Operations Policy — OPS-001
Accessibility to Care and Services
CORE Counselling & Mental Health Services is committed to providing accessible, inclusive, equitable, and trauma-informed services to all individuals.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to identify, prevent, and remove barriers that may affect a person's ability to access counselling services.
Services will be provided in a manner that respects dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity.
Scope
This policy applies to:
- Prospective clients
- Current clients
- Family members participating in services
- Support persons
- Members of the public accessing services
Principles
CORE Counselling & Mental Health Services is committed to the following principles:
Dignity
Services will be delivered in a manner that preserves self-respect, autonomy, and individual choice.
Independence
Individuals will be supported to access services in a manner that promotes independence and self-determination.
Integration
Where possible, services will be provided in a manner that allows individuals to participate in the same services and opportunities as others.
Equal Opportunity
All individuals will have equitable access to services regardless of disability, health status, communication needs, cultural identity, socioeconomic status, or other protected grounds.
Accessibility Measures
Reasonable efforts will be made to remove barriers to care through:
- Flexible appointment formats
- Virtual counselling options
- Plain-language communication
- Additional processing time when required
- Accessible electronic documents when available
- Accommodation of mobility needs
- Accommodation of communication needs
- Collaboration with support persons where authorized by the client
Accommodation requests will be considered on an individual basis.
Service Animals
Individuals accompanied by a service animal are welcome to attend appointments where appropriate and legally permitted.
Clients remain responsible for the care, supervision, and behaviour of their service animal.
Support Persons
Individuals may attend appointments with a support person when appropriate and with client consent.
Where a support person is present, reasonable steps will be taken to protect client privacy and confidentiality.
Communication
CORE Counselling & Mental Health Services will communicate in a manner that takes into account individual needs and abilities. Communication accommodations may include:
- Plain language explanations
- Written information
- Additional time for discussion
- Alternative communication methods where appropriate
Virtual Services
Virtual counselling may be offered to improve accessibility for individuals experiencing:
- Transportation barriers
- Geographic barriers
- Health concerns
- Disability-related barriers
- Childcare responsibilities
- Scheduling limitations
Virtual services remain subject to privacy, safety, and clinical appropriateness considerations.
Financial Accessibility
Recognizing that financial barriers may affect access to care, CORE Counselling & Mental Health Services may offer:
- Sliding scale appointments
- Reduced-fee services
- Community referrals
- Referrals to publicly funded resources
Availability of reduced-fee services cannot be guaranteed and is subject to practice capacity.
Temporary Service Disruptions
Where a disruption affects the availability of services, reasonable efforts will be made to notify clients as soon as possible. Notification may be provided through:
- Telephone
- Website updates
- Appointment notifications
Information provided will include the nature of the disruption, expected duration, and available alternatives where applicable.
Feedback and Concerns
Clients are encouraged to provide feedback regarding accessibility barriers or accommodation needs. Feedback may be provided verbally, by email, or in writing.
All concerns will be reviewed respectfully and considered as part of ongoing quality improvement efforts.
Compliance
CORE Counselling & Mental Health Services is committed to complying with applicable accessibility legislation, including the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), the Ontario Human Rights Code, PHIPA, and the professional standards of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.
Review
This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as required by legislative, regulatory, or operational changes.
Approved By
Katie Reed, BSW, MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker — OCSWSSW #860578
CORE Counselling & Mental Health Services
Effective June 2026 • Policy OPS-001