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CSI Niagara and OCAN

The Ontario Common Assessment of Need (OCAN) is the electronic standardized assessment tool used in the community mental health sector.

OCAN is used to:

Support a client/consumer driven approach with the inclusion of a self-assessment
Support conversations with client/consumers about needs, strengths and actions
Further facilitate inter-agency communication with the use of a common tool and standards
Provide aggregate data to inform planning and decision-making that is consistent with a recovery approach

At CSI Niagara, we use the Core + Self version of OCAN.

Core + Self includes:

The client's demographic and clinical support system information
A Self Assessment that covers 24 areas of life, where the client can identify where they have met and unmet needs, regardless of the help they are already receiving. They can also add comments about their history and preferences
Five supplementary questions that ask about a client's strengths ad skills, hopes and goals for the future, needs to accomplish these goals, spirituality, and culture/heritage

Completing an OCAN helps us to understand our clients and their needs from their own perspectives. Clients do NOT need to complete an OCAN to receive peer support services, but we do encourage it. OCANs are highly confidential and none of the questions about the 24 areas of life are mandatory - clients always have the option to choose not to answer.