CONNECT WITH US
If you would like to talk or pray with someone, contact Chantal Huinink, Coordinator of Organizational and Spiritual life at chuinink@christian-horizons.org to set up a time to talk.
Renew Training: Caring for you as you care for others. To learn about the Renew course on self-care and compassion fatigue being made available as a podcast, visit www.christian-horizons.org/renew.
NEWS AND UPDATES
The most recent information from Christian Horizons on COVID-19 can be found under “featured news” on the CH Connect and through the Coronavirus Updates page (CH Connect login required).
ANXIETY, STRESS, AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
We know that mental health support is essential for Direct Support Professionals and others through this time. To learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of DSPs, you can view the report from CAMH and the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, or read a short article on its results here.
If you’re a Direct Support Professional seeking mental health support, you can visit the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) online resource page to view digital resources for self-led supports. The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) has put together a contact list of licensed therapists who have volunteered to provide pro bono support via tele-psychology during the pandemic; click here to view the contact list.
WELLNESS TOGETHER CANADA
The Government of Canada has launched a new portal, Wellness Together Canada (ca.portal.gs) to support mental health and wellbeing with credible information and resources. The portal provides access to peer support workers, social workers, psychologists, and other professionals for confidential chat sessions or phone calls.
LIFEWORKS
Christian Horizons’ Employee Assistance Program, Lifeworks, has many COVID-19 resources on its site for employees, including free webinars, virtual or phone counselling options, and a vast library of online resources. See their 
tip sheet on protecting yourself and others. You may access LifeWorks by clicking here and logging in with your personalized username and password. . If you have not setup a personalized username, you can continue to use Christian Horizons generic login to access the LifeWorks website. Information about LifeWorks is also available on CHConnect
Lifeworks’ parent company, Morneau Shepell, hosts a COVID-19 toolkit for individuals available without logging in. Along with webinars on “Emotional Well-Being During COVID-19” and “Talking to your child about COVID-19,” they offer many other links, tip sheets, and resources.
PEL/STML Usage for a COVID-19 Related Absence
Employees have temporary access to banked Short Term Medical Leave (STML)/ Personal Medical Leave (PML) time for COVID-19 related absences when Personal Emergency Leave (PEL) time is exhausted. This exception was initiated in October 2020 at the request of the Joint Employee Association and continues until June 30, 2023. For more details, please speak with your Supervisor
BACK TO SCHOOL FAQ
The Back to School Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document was developed as a quick guide to support you in deciding your next steps based on different scenarios related to children/housemates going back to school and COVID-19 symptoms and exposure.
The Ontario government is currently providing free emergency childcare for school-aged children for critical frontline workers starting Monday, April 19, 2021. You can view the announcement here. Eligible parents and guardians with school-aged children can contact their local service system manager for information on availability, program locations, and registration.
COVID-19 TESTING IN ONTARIO
As of September 25, 2020, select pharmacies are offering free COVID-19 testing in Ontario by appointment only. You can view the list of participating pharmacies and, if you are asymptomatic (not showing any symptoms of COVID-19), you can call to book an appointment to get tested. All public health measures must be followed when going for a test, including wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing, and frequent handwashing. If you are feeling ill on the date of your appointment, please stay home and re-schedule your test at an assessment centre.
To learn more about the testing criteria for both assessment centres and pharmacies, please visit the Government of Ontario COVID-19 Test and Testing Location Information page
COVID-19 TESTING IN SASKATCHEWAN
Universal testing is available in Saskatchewan to anyone wishing to be tested by referral only (except where drive-thru options are available. To obtain a referral to a community testing centre, please call Healthline 811, your family physician, or your nurse practitioner.
To learn more, please visit the Government of Saskatchewan testing Information page.
CURRENT TRAVEL PARAMETERS
CLICK HERE (NEW) to view the latest travel guidelines for employees (as of October 2022). In this document, you will find the latest requirements for travel between cities, provinces, and out-of-country by air, train, bus, or car.
COVID-19 INJURY AT WORK (IAW)
Process information, packages, and tip sheets for supervisors are available here. Please note that you will need to complete the CHConnect login to view this page.