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Disclaimer:

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COUNSELLING

As a part of its mandate to provide supportive services to affected persons, the Commission offers counselling to persons who have been affected by the circumstances connected with the hair testing done by the Motherisk Drug Testing Laboratory (“MDTL”). Given the issues being addressed by the Motherisk Commission, it is anticipated that some affected persons may also need counselling support. Often, being in a supportive counselling relationship is helpful while going through a stressful process or one where difficult issues from the past are brought up.

Counselling through the Commission is completely optional. Counselling is not a requirement for receiving a legal review through the Commission, and is independent of whether a person has a legal remedy as determined by the Commission.

Counselling through the Commission is completely confidential. The discussions clients have with their counsellor are private. The Commission does not have access to those discussions and does not monitor the work done between the client and his or her counsellor.

You can access counselling by contacting the Commission by telephone, email or through the website. The Director of Counselling, who is a trained social worker, will call you back within 48 hours to discuss your request for counselling. She will then refer you to a qualified counsellor in your community.

Counselling Process

After you complete an intake process with the Director of Counselling, she will refer you to a counsellor in your community. With your agreement, you will be referred to a professional counsellor, a social worker, psychologist, or psychotherapist, depending on your requirements.

You will have an opportunity to ‎meet your counsellor for up to three hours to determine if you can work together. You may let the Director of Counselling know if you feel that there is not a good fit and you will be referred to a counsellor somewhere else.

If you already know of a counsellor to whom you would like to be referred, the Director of Counselling will work with you to determine if a referral can be made to that counsellor.

Counselling may take place for up to two years. The frequency of the counselling will be determined by you and your counsellor, and will be subject to the approval of the Commission.

You will be referred to a counsellor as close to your home as possible. In circumstances where there is a need to travel by bus or car, the Commission may cover travel expenses, if necessary.

All counselling is paid for by the Commission.