Resources

Below are some helpful community and government resources for people with Sickle Cell Disease, Thalassemia, and other Red Blood Cell Disorders.

THE RBCD HUB // RESOURCES

Community Health Resources

Health Connect Ontario

Call 811 to speak with a registered nurse day or night for free, secure, and confidential health advice in Ontario.


Community Health Centres

Non-profit organizations that provide primary health and health promotion programs for individuals, families, and communities. Visit this website to find a community health centre in your area.


Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario

Family Health Teams consist of interprofessional health providers that provide comprehensive primary care. They typically include family physicians who work in concert with nurse practitioners, dietitians, social workers, and more. Visit this website to find a Family Health Team in your region.


Dental Care for Low-Income Seniors

Free, routine dental care for eligible older adults, ages 65 years and older.


Low Cost Dental Facilities in Toronto

A list of the institutions in Toronto that offer low cost dental treatment.


Health Care Connect

Register to have a coordinator connect you to a family doctor or nurse practitioner who is accepting new patients in your community.


Home & Community Care

Call 310-2222 (no area code required) or visit website to find out about and access home and community care resources in your area.


Publicly-Funded Physiotherapy Services

OHIP-funded physiotherapy clinics for those who are eligible.


Sexual Health Ontario

Resources for sexual and reproductive health. You can chat speak with a sexual health expert or counsellor for assistance. The site also provides locations on sexual health clinics in your region.


Teen Health Source

Confidential and inclusive sexual health information service by and for young people, up to age 19.


Employment

  • Employment supports throughout all stages of job search.

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  • Employment services for young people, up to age 29.

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  • Supports for eligible immigrants and refugees to continue working in their career after immigrating to Ontario.

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Education

Patient Education

Check out UHN’s patient education resources for the RBCD clinic.

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  • What to do during a sickle cell pain crisis.

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  • Learn about causes and treatments for priapism.

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  • Treatments for managing iron overload.

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  • Help for managing stress and being able to relax.

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  • Help for managing troubles with sleep.

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Mental Health Information & Supports

  • Free and confidential mental health services information in your community.

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  • Free cognitive-behavioural therapy and other services for anxiety and depression

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  • Supporting young people, ages 13 to 26, and/or their families in the Greater Toronto Area (Durham, Halton, Peel, Toronto, and York) to find and gain access to mental health resources and services.

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  • Centralized site to apply for individual mental health and addictions support services and supportive housing in Toronto.

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Legal Services

  • Use this database to find a nearby community legal clinic for free legal services for those who are eligible. Even if you are not eligible, you can still contact a nearby legal clinic to be referred to the most appropriate legal service.

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  • Connecting people looking for legal assistance with a lawyer or paralegal. Matched lawyers and paralegals can provide a free consultation of up to 30 minutes.

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  • A specialty legal clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario that practices exclusively in disability rights law.

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  • A virtual community legal clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario that specializes in public legal education.

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Financial Assistance

  • Benefits and leave information for workers, families, caregivers, and sickness.

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  • Help paying for post-secondary education.

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  • Immediate income and employment support to eligible Ontario residents in financial need.

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  • Income and employment supports to eligible Ontario residents who have disabilities.

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  • Information on the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security pension, and related benefits.

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  • Helps all UHN patients address various financial problems.

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Help Paying for Medications

  • Helps people, 64 and under, with high prescription costs relative to their household income, pay for medications.

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  • Helps eligible older adults, ages 65 and older, pay for medications.

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  • Anyone 24 years and under who has OHIP coverage and is not covered by a private plan is covered by OHIP+. You do not have to enrol or register to access OHIP+ coverage. If you are turning 25 and have no drug coverage, apply for the Trillium Drug Program.

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Housing

  • List of all coordinated access centres in Ontario for social housing with rent geared to your income. Contacting these groups is the easiest way to find out about social housing in each community.

    These centres provide information on all social housing available in their communities. They also provide a single application form that will be used by all housing groups.

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  • Non-profit agencies that help people find and keep housing and avoid eviction.

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  • Help for Toronto residents who are behind on their rent or need help with a rental deposit.

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  • Welcoming spaces in Toronto where people experiencing homelessness, housing challenges, or social isolation can feel safer and can meet basic physical, social, personal, and mental health needs

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Other Resources

  • Access point for adult developmental services.

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  • Call 211 or visit website for Community and Social Services Help Line.

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  • Information and resources for newcomers to settle in Ontario.

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  • Information and resources for newcomer youth in Ontario.

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  • Serves refugees and others at risk due to their immigration status. The Centre welcomes anyone asking for advice, counsel, and support regarding these issues.

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  • Call 416-217-2077 or visit website to find supports for older adults in Toronto.

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  • A personalized stroke recovery program that helps survivors and their families navigate the path forward after a stroke.

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  • A comprehensive tool to help students with disabilities in Ontario access resources at college and university and make a successful transition to post-secondary education.

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  • A network of health and community service organizations and individuals that aim to improve access to healthcare for people living in the Greater Toronto Area without public health insurance (OHIP).

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Patient Advocacy & Support Groups