PROGRAMS & SERVICES

MAKING CHANGES, FINDING HOPE

Every journey toward healing, safety, and recovery begins with a first step.
We’re here to help you take yours.

At The Jean Tweed Centre, we understand that change isn’t always easy, and no two journeys look the same. We offer a wide range of compassionate, trauma-informed programs and services designed to support women navigating challenges related to substance use, trauma, gender-based violence, mental health, housing instability, access to safe and secure housing, gambling, and other related challenges.

Whether you’re seeking support for the first time, exploring your options, or ready to make meaningful changes in your life, you don’t have to do it alone.

Our programs are designed to meet you where you are, helping you build on your strengths, develop healthy coping strategies, find stability and safety, restore connections, and move toward a healthier, more hopeful future.

Explore our programs and services below to discover the support that’s right for you.

Ready to take the next step? Visit our Where to Begin page to learn how to access our services and begin your journey.

DAY PROGRAM

RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM

TRAUMA SERVICES

SUPPORT FOR MOTHERS & CAREGIVERS

SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

JUSTICE PROGRAMS

PROBLEM GAMBLING SUPPORT

DAY PROGRAM

This is an intensive, three-week program for women who live locally or can stay locally.

Joining other women from across the province who face similar challenges, you will learn about the impacts of substance use and/or gambling on your life, your relationships and your health, and start making positive changes.

You can expect to participate in a variety of groups that focus on building life skills and healthy habits, including:

Self esteem
Healthy relationships
Managing emotions
Effective communication
Wellness

In addition to group participation, you’ll have a dedicated individual counsellor to work through challenges one-on-one.

Key Details

Where: South Etobicoke
When: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm

RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM

This is an intensive, three-week program for women who live outside of the GTA. The Residential Program is sometimes made available to women who live locally, in specific situations.

While you take part in the program, you will stay in our Cumberland House residence in south Etobicoke. Just a short walk from Lake Ontario, the residence is located in a peaceful setting that is ideal for thoughtful walks and reflection.

The Jean Tweed Centre will arrange transportation to and from daily programming via taxi.

DURING THE DAY

You will participate in the Day Program as listed above.

IN THE EVENINGS

You will be transported back to Cumberland House, where you will be able to take part in additional therapeutic and recreational activities along with your fellow residents.

Staying in residence offers an added opportunity to experience shared living and learning. While sharing a space can be challenging, it also presents a valuable opportunity to learn from and bond with other women who understand the unique challenges you are facing.

Residents (who are able) are asked and encouraged to contribute to household chores.

Key Details

Daily Programming: Monday to Fridays, 9 am to 4 pm
Cost: The program is free apart from a $33 contribution towards transportation and basic supplies

TRAUMA SERVICES

We offer a number of groups designed specifically to support women who are working through substance use and/or gambling concerns after living through distressing experiences or traumatic events.

All of the Jean Tweed Centre’s substance use, gambling and mental health programs are trauma-informed, which means they are designed with an understanding and approach that is supportive and tailored for women who have experienced trauma.

Please note: that the trauma program is available to current clients of the agency only. Clients who are interested in the trauma program can speak with their individual Jean Tweed counsellor.

The programs below are designed specifically to support women who are working through substance use and/or gambling concerns after living through distressing experiences or traumatic events.

VIRTUAL GROUPS AVAILABLE

Building Resilience
This four-week group will help you understand the impacts of trauma, its connections to substance use and/or gambling, and builds on existing resources to cope with these challenges.

Seeking Safety
This 20-week program explores and addresses the impact of trauma and substance use and/or gambling, with a focus on safety skills, coping, empowerment, and personal support.

SUPPORT FOR MOTHERS & CAREGIVERS

Our programs offer support for pregnant and/or parenting women working through substance use and/or gambling challenges while learning about effective parenting skills. You can also access child care, individual support, parenting workshops and therapeutic kids programming.

The programs and services below provide support for mothers, expecting mothers, or other caregivers working through challenges with substance use and/or gambling who want to understand how these challenges affect parenting, children, and families and strengthen their parenting or caregiving skills.

