Central Intake Line: 604-872-3148
The Peer Navigator program provides support in key areas related to mental health and substance use. We serve residents of Vancouver, age 17+ who identify as having lived experience of mental health and/or substance use concerns, and who are not currently working with a mental health team.
Peer Navigators are people with lived experience of mental health and/or substance use concerns. We support people with their self-identified goals, self-advocacy, and access to services in the areas of physical health and mental health, income, housing, legal resources, and community connections. These services are offered by CMHA with the support of Vancouver Coastal Health.
Quarterly Newsletter Sign-up for information about our current projects, upcoming workshop dates, and links recommended by our team.
Referral Form can be filled out in advance by the participant or a care provider, or can be completed in the first session with a Peer Navigator
What to Expect when meeting with a Peer Navigator
Here are some of the ways we can work with program participants to meet their needs related to physical and mental health, substance use, income, housing, legal referrals, and community connections. The Peer Navigators are always adding further knowledge to our areas of expertise. This list is a sample of our work, so please ask if you’re looking for assistance with something not listed here:
Physical Health
- Connection with a GP doctor, and strategies for self-advocacy with health care providers
- Referrals for foodbanks, hot meals, and other free/low-fee food options
- Leisure Access Card program applications for local community centre facilities, and connection with accessible sports and recreation options
Mental Health
- Support in identifying and approaching wellness goals, and coping strategies to address mental health concerns, from a peer perspective
- Referrals for free/low-fee counselling
- Workshops on a variety of topics, facilitated by Peer Navigators
- Support for family members and friends of those struggling with mental health concerns
Substance Use
- Supporting harm reduction strategies for substance use, and referrals to access free harm reduction supplies
- Connection with network of local detox and substance use recovery programs
- Support for family members and friends of those struggling with substance use concerns
Income
- Support with Income Assistance and Persons with Disabilities (PWD) applications, and other forms of financial assistance
- Referrals to Work BC case managers who specialize in serving people with mental health concerns, and to the Gastown Vocational mental health employment program
- Annual tax workshops facilitated by Peer Navigators, and referrals to year-round tax programs
- Help accessing crisis grants, and recreation grants
Housing
- Assistance with the BC Housing application process, and supportive housing/mental health housing applications
- Applications for financial housing supports including Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (for age 60+) and the Rental Assistance Program (for families), and other housing subsidies
- Tips for searching for housing through online resources
- Navigating the shelter system and other short-term housing options
Legal Referrals
- Referrals to free legal advice
- Assistance in getting ID cards or replacements
- Support in navigating Indigenous status card applications
Community Connections
- Connecting with meaningful recreation and volunteer opportunities, and social groups
- Support for communicating with concerned friends/family about mental health
- Tips about disclosing mental health concerns to employers, and others
- Support around assertiveness, boundaries, relationships, building self-confidence
Vancouver Mental Health and Addictions Systems Barrier Reports
The Vancouver Mental Health and Addictions Systems Barrier Report is a biyearly report of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Vancouver-Fraser Branch. The report aims to highlight the many barriers to services that individuals living in Vancouver face while accessing mental health and addictions services. Specific barriers addressed within the report include barriers to income, housing, access to health services, and barriers regarding psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, as well as overall systemic barriers. The most recent report follows a fictional client’s story in order to illustrate the cumulative effect of barriers on individuals utilizing support systems in Vancouver. Though the report pays mind to the overall improvements that have been made within services, it emphasizes the systemic changes that must take place in order for mental health services to be fully accessible. A PDF of the full report is available online:
