Legal & Financial


Health Law:  A Primer for Family Caregivers in the Mental Health and Addictions Sector

Are you trying to figure out the mental health act and navigate privacy and consent with your loved one?   Watch this two-part webinar series with Mary Jane Dykeman from INQ Law and Angie Hamilton from Families for Addiction Recovery and learn how to navigate health law in the mental health and addiction system. 

Part 1:  Mary Jane and Angie will examine how the Health Care Consent Act and Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 affect an individual’s rights, the role and obligations of substitute decision-makers, and practical strategies for navigating the health system.
Part 2: They will talk about the mental health system, including the Mental Health Act framework and community-based services, risk management considerations, privacy, and being an advocate in the system.

Older Adults and the Justice System: A navigational guidebook for caregivers and service providers 

The Provincial Human Services and Justice Coordinating Committee (HSJCC) has developed a guidebook to help caregivers and service providers of older adults and adults with age-related conditions navigate the justice system.

Older adults and the justice system became a priority for the HSJCC Network after its members, who work across the human services and justice sectors, began observing older adults interacting more with police, being involved in more courtrooms and being detained more frequently in correctional facilities across Ontario. 
Click here to review


HSJCC: Police – Hospital Transition Framework

The model for the Framework is based upon evidence and best practices already happening throughout Ontario, and provides information on how to implement process changes that are intended to:

1) Improve health outcomes for individuals apprehended under the Mental Health Act;
2) Improve transitions between police officers and hospital workers; and
3) Improve coordination and collaboration among partners involved in the transition.
Visit the HSJCC website

Framework: 
Improving Police-Hospital Transitions: A Framework for Ontario 
Tools for Developing Police-Hospital Transition Protocols in Ontario


Tax Credits & Benefits for Caregivers in Canada

At some point in your life, you may have to provide care and support for someone who becomes ill and finds it more challenging to take care of themselves. That person could be an older parent, a spouse/partner, a child, a friend or a neighbour. Being prepared may help you avoid financial challenges in the future. Click the links below to learn more about Government resources and tax credits available to Canadian caregivers.

Benefits for Caregivers
Family Caregiver Amount Tax Credit
Medical Expenses Tax Credit
Disability Amount Tax Credit Transfer
Provincial/territorial tax credits
Government of Canada benefits finder search tool


Ontario Disability Support Program

ODSP offers two types of support:

  1. Income support – Financial assistance provided each month to help with the costs of basic needs, like food, clothing and shelter. Income support also includes benefits, like drug coverage and vision care, for clients and their eligible family members.
  2. Employment supports – Services and supports to help clients with disabilities find and keep a job, and advance their careers.
    Learn More About ODSP Services 

The Mentally Ill: How They Became Enmeshed in the Criminal Justice System and How We Might Get Them Out

Prepared by:
The Hon. Mr. Justice Richard D. Schneider
For the Research and Statistics Division
Dept. of Justice Canada March 2015

To access this resource  CLICK HERE