Links to government and non-governmental organizations provincially, nationally and internationally that can help you to “Live a Healthy Life” while managing chronic health conditions.
Information | Disease Specific Organizations | Adaptive Equipment | Healthy Lifestyle | Healthy Eating | Advocacy | Self-Help | Other Government Resources
INFORMATION
Alcohol & Drug Information Referral Service (ADIRS)
ADIRS provides free, confidential information and referral services to British Columbians in need of support with any kind of substance use issue (alcohol or other drugs). Referral to community substance use treatment services is available for all ages. Information available from ADIRS includes prevention resources, support groups, and addiction related topics such as fetal alcohol syndrome. Contact ADIRS toll-free at 1 800 663-1441, or in the Lower Mainland at 604 660-9382. Free, multilingual telephone assistance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
BC 211
www.bc211.ca
211 helps link people rapidly and easily to the services they need, avoiding the stress and confusion of searching for programs and services. Certified Information and Referral Specialists help callers to determine their needs and options.
FETCH (For Everything That's Community Health)
https://divisionsbc.ca/provincial/what-we-do/patient-support/fetch
This is an online resource that helps patients and health care providers find information on social and health resources within their own community, including counselling, crisis intervention, employment assistance, and agencies that provide support for various medical conditions.
Find Support BC
http://findsupportbc.com/
Connects families of persons with disabilities with resources available to them. Their database generates a list of resources based on age, disability, region and city in BC.
HealthLink BC
www.healthlinkbc.ca or call 8-1-1
24/7 access to non-emergency health information and services. Translation services are available in over 130 languages on request. Speak with a nurse about your symptoms, consult with a pharmacist about your medication questions, or get healthy eating advice from a dietitian. You can also find the health services and resources you need, closest to you.
Immunize BC
https://immunizebc.ca/
Evidence-based immunization information and tools for B.C. residents.
Office of the Seniors Advocate
www.seniorsadvocatebc.ca
1-877-952-3181 or in Victoria 250-952-3181
Seniors who have issues accessing health-care services or with the health care they received can call the Office of the Seniors Advocate to receive timely resolution of problems. This toll-free phone line is available Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
QMUNITY - BC's Queer, Trans & Two-Spirit Resource Centremmunize BC
https://qmunity.ca/
A non-profit organization based in Vancouver, BC that works to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives. They provide a safer space for LGBTQ2SAI+ people and their allies to fully self-express while feeling welcome and included.
RXHelp
www.rxhelp.ca
RxHelp's mission is to provide Canadian health care consumers access to brand-name pharmaceutical manufacturers "Patient Assistance Programs". Patient payment assistance programs are run by many brand-name pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide significant savings on brand-name prescription medicines. RxHelp.ca connects Canadian patients to these pharmaceutical manufacturer's payment assistance programs FREE of charge. There are 3 main types of programs:
- Patient Choice Programs - Allow the patient to remain on their brand name medicine with little or no additional cost over the generic equivalent.
- Patient Assistance Programs - Help offset or reduce the out-of-pocket patient costs that are not covered by the patient's public or private drug plan. Some or all of the out-of-pocket patient costs will be paid by the manufacturer of the product up to a defined maximum.
- eSample Programs - Allows the patient to receive the prescribed medication for a certain number of days at no cost to the patient, based on reasonable up-charge, mark-up and usual customary pharmacy fee. Physician Access Only.
To use your card you must fill a valid prescription at a participating pharmacy in Canada. After receiving your RxHelp.ca card simply present your RxHelp.ca card when purchasing your included brand-name prescription at a participating pharmacy and you will receive your payment assistance immediately. The RxHelp.ca card is accepted at most pharmacies in Canada.
