The Concurrent Disorders Support Services (CDSS) initiative is a partnership of 15 agencies working together to provide enhanced transitional services to persons with mental health and addiction issues.

CDSS focuses upon persons with the most complex service needs and least access to health services. To date, CDSS has served more than 60 persons with specialized, quickly accessed partner services and the coordination function that is funded by the Toronto Central Local Health Integration (LHIN) Network.

The manager of CDSS, Lynn Hillman, is busy with a number of projects that are intended to reduce barriers to access and ultimately improve consumers’ health outcomes. They include a diversity plan for the second year of operation and a website that is addressed separately to practitioners and to consumers and their families. In addition, Lynn is looking to hire two program workers.

The real value of CDSS is its potential, within the new LHIN environment, to support the development of “CD capable” agencies and the further integration of the mental health and addictions systems.

Consumers with a concurrent disorder and complex needs are unlikely to meet the traditional eligibility, attendance and behavioural expectations of many agencies. We see the results of this system failure everyday as people struggling with mental illness, trauma and addiction do not get the help they need and deserve. Many become homeless and die prematurely, while others are severely compromised by illness.

Our health sector and government has to bear responsibility for this all too common situation: the lack of resources, systems’ “silos” and continuing stigma and access issues that are faced by persons who are marginalized by their mental illness and addictions.

While CDSS cannot address all of these issues, it can provide an example of how CD services can be effectively provided in a respectful and caring manner.

By Mark Aston –
Executive Director,
Fred Victor Centre