sibling groups. Supervised access for children in care of the ministry of Children and Family Development.

Family Outreach – in Punjabi: (604) 870-3768

Supportive family interventions, planning, and referral services and families. Family counseling is provided in family homes. Available through a bilingual and bicultural staff member to address the specific needs of the community.

Food Centre: (604) 826-3634

Open to the public once a week, Fridays from 9am to 1pm. Each person is eligible to come once a month. Set up like a warehouse where recipients can purchase food at a very low cost.

Friendly Visitor Program: (604) 826-3634

Friendly Visitor volunteers visit seniors and shut-ins to provide companionship.

Life Challenge Program: (604) 870-9675, ext. 282

A variety of activities geared to developing and improving the social, recreational, and living skills of mentally and physically challenged adults. Activities include field trips, swimming, weekly drop-in, groups socializing and personal development opportunities.

MCC Supportive Care Services: (604) 850-6608
www.mccscs.com

Mennonite Central Committee Supportive Care Services is a service provider, advocate, and resource for people living and dealing with mental, physical, and/or emotional disabilities. Some of the current programs offered include supporting people who have developmental disabilities through daytime activities, respite services, community living, support circles, and employment programs. Also offers support for people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Call to see what programs are available to you.

Meals on Wheels: (604) 826-3634

Meals on Wheels provide low cost ($4.75) meals delivered by volunteers between 11:30am and 12:30pm every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (excluding statutory holidays). Meals can be delivered to the elderly, handicapped, chronically ill, or convalescent who are unable to prepare adequate meals in their own homes.

Medical Transportation: (604) 826-3634

Screened volunteers will provide medical transportation from Mission as far east as Chilliwack and as far west as Vancouver. This service is available to seniors and those referred by the Ministry of Social Development and Economic Securities. The client or Ministry (in cases of referral) will compensate the driver for mileage and out-of-pocket expenses. Forty-eight hours notice is necessary.

Mood Disorders Association of British Columbia - Abbotsford: (604) 826-8352

Provides support, education, and friendship for people with mood disorders and their families and friends. Group support meetings are held at 7pm on the first and third Thursdays of each month. A variety of monthly recreational activities (coffee nights, bowling, movie nights, mini-golf) are offered as well, at no charge.

Mood Disorders Association of British Columbia - Mission: (604) 826-8862
or (604) 820-8391

Provides support, education, and friendship for people with mood disorders and their families and friends. Group support meetings are held at 7pm on the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Mission Club House.

Multicultural Family Services - Abbotsford: (604) 859-7681

Provides services for immigrant and refugee newcomers who are experiencing a language and/or cultural barrier that hinders them from accessing relevant services.

Multicultural Services: (604) 826-3634

Provides settlement services for new immigrants and refugees, encouraging good relations and community development. Offers assistance with filling out forms and applications, provides information about local programs, offers adaptation counseling, interpretation services, orientation into Canadian culture, and acts as a liaison between new Canadians and local agencies and services.

Nobody’s Perfect: (604) 826-3634

Nobody’s Perfect provides an eight-week support and basic childhood education guidance program to young parents of preschoolers. This is cooperatively sponsored by Public Health. It offers positive networking and support for young parents and group learning of early childhood parenting and childcare information. Resource materials are provided.

Post Partum Wellness Program (Abbotsford): (604) 864-3400

Services include a post partum depression and anxiety weekly support group, telephone support from trained volunteers, and access to written and web materials. The PPD group meets weekly at Abbotsford Community Services and childcare is provided.  A wait list may be in place. Call for further information.

Post Partum Support Group (Mission): (604) 826-3634

After pregnancy, some women experience post partum depression which can be defined as fearfulness, despondency, feelings of inadequacy, and inability to cope. The Post Partum Depression Mutual Help Support Group is available to those women who need to talk in confidence to other women who have had, or are going through, the same experience.

Regional Mental Health Respite Service: (604) 826-3634

This service is offered to ease the burden of providing constant care, rejuvenating and bringing renewed energy to caregivers. It provides an alternate caregiver in the home for short periods of time; outside the home for short periods of time; thus providing caregivers with some opportunity for time on their own. It also provides financial assistance for activities that bring relief/relaxation/support to caregivers or family members and information about resources available in the community.

Respite – Drug & Alcohol Program: (604) 826-3634

The Respite Care Program provides flexible 24-hour care for children at risk and for special needs children in the Mission community. Respite provides families with alternative care for their children to enable families to build on their strengths or to have a necessary break from parenting.

Seniors Connection: (604) 826-3634

Mission Community Services staff, along with seniors and seniors’ organizations in Mission, has established a seniors Information and referral centre. The centre offers seniors accessible information on the resources available to them. The program is designed to make seniors more independent.

Specialized Victim Assistance Program: (604) 859-7681 ext. 275

Provides court orientation and emotional support for victims of child abuse, sexual assault, spousal assault, criminal harassment, and family violence.

Victim Services Program: (604) 820-3505

Provides services to victims of crime through information, assistance in filling out forms, liaison with Crown, court familiarization and accompaniment, accompaniment of police to assist with death and accident notification, and prevention of re-victimization including home security checks.