Even though London, Ontario, is a large city, it can seem that way at two in the morning when you’ve reached your breaking point. On weeknights, the streets surrounding Richmond and Dundas become quiet early, and the downtown area empties at a rate that surprises visitors who are unfamiliar with the city. Knowing where to turn in the event of a mental health emergency is especially important during those hours, when people feel the most alone.
The Reach Out line, which is available at 519-433-2023 every day of the year, is the central component of London’s crisis response. It serves not only the city but also the counties of Middlesex, Oxford, and Elgin, meaning that a sizable portion of southwest Ontario has a single, reliable point of contact. Depending on your perspective, that breadth can be comforting or somewhat depressing. For those who are unable to make a voice call, the line can also be reached by text. This feature is more important than it may seem, especially for younger residents or anyone in a situation where speaking aloud is not feasible.
The CMHA Thames Valley Crisis Centre, located at 648 Huron Street, is open around-the-clock for individuals who require assistance in person. It is located in a residential area close to the city center and is the kind of place that, although it may not seem like much from the outside, has a significant impact on those who have needed it. CMHA Thames Valley has long been the community-facing cornerstone of addiction and mental health services in the area. It also runs a clinic at 200 Queens Avenue during regular business hours. Entering Huron Street at any time of day is a valid choice; it’s not a last resort, but a resource.
An additional layer is added by the hospital system. Out of Victoria Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre operates the Centralized Emergency Psychiatry Service, which offers emergency evaluations to adults from Middlesex County and London who are eighteen years of age or older. It’s not a triage desk directing patients to a waiting area; rather, the staff consists of nurses, social workers, addiction counselors, psychiatrists, and residents. It’s an appropriate evaluation procedure that takes place in the emergency room. Through referrals from acute facilities, St. Joseph’s Health Care London manages inpatient mental health care for more complicated or long-term needs. Even though it can seem unclear when you’re in a crisis and just need to know where to go, there is a purposeful structure here.
Anyone who is confused about which door to knock on or feels overpowered by the options should be aware of ConnexOntario. The provincial service, which can be reached at 1-866-531-2600 and is also accessible via text and live chat, links callers to mental health, addiction, and problem gambling services throughout Ontario and can assist in navigating London’s local environment without the need for prior knowledge. Because people are unaware of these navigation services until they are searching in a panic, there is a perception that they are underutilized.
The London system is not without its challenges. Mental health advocates have long brought up issues like wait times, underfunding, and the disconnect between crisis response and continuing community care; London is not an exception. The majority of mid-sized Canadian cities are handling similar conflicts. However, the city does have a reasonably well-connected network of entry points, including a physical crisis center, hospital-based emergency psychiatry, a 24-hour phone and text line, and provincial directory support. That’s more than some communities can say, and one of the most sensible things anyone can do is to know the numbers before a crisis arises.