DISEASE-SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS
Alzheimer Society of BC
Aplastic Anemia and Myelodysplasia Association
The Arthritis Society
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Society of British Columbia
BC Lung Association
BC Cancer
BC Lupus Society
BC Schizophrenia Society
Canadian Cancer Society
Canadian Celiac Association
Canadian Digestive Health Foundation
Canadian Hemochromatosis Society
Canadian Liver Foundation
Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation
Canadian Mental Health Association
Canadian Spondylitis Association
Chronic Pain Association of Canada
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder) Canada Patient Network
Crohn's and Colitis Canada
Diabetes Canada
Heart & Stroke™
Hep C BC - Hepatitis C Education & Prevention Society
Huntington Society of Canada
JointHealth
HeretoHelp
www.heretohelp.bc.ca/
HeretoHelp is a website of the BC Partners for Mental Health and Substance Use Information. The BC Partners are a group of seven leading provincial mental health and substance use non-profit agencies: Anxiety Canada, BC Schizophrenia Society, Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, Canadian Mental Health Association's BC Division, Institute of Families for Child and Youth Mental Health, Jessie's Legacy eating disorders prevention and awareness (a Family Services of the North Shore program) and Mood Disorders Association of BC (a branch of Lookout Housing and Health Society).
Kidney Foundation of Canada
Mastocytosis Society Canada
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada
Muscular Dystrophy Canada
Pain BC Society™
Parkinson Society BC
People in Pain Network
PARC - Promoting Awareness of RSDS (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) and CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) in Canada
Spinal Cord Injury BC
http://sci-bi.ca
Stroke Recovery Association of BC
ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT
Red Cross Health Equipment Loans
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Active Aging Canada
https://www.activeagingcanada.ca/
Active Aging Canada's mission is to support lifelong healthy active aging of adult Canadians through participation, education, research, and promotion.
Government of Canada - Health
www.healthycanadians.gc.ca
Provides information on such topics as recalls and advisories, healthy living initiatives, and the Healthy Living Guides (Canada Food Guide and Physical Activity Guide).
Healthy Families BC
www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca
A cross-government health promotion initiative that seeks to improve the health of British Columbians by taking steps to address common risk factors and reduce chronic disease.-----
interCultural Online Network (iCON)
https://digem.med.ubc.ca/projects/iconold/
iCON offers in-person and technology-supported multicultural community education on health literacy and chronic disease management. Culturally appropriate materials are presented by health care providers in the patients’ first language, mostly for Chinese and South Asian people.
Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology
Sources Community Resources Society
www.sourcesbc.ca
A community-based non-profit society offering a variety of social wellness programs and services through 20 locations, including Community Resource Centres, that are continually expanding to meet individual and community needs.
HEALTHY EATING
Dietitians of Canada
www.dietitians.ca and the Unlockfood.ca website, a bilingual award winning website brought to you by Dietitians of Canada. On UnlockFood.ca you’ll find information on nutrition, food and healthy eating as well as recipes, videos and interactive healthy eating tools. with information for
Canada's Food Guide (2019)
The new Canada Food Guide has a number of resources on their website for healthy eating.
ADVOCACY
Family Caregivers of BC
Disability Alliance BC (formerly BC Coalition of Persons with Disabilities)
Seniors First BC
SELF-HELP
PeerNet BC
Crisis Centre BC
https://crisiscentre.bc.ca/
The Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC (Crisis Centre) is a non-profit, volunteer organization committed to helping people help themselves and others deal with crises. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, call 1-800-784-2433 or 1-800-SUICIDE or call your local crisis centre If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide.
OTHER GOVERNMENT RESOURCES
Public Health Agency of Canada
The home page of this Government of Canada website has lists of services and information on health.
Public Health Agency of Canada – Aging & Seniors
The Division of Aging and Seniors (DAS) provides federal leadership on seniors' public health issues in order to optimize healthy aging. As such, DAS is the focal point for information and centre of expertise in the area. The Division strives to influence policy development, expand and transfer the knowledge base, and engage stakeholders on matters concerning healthy aging, including the prevention and control of disease and injury in older adult life. Features the Safe Living Guide - A Guide for Home Safety for Seniors available for download.
If you are a current or former member of the CAF or RCMP, or a family member, the Government of Canada Veterans Affairs has targeted services and benefits to improve your well-being.
VictimLinkBC is a toll-free, confidential, multilingual telephone service available across B.C. and the Yukon 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-563-0808. It provides information and referral services to all victims of crime and immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence, including victims of human trafficking exploited for labour or sexual services.
DISCLAIMER: This list is in no way exhaustive and the University of Victoria does not endorse any aforementioned resource as most effective. Please share with us any other resources that might be considered for inclusion by emailing selfmgmt@uvic.ca.
Last updated: May 2021