Supportive Outreach Services (SOS) from Grey County stepped onto a national platform this week as the program’s community-based outreach model drew attention at the State of Canada’s Cities Summit in Ottawa. The gathering offered SOS the chance to showcase how local partnerships are driving real improvements in health and social supports.
The summit, held December 3 and 4, drew hundreds of participants ranging from urban planners and policymakers to business leaders and researchers. Together, they examined the challenges facing Canada’s cities and explored solutions under this year’s theme, Better Places for a Better Canada: Leveraging the Local.
On December 3, United Way Executive Director Francesca Dobbyn spoke on behalf of SOS during a panel focused on strengthening both social and physical infrastructure. The discussion centred on how support systems help residents stay connected to essential care and to one another.
SOS has been active in Grey County for several years, bringing together an extensive group of community partners to deliver coordinated outreach. The program works with people who are experiencing homelessness, navigating mental health concerns, living with substance use issues or struggling to access services through conventional channels. Its mobile team travels directly to where individuals are living to offer medical care, mental health assistance, harm-reduction tools and links to housing and shelter options.
The program’s impact is evident in increased engagement with services, improved outcomes for clients and a decline in opioid-related emergencies. Since beginning operations in 2021, SOS has provided more than 12,000 services and supports roughly 100 clients at any one time. Many of their clients would not otherwise access care.
“The SOS program is being watched closely by communities across the country,” explained Dobbyn. “They’re looking at replicating the collaborative approach to community care. Together, we’re not just making a difference, we’re saving lives.”
SOS is backed by a large partnership that includes Grey County, the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce, Brightshores Health System, United Way of Bruce Grey, OSHaRE, Grey Bruce Public Health, Safe ‘N Sound and nearly 20 additional organizations. Funding comes primarily from the Province of Ontario, supplemented by local community donations.
Dobbyn co-leads SOS with Grey County Paramedic Chief Kevin McNab. During the summit, she appeared on the panel alongside representatives from the Tamarack Institute, Mass Culture, Evergreen, and Dalhousie University associate professor Ren Thomas.
Each year, the State of Canada’s Cities Summit brings together more than 500 people from across the country. This year’s agenda covered topics such as housing delivery, community livability, main street revitalization, economic development, food systems and innovation. Programming details and speaker information can be found at https://canurb.stateofcitiessummit.ca/.
More information about Supportive Outreach Services is available at www.grey.ca/sos or www.unitedwayofbrucegrey.com/sos-helps/.