MOM AND KIDS TOO PROGRAM

Are you pregnant, parenting, or caring for young children (6 years or younger) and concerned about your substance use? Are your children in foster care and you hope to parent them soon? In a small group with other mothers over seven weeks, our Mom and Kids Too Program offers a safe and supportive environment to:

Strengthen effective parenting skills
Understand and practice building a strong and healthy bond with your child
Join and learn from other women by participating in additional groups and workshops

Key Details

When: Three days a week for seven weeks. Sessions are scheduled during the day and last about 6.5 hours each.
Where: 215 Evans Avenue in Toronto

PATHWAYS TO HEALTHY FAMILIES PROGRAM

Working in a holistic and culturally-responsive way, this program seeks to reduce harm to pregnant and/or parenting women who use substances and their children.

The program provides opportunities for assessment, support, counselling (individual, family and group), service coordination, case management and outreach to pregnant and/or parenting women with children age 6 or younger.

We also provide access to child development services including individual parenting consultations, developmental screenings, parenting support, attachment strategies, support groups and workshops for parents as well as parenting resources and information.

Staying in residence offers an added opportunity to experience shared living and learning. While sharing a space can be challenging, it also presents a valuable opportunity to learn from and bond with other women who understand the unique challenges you are facing.

Residents (who are able) are asked and encouraged to contribute to household chores.

Key Details

When: Offered Monday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm for up to 18 months.
Where: 215 Evans Ave, Downtown Toronto, Brampton/Mississauga, Scarborough.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

Mothers and caregivers taking part in Jean Tweed Centre programs can also access our licensed therapeutic Child Development Centre (CDC).

The centre offers a warm and nurturing environment for children to play and learn, helping them to meet their age-related milestones.

SERVICES

Onsite child care
Parenting workshops
Parenting consultations
Attachment intervention
Resources, information and support

HOURS

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 8:30 am – 5 pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30 am – 8:30 pm

The CDC is also open late during Information Nights

SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

The Jean Tweed Centre supports women in a number of supportive housing programs.

Looking for affordable supportive housing? Learn more about supportive housing options and how to access them.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING

ADDICTIONS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

This program offers affordable, permanent housing across the Toronto area to women who are homeless or unstably housed and have substance use concerns. Each women works with a dedicated case manager, who provides support around substance use and related concerns.

ELM CENTRE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

The Jean Tweed Centre and the YWCA offer housing in downtown Toronto. Up to 30 self-contained units at the YWCA Elm residential building are reserved for Jean Tweed Centre clients. The Jean Tweed Centre provides onsite case management support and the YWCA provides the housing unit, housing support services and community programs. If you currently live at Elm or Winona place, you may be eligible to take part in the Jean Tweed Centre’s programs.

HOW TO ACCESS

Applications must be made through The Access Point. If you are already taking part in the Jean Tweed Centre’s programs, you can speak to your counsellor about a referral.

PALMERSTON HOUSE

This program offers shared supportive housing for one year to women and mothers of infants up to 18 months old who are dealing with challenges related to substance use. You must have a goal of substance abstinence and independent living.

HOW TO ACCESS

This program offers shared supportive housing for one year to women and mothers of infants up to 18 months old who are dealing with challenges related to substance use. You must have a goal of substance abstinence and independent living.

JUSTICE PROGRAMS

Our Justice, Addiction & Mental Health and Release from Custody programs offer support to women who are in jail or being released from jail, or who are involved with the criminal justice system.

The justice system can be challenging for women with both mental health and substance use concerns. The programs below are designed to support women facing these challenges.

Both programs offer support in the following areas:

Trauma-informed case management around substance use, mental health, and other related concerns
Discharge planning services
Referrals to a wide range of community resources
Advocacy and support while incarcerated and when released from custody

JUSTICE, ADDICTION & MENTAL HEALTH (JAM)

This program serves women with both mental health and substance use concerns who are currently involved with the criminal justice system. In the program, you will be connected to relevant resources and supports in your community. You will also be supported in developing a plan to help you meet your goals.

RELEASE FROM CUSTODY PROGRAM

This program provides support to women in jail by focusing on individual strengths and goals. You will gain access to support and resources upon your release to help you transition back into the community.

This program is available at the Vanier Centre for Women and within the community.

PROBLEM GAMBLING SUPPORT

A weekly group for women with gambling concerns to explore these challenges in a supportive, facilitated setting, among fellow group members and a Jean Tweed Counsellor.

In a friendly, comfortable setting facilitated by a skilled counsellor, you will gain a better understanding of gambling-related behaviours and challenges, as well as learn from other group members on how they’re managing their concerns.

For urgent requests please contact: 416-255-7359