Advocacy

The Kettle Mental Health Advocacy Program provides free legal information, advocacy, and representation to low-income individuals in the community, including individuals living with mental illness and/or individuals experiencing homelessness or insecure housing.

Please note: Since we are a mental health organization, in order to use our advocacy services, you may be required to provide us information pertaining to your mental health. Our staff is friendly, and they will keep your information confidential. We are also mandated to provide assistance to people living in Vancouver, Burnaby, and New Westminster, or people who are already reliant on services in Vancouver. If you live outside of this area, please seek assistance through services which are located in your municipality.

We can help you access services or resolve issues in the following areas:

Poverty Law Advocacy

Canada Pension Plan (CPP)

What to bring:

• SIN (yours, spouse, children)

• Proof of all source(s) of income

• Any communication you have received from the Government regarding CPP

• If you don’t have the needed documents, or don’t know what to bring, please come in anyway

What to expect:

• An advocate will help you complete the necessary forms and fill out your application.

• If we need to speak to the CRA over the phone, we may book an appointment for you to come back as hold times can be long.

• Once the application is complete, we can mail it on your behalf.

• We may also request that you sign a Release of Information (ROI) so that we can communicate with government agencie(s) on your behalf.

Old Age Security (OAS)

What to bring:

• SIN (yours, spouse, children)

• Proof of all source(s) of income

• Any communication you have received from the Government regarding OAS

• If you don’t have the needed documents, or don’t know what to bring, please come in anyway

What to expect:

• An advocate will help you complete the necessary forms and fill out your application.

• If we need to speak to the CRA over the phone, we may book an appointment for you to come back as hold times can be long.

• Once the application is complete, we can mail it on your behalf.

• We may also request that you sign a Release of Information (ROI) so that we can communicate with government agencie(s) on your behalf.

Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)

What to bring:

• SIN (yours, spouse, children)

• Proof of all source(s) of income

• Any communication you have received from the Government regarding GIS

• If you don’t have the needed documents, or don’t know what to bring, please come in anyway

What to expect:

• An advocate will help you complete the necessary forms and fill out your application.

• If we need to speak to the CRA over the phone, we may book an appointment for you to come back as hold times can be long.

• Once the application is complete, we can mail it on your behalf.

• We may also request that you sign a Release of Information (ROI) so that we can communicate with government agencies on your behalf.

Income Assistance (IA)

What to bring:

• ID for you and your family

• SIN

• Rent and utilities amounts

• Bank account balance (60 days)

• If you have a vehicle, if and how much you owe

• Proof of EI or WCB benefits

• If you don’t have the needed documents, or don’t know what to bring, please come in anyway

What to expect:

• The process to apply for IA is generally straightforward and can be done using The Ministry’s website. An advocate will help you during your intake to apply for IA.

Persons with Disabilities (PWD)

What to bring:

• The PWD application booklet, provided by a Ministry office

• Name and information of your doctor supporting the PWD application

• If you don’t have the needed documents, or don’t know what to bring, please come in anyway

What to expect:

• An advocate will complete an intake assessment with you the day you attend our office.

• We will then follow up with you to book a time to return to Advocacy so we can assist you in completing an assisted guide to take to your doctor together with the application provided by the Ministry.

Crisis Supplements

What to bring:

• Bring in any documents or evidence to support your need for a crisis supplement. Examples may include a letter from your doctor, a support worker or a hydro bill

• If you don’t have the needed documents, or don’t know what to bring, please come in anyway

What to expect:

• There are many different types of crisis supplements provided by the ministry, and what to expect varies depending on what you are requesting. We will listen to your issue and advocate for your eligibility of a crisis supplement based on your need(s).

Intake Hours

·       Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays: 9:30 AM -11:30 AM

Child Protection Advocacy

 The role of the Child Protection Advocate involves supporting and advocating for children and their families within the child protection system. This includes:

• Explaining child protection legislation and parents' rights, connecting parents with the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and community services, and advocating for clients by liaising with MCFD or delegated agencies' social workers. 

• Supporting clients by accompanying them to various appointments and meetings, coordinates with family support workers, and acts as a resource to them.

• Providing legal information, organizing public legal information sessions, conducting client interviews, and assisting unrepresented litigants in court. 

• In cases of violence, offers safety planning, risk assessment, and crisis intervention, and refers clients to appropriate resources.

• Educates clients about collaborative values and consensual dispute resolutions (CDR), attends CDR sessions upon request, and helps clients access legal aid while acting as a liaison to the justice system.

Intake Hours

·       Mondays: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Residential Tenancy and Housing

• Issues with landlords

• Maintenance and repair concerns

• Unfair evictions

• Support in Residential Tenancy Branch hearings

• If issues are in Kettle housing, we will refer you to an outside agency

Debt relief

• We can help manage credit card debt, student loans, and repayment plans

• Considering filing for bankruptcy? We can refer you to outside services

Mental health and human rights

• Were you treated unfairly by the legal system?

• Do you think you may have received an improper mental health diagnosis?

Replacing lost or stolen identification

• Visit our page on the ID Bank for full details including hours and contact information.

If you need assistance in any of the above areas, or if you don’t see an issue listed that you need help with, we encourage you to come by the Advocacy office to see if we can help.

In the event that we cannot address your issue, we will try our best to connect you with the best services and resources.