An emergency shelter for women and non-binary people, with or without children, who are experiencing domestic abuse and/or homelessness.
Services available for residents include:
- safe shelter with access to meals, clothing, laundry, and other personal supports
- child and youth workers
- legal advocacy
- transitional housing support worker
- safety planning
- referral to other community services
An early intervention program that provides group supports for children and youth who have witnessed violence, by offering opportunities to share their feelings regarding the abuse and violence they have witnessed in a creative and supportive environment.
The specifics of the course vary slightly by organization. Contact each location for specific details.
Emergency crisis line and response team to assist individuals who have serious mental health issues and who are in crisis. Also supports caregivers in the management of acute mental health concerns and crisis. Intake can be initiated by individuals directly or through their family members and caregivers. Referrals are accepted from community agencies and professionals.
Hamilton, ON, L9C 7S7
An emergency shelter for women, with or without children, who are experiencing family violence, abuse, and/or human trafficking. Offers emergency shelter, a safe environment, meals, and access to support workers.
Hamilton, ON, L9C 3K9
Referrals to various services offered by Neighbour to Neighbour, as well as various community organizations, for families and individuals who are experiencing difficulties related to poverty.
Hamilton, ON, L8H 2W1
Counselling services provided by registered social workers or registered psychotherapists. Mental health services are available for children, youth, and their families, as well as for adults and people dealing with addictions. Includes one-on-one counselling, family counselling, group workshops, and support groups.
Dundas, ON, L9H 1B8
Offers mental health support services, including individual counselling, group counselling, and seniors counselling. All supports are offered via phone or online with Zoom.
Hamilton, ON, L8S 2A5
Provides consultations and assessments around issues of child maltreatment, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect. Care provided includes physical or medical assessments, consultations to service providers and health care providers, and counselling and supportive services for children and youth and their families following exposure to maltreatment.
Hamilton, ON, L8S 2A5
Offers a variety of mental health related outpatient services for children and youth age 17 and younger. Healthcare providers will meet with the parent/child to learn about and understand the difficulties the child is having, and make recommendations to best suit their needs.
Services available include:
- Mental Health Consultation and Assessment
- Individual, Family, and Group Treatment
- Clinical Outreach Services
- Psychological Testing and Consultation Services
- Brief Intervention Services
- Regional Outpatient Services
Hamilton, ON, L8S 2A5
Provides comprehensive and supportive care for anyone who has experienced sexual assault and/or domestic violence. A specially trained sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) will provide services, including:
- collection and recording of physical evidence
- antibiotics and antiviral medications to prevent infections and HIV
- emergency contraceptive pill to prevent pregnancy
- information and referral to community resources
- supportive counselling
- follow-up medical care and counselling
Dundas, ON, L9H 6Z1
Offers short-term counselling, advocacy, system navigation assistance, and assistance with government applications (such as city housing, DARTS, pension, and ODSP.) Assistance is focused on referring clients to longer-term services.
Peer support for those who have received a cancer diagnosis, their caregivers and families. Create a profile on the website to access this group.
Hamilton, ON, L9A 1T2
Offers a variety of free peer-to-peer grief support programs for bereaved families and individuals who have lost a loved one through death. Programs are available for adults and youth, and may be offered in person or online.
Hamilton, ON, L8P 4W3
Provides support services with counsellors that have training in social work, psychotherapy, or related fields, and have specialized expertise in dealing with issues unique to Deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Services are free, confidential, and provided in an accessible environment using American Sign Language (ASL), la langue des signes québécoise (LSQ), real-time captioning, and amplification devices as required.
Services include:
- Mental Health Counselling - professional support for mental health issues, addiction, relationship problems, stress, abuse, and other serious challenges
- General Support Services - guidance, advocacy, support, and counselling to help manage everyday life events
- Hearing Care Counselling 55+ - support for people 55 and over who have hearing loss to help improve communication and stay independent
- Settlement for Newcomers to Canada - assistance for Deaf or hard of hearing newcomers to overcome barriers and transition to a new life in Canada
Hamilton, ON, L8R 2Y8
Hamilton, ON, L8R 2Y8
Provides a place of sanctuary, safety, and support for women (and their children) with a variety of programs.
Family Court Support Worker Program
Facilitates a victim's understanding of and passage through the family court system. Support provided includes:
- information on the family court process
- assistance in preparing for family court proceedings (documenting history of abuse, accessing Legal Aid,
- debriefing with clients following family court appearances
- referral to specialized services and supports in the community
- safety planning
- court accompaniment to proceedings when appropriate
Transitional Housing and Support Program
- Helps women and their children access services to establish violence and abuse-free lives in the community.
