Student Supports & Resources

Students regularly face a variety of challenges and contextual factors that can impact school performance. There are many resources available within the Department and University of Toronto to support students in the MSc OT Program.

 

Departmental Supports

 

Faculty Advisors

Role of the Faculty Advisor:

  1. Encourage and support the student throughout the program;
  2. Be the student’s first point of contact with faculty when he/she is seeking guidance with regards to academic issues, career or academic opportunities, housing and financial concerns, award applications, or anything that may impinge on a student’s studies toward career and personal goals;
  3. With the permission of the student, be a liaison between the student and faculty when issues arise that affect his/her studies and student life.

After the initial faculty advisor meeting on the orientation day, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange subsequent meetings with his/her faculty advisor.

Though students will be assigned Faculty Advisors, this does not preclude the student from developing supportive working relationships with other members of the faculty. It is the student’s responsibility to know the academic policies of the Department; however, students are strongly encouraged to take proactive measures when he/she first begins to experience academic difficulty. Students should feel free to approach any faculty member of the Department to ask for help in developing a plan for improvement.

 

Graduate Coordinator

 

UTM Academic Coordinator

 

Program Manager

 

 

Counselling and Learner Life Specialist Services

 

Students have access to OT-specific short-term counselling services courtesy of the Office of Learner Affairs (OLA). Staff have hours of operation that flexibly meet the needs of OT students, and have excellent knowledge of issues common to students in professional programs such as the MScOT. The services provided by the OLA are in addition to the general counselling services provided by U of T’s Health and Wellness Services, and the UofT Telus Health Student Support service, available to all U of T students.

 

Office Learner Affairs (Temerty Faculty of Medicine)

C. David Naylor Building, 6 Queen’s Park Crescent West 3rd Floor

Book an appointment

For Mississauga students, on-campus meetings can take place at the UTM OHPSA office, located in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine administrative office on the 2nd floor of the TDHSC building.

Staff include Learner Life Specialists who will offer a needs assessment, short-term counselling, resourcing and referral out if students need more ongoing support. You can review individual counsellors biographies on the OLA website.

 

UofT Telus Health Student Support You can access UofT Telus Health Student Support (formerly UofT My Student Support Program) 24/7 by calling 1-844-451-9700. Download the app:
https://myssp.app/ca/home

Outside of North America, call 001-416-380-6578. UofT Telus Health Student Support provides students with real-time and/or appointment-based confidential, 24-hour support for any school, health, or general life concern at no cost to you. You can call or chat with a counsellor directly from your phone whenever, wherever you are.

 

Health & Wellness (UTSG) and Health & Counselling (UTM)

St. George campus: Koffler Student Services Centre, 214 College Street
416-978-8030

Mississauga campus: Health & Counselling Centre, Davis Building, Room 1123A (near Bookstore)
905-828-5255

 

Urgent Care Services

 

Are you in crisis? Mental & Physical Health

If this is a life-threatening emergency, please call 911 right away, or go to your local Emergency Department. Alternatively, you can contact U of T Campus Police:

  • St. George Campus Police Urgent Dispatch: 416-978-2222
  • Mississauga Campus Police Urgent Dispatch: 905-569-4333

 

Other Useful Mental Health Resources

 

  • NAVI Mental Health Finder U of T. A virtual agent here to help you find the mental health resources you need. More info on Navi and frequently asked questions. This virtual agent (Navi) is an anonymous tool that provides you with information to help you navigate mental health resources and make decisions about seeking appropriate supports. This tool is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, counselling nor does it make any diagnosis and identify personalized treatments.

 

  • Good2Talk. Free, confidential helpline with professional counselling, information, and referrals for mental health, additions, and well-being. The crisis line is 1-866-925-5454

 

  • The Gerstein Crisis Resources Centre offers free, voluntary and confidential crisis intervention service over the phone and in-person, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The crisis line number is 416-929-5200

 

  • Toronto Distress Lines serve individuals in distress who require urgent medical or emotional care. The crisis line number is 416-408-4357 (HELP)

 

Sexual and Domestic Violence Treatment

NOTE: This does not require the incident to have happened on-campus. The incident can have occurred anywhere and you are encouraged to access treatment at any of the sites below.

 

Location: Downtown Toronto, or Mississauga (West), or Scarborough (East)

 

  • Downtown Toronto (St. George)

 

Women’s College Hospital:

76 Grenville Street, Toronto ON. The clinic is located on the first floor in the Acute Ambulatory Care Unit Room 1256.

Phone: 416-323-6040

 

  • Mississauga (UTM)

 

The Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Services located at Trillium Health Centre:

100 Queensway West, Mississauga ON

Phone: 905-848-7493

 

  • Scarborough (UTSC)

 

The Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Care Centre (SA/DVCC) at The Scarborough Hospital

3030 Birchmount Road, Scarborough, ON

Phone: 416-495-2555

Lastly, if your situation is not urgent, or does not require immediate medical attention, call the Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre at the University of Toronto:Phone: 416-978-2266

 

Victim of a Crime (e.g. Theft)

Campus Police (U of T)
St. George Campus: 416-978-2222

Mississauga Campus: 905-569-4333

Note: Please call 911 for police, fire, or medical emergencies in Toronto or Mississauga.

 

Community Safety Office (Business hours)
416-978-1485
Responds to all personal safety concerns by addressing the complaint, assessing the personal and community safety risks, providing a continuum of intervention options that the complainant can explore in order to address their personal safety concern(s).

 

Housing Crisis

Emergency Housing Officer (U of T)

St. George Students: 416-978-8045 x 0 during business hours, or 416-978-2323 after hours (this is Campus Police)

Mississauga Students: 905-569-4333 (this is campus police)
Provides assistance and referrals for students facing a housing crisis (or potential crisis) resulting from legal, financial, and/or personal difficulties.

 

Family Care Office and Resource Centre (U of T)

416-978-0951

The office provides information, guidance, advocacy and referral services to students who require child care (facilities, programs, or subsidies), elder care, or assistance with other family matters. Mississauga students can request an on-campus appointment with a FCO Advisor.

 

Other Resources

In addition to the above resources, students in our program also have access to a comprehensive assortment of other UofT and external resources through our Student Services Quercus Shell.