Crisis and Mental Health Resources

Free Crisis Supports

• Call or text 988 to reach Canada’s Suicide Crisis Hotline. You will have the opportunity to be connected to a crisis resource that is age/culturally appropriate for you.

• Talk Suicide Canada provides immediate crisis support to those of all ages. Call 1-833-456-4566 (24/7) or text 45645 (4:00 pm - 12:00 am ET).

• Durham Mental Health Services (DMHS) Crisis Services offers 24/7 telephone and face-to-face supports to those 16+ experiencing crisis. Call 905-666-0483 or 1-800-742-1890.

• Ontario Shores 24-7 Crisis Line provides 24/7 access to crisis support. Call 1-800-263-2679.

• Distress Centre Durham provides 24/7 telephone support by trained volunteers. Call 905-430-2522 or 1-800-452-0688.

• York Support Services Network (YSSN) Community Crisis Response Telephone Service provides 24/7 telephone crisis support. Call 1-855-310-COPE (2673).

Crisis Support Specifically for Indigenous People

• First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Crisis Text Support provides Indigenous youth and adults with 24/7 support from First Nations, Inuit, and Metis crisis responders. Text “First Nations”, “Metis”, or “Inuit” to 68 68 68 (youth) or 741 741 (adults) and individuals will be connected with a corresponding crisis responder if available.

• First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness offers 24/7 crisis intervention and counselling to First Nations and Inuit. Call 1-855-242-3310.

• Canadian Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line provides 24/7 emotional support and crisis referral services to former Residential School students. Call 1 -866-925-4419.

• Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Crisis Line provides 24/7 crisis support to individuals impacted by the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Call 1-844-413-6649.

Crisis Support Specifically for Children and Youth

• Frontenac Youth Services Crisis Response offers phone and mobile crisis response for children, youth and their families. Call Frontenac Youth Services at (905) 723-2802 or 1-888-579-5914 (9:00 am-5:00 pm Monday-Friday), or York Support Services Network at 1-855-310-COPE(2673) or (TTY) 1-866-323-7785 (Monday to Friday 5:00 pm-9:00 am, weekends, and holidays)

• Kids Help Phone provides support via phone, text or chat to children, youth, and young adults. Call 1-800-668-6868 (24/7), text CONNECT to 686868 (24/7), or go to the website for live chat (7:00  pm–12:00 am). 

• Good2Talk offers a 24/7 helpline for post-secondary students. Students can get information and referrals about services for mental health, addiction and well-being, or speak anonymously with a professional counsellor. Call 1-866-925-5454.

Crisis Support Specifically for Members of the LGBTQ+ Community

• LGBQT Prideline Durham Helpline provides emotional support, crisis intervention, and community referral information specific to the concerns and issues of the LGBTQ community. Call 1-855-87PRIDE (77433) from 6:00 – 10:00 pm daily.

• Trans Lifeline provides 24/7 support to transgender individuals of all ages who are experiencing crisis. Call 1-877-330-6366.

Community and Online Counselling Resources

• Durham Community Health Centre provides a range of free programs for adults, youth, children, and families to support mental and physical health. Services include counselling, groups, and programs for Indigenous people. For more information call 1-877-227-3217 or visit the website.

• Canadian Mental Health Association Durham provides a variety of free supports for those navigating daily stressors, coping with trauma, or managing mental health disorders. Call 905-436-8760 or visit the website for more information.

• Catholic Family Services of Durham provides counselling to adults, children/youth, couples and families of all denominations (fee based on a sliding scale). For more information, call 905-725-3513 or visit the website.

• Adult Integrated Mental Health Services (AIMHS) offers in-person groups on topics including anxiety, relaxation, mindfulness-based stress reduction, anger management, and OCD. Self referrals accepted. For more information call 905-440-7534 or 1-833-392-7363, or visit the website.

• DMHS's Peer Support Program offers free psychoeducational and wellness-based virtual groups. Topics include Mindfulness practice, Managing Emotions, and a Wellness Social Group. DMHS also offers Justice Initiatives for those with mental health issues who are involved with the criminal justice system, a Seniors Mental Health Support Program, and a Family Support/Empowerment Program for those with a loved one dealing with mental health challenges. For more information, call 905-666-0483 or visit the website.

• Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program (Ontario Shores) offers publicly funded cognitive behavioural therapy and clinician-guided self-help resources to those aged 18+ to help manage conditions including depression. Self referrals are accepted, and can be made through the website. For details visit the website or call 1-877-767-9642.

• BounceBack is a free skill-building program managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). Delivered over the phone with a coach and through online videos and workbooks, you will get access to tools that will help manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, and stress or worry. For more details or to request service, visit the website or call 1-877-767-9642.

• John Howard Society offers various counselling for various issues including parenting, anger management, and substance use. For more information call 905-579-8482 or visit the website.

• COPE (Creating Opportunities for Personal Excellence) offers in-person and virtual support groups and workshops to individuals aged 16+ with emotional and/or mental health concerns. Support is available for issues including anxiety and stress, depression, bipolar disorder, bereavement, mood management, and coping with chronic pain. Social recreation and general wellness groups for women and men are also offered. For more information, call 905-668-6223 or visit the website.

• Ontario Shores Recovery College provides a series of free virtual and in-person courses to help learn about mental illnesses, treatment options, and wellness and ultimately discover/rediscover passions, hope, and meaning. Registrants are not required to be receiving services from Ontario Shores to be eligible. For more information or to register, visit the website.

• CMHA Recovery College Wellness Centre offers a range of free in-person and online courses to help participants understand their mental health, develop strategies for personal well-being, develop life skills (including financial literacy), and learn skills to manage mood, emotions, and triggers. For more information or to register, visit the website.

• Pinewood Addiction Services provides support for alcohol, drug, and gambling-related concerns. Services include residential withdrawal management and treatment, community-based counselling, walk-in and telephone support, and a Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) clinic for those with alcohol and opioid-related addictions. For more information call905-721-4747 ext. 31229 or 1-888-881-8878 or visit the website.

Counselling Resources Specifically for Children/Youth

• Durham Counselling Walk-in Clinic (DCWIC) is a free, confidential "walk-in" clinic providing same-day single-session counselling for children and youth aged 3-19 years and their families. For more information call 289-509-0603 x 3203 or visit the website.

• Frontenac Youth Services provides support to adolescents 12-18 dealing with emotional and behavioural issues and their families. Also offers a Walk-In Clinic for adolescