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Those looking for mental health and addiction treatment options in Windsor and Essex County now have a single place to search.

WEC Connect is a new online inventory of services available to area residents with information on 122 local, provincial and federal assistance programs.

website, wecoss.ca/wec_connectwas developed by Windsor-Essex County Health Unit through its coordinating role for the Windsor-Essex Community Opioid and Substance Strategy (WECOSS), a multi-agency effort to address increases in opioid-related harm.

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“It’s a quick-view, one-stop-shop version that’s easy to navigate for people who want to access treatment, who want to access support,” said Eric Nadalin, the health unit’s director of public health programs and WECOSS co-chair

Several barriers can limit support availability, Nadalin said. WEC Connect aims to address one of these barriers by letting people know what treatment services are available.

“It’s certainly not the full solution, but it’s a piece of the puzzle.”

The website allows visitors to search by service area: substance use, mental health or behavioral addictions. They can select preferred service types, such as therapy, mobile response, and bedside treatment, as well as delivery methods, such as in-person, phone, text, or online. Visitors can also filter between paid services and support at no cost to the individual.

For each service available, the website provides a description, contact information, the cost of the service, the languages ​​offered and referral and access details.

“Many parents, friends, loved ones or co-workers have tried to provide information to people they live with, work with, love, to get them into treatment, or help open their eyes to what is available to them, Nadalin said. “It’s not an easy process — this is one thing to make it a little easier for people.”

A WEC Connect that compiles resources for children is underway.

The last opioid overdose warning was issued by WECOSS in July. Between June 30 and July 6, 22 opioid overdoses were reported by emergency rooms in the area. Seventeen of those involved fentanyl.

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