Second Stage Services
- Offers furnished, affordable housing to both single women and women with children for up to one year. Supports are geared to creating greater physical, emotional, and financial stability in the aftermath of violence and abuse.
Hamilton, ON, L8R 2X5
Provides a place of sanctuary, safety, and support for women (and their children) with a variety of programs.
Family Court Support Worker Program
Facilitates a victim's understanding of and passage through the family court system. Support provided includes:
- information on the family court process
- assistance in preparing for family court proceedings (documenting history of abuse, accessing Legal Aid,
- debriefing with clients following family court appearances
- referral to specialized services and supports in the community
- safety planning
- court accompaniment to proceedings when appropriate
Transitional Housing and Support Program
- Helps women and their children access services to establish violence and abuse-free lives in the community.
Second Stage Services
- Offers furnished, affordable housing to both single women and women with children for up to one year. Supports are geared to creating greater physical, emotional, and financial stability in the aftermath of violence and abuse.
Hamilton, ON, L8P 1H4
The Family Advice Duty Counsel is a service run out of the Family Law Information Centre. The counsel can provide limited general advice and assistance on family law matters to everyone, and if the person meets the financial guidelines set by Legal Aid Ontario, they may be able to:
- deal with Children's Aid Society (including Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA) matters, child protection, adoption, and youth justice)
- figure out or change decision-making responsibility (formerly custody), support, or parenting time/contact (formerly access)
- resolve a family matter outside of court through mediation or a negotiated settlement.
- prepare court documents and provide court representation
- obtain a restraining order in cases of domestic violence
Hamilton, ON, L8P 1H4
Hamilton, ON, L8N 1K4
Provides substance use and mental health services for teenagers, young adults, and their families or caregivers.
Programs include:
- Secondary School-on-site Treatment
- Getting Ready Education Group
- Family Education, Support and Skills Development
- Youth Affected by Substance Use of Others
- Street-Involved Youth Outreach
- Pregnant and Parenting Youth Outreach
- Community Education, Consultation & Training
- Naloxone Distribution
Hamilton, ON, L8P 4V3
Immigration services include:
- representation at a detention review
- representation at immigration appeals
Refugee claimant services include:
- filling in Basis of Claim and related forms for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
- representation at Refugee Protection Division hearing
- written appeals for cases to the Refugee Appeal Division
- preparation of a Judicial Review application in the Federal Court
- preparation of a motion for a stay of removal in the Federal Court
- representation at the Refugee Protection Division for a cessation or vacation hearing
- help in preparing a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment
- help in preparing a danger opinion
Legal Aid Ontario does NOT help people:
- obtain permanent resident status or check the status of application with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
- prepare sponsorship applications
- renew temporary resident permits or student visas
- resolve problems in getting Ontario Health Insurance Plan coverage
Hamilton, ON, L8N 2B7
Provides information and assistance to support participation in the criminal court process. Services begin once police have laid charges and continue until the case is over.
Services include:
- case-specific information ex. court dates, bail conditions
- court preparation
- needs assessment
- emotional support
- crisis intervention
- referrals to community agencies
Also administers the Vulnerable Victims and Family Fund which provides court-based supports to enable victims of crime and families of homicide victims to attend court. Services supported by this fund include travel arrangements and expenses, language interpretation, and real-time captioning or other equipment of victims with disabilities.
Hamilton, ON, L8R 3N3
Provides telephone intervention to individuals experiencing crisis.
Hamilton, ON, L8N 3W7
A consumer-run drop-in and resource centre for people with lived experience of mental health or addiction problems. Peer support is available as needed in person and over the phone. Also provides peer support training to individuals and agencies.
Hamilton, ON, L8R 1A7
Victim Crisis Assistance Ontario - On-site early intervention and crisis intervention
- needs assessment
- safety planning
- referrals to community services
- enhanced support for vulnerable victims
- assistance with applications to VQRP+
Victim Quick Response Program+ (VQRP+) - Program of last resort where no other available private or public resource is available. Assistance with emergency expenses related to the eligible incident, may include home safety, accommodation, meals, transportation, basic necessities, dependent care costs, counselling, traditional Indigenous health services, cellular phones, vision care, dental care, aids for victims with disabilities, interpretation services, crime scene cleanup, government/medical documents and funeral expenses
- additional assistance for victims of human trafficking includes storage locker, tattoo removal, and treatment at a recovery facility
- no direct reimbursements are made to victims for the supports listed above
- financial support is also available for victims who sustained serious physical injuries during a crime and for parents or spouses of homicide victims

