York Community Services is a community-based charitable organization offering a broad range of primary health care, legal services, counselling, housing help and community support programs to residents of the former City of York in Toronto. Services are targeted to families at risk, primarily single mothers and low-income families, newcomers and refugees, adults with developmental and/or mental health difficulties and seniors and the frail elderly - with the overall goal of building healthy families, individuals and communities.

Staff and volunteers offer services in several languages, with special programs available to newcomers from the Caribbean, Central and South America, Vietnam and Somalia. It is one of the largest community based agencies in York with a multi-cultural staff of over 45. All services are provided free of charge under one roof and one administration.

YCS was started as a demonstration project in 1973, incorporated in 1975 and received permanent funding in 1983. Major funding is extended through the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Ministry of Community, Family and Children's Services, Legal Aid Ontario, City of Toronto and Health Canada.

As a multiservice agency, YCS is structured to assist people with complex and multiple problems. For example, a newcomer who is having difficulty adjusting to life in Canada may receive individual or family counselling, assistance with emergency housing, medical care, legal advice and information on income support and life skills training.

This integrated approach is especially valuable where there are increased health and social risks associated with barriers such as language, culture, race, disability, poverty, social isolation or age.

Health programs include a full family practice, perinatal programs, psychiatric aftercare, community mental health, chiropody, family planning and preventive health care. Our health team includes physicians, nurses, mental health nurse, community health workers, case co-ordinator, chiropodist and support staff.

Counselling programs offer information on community resources, crisis intervention, individual, family and marital counselling, support and advocacy for adults with developmental disabilities, seniors case management, workshops, information and counselling for newcomer groups, and assistance and co-ordination of services for the frail elderly.

Legal services provide advice and representation with a focus on income maintenance, woman abuse, tenant issues and immigration and refugee matters. Services are provided by lawyers and community legal workers employed by the Centre. Legal Aid Ontario provides duty counsel for consultation two evenings a week.

Our Housing Help Centre helps low-income people find and retain stable housing. Target groups include youth and families living in shelters or at risk of homelessness, general and psychiatric hospital patients, families and individuals at risk of eviction and adults with disabilities seeking independent living in the community. In addition, the Centre offers access to the Rent Bank program, Share the Warmth grants and crisis referral to shelters.

Health Promotion services include outreach to newcomer populations and information on community services, employment and education. A team of four provide supportive settlement services through various approaches including one-on-one counselling, group programs and advocacy.

York Community Services, 1651 Keele St., Toronto, Ontario, M6M 3W2
Phone: (416) 653-5400 Fax: (416) 653-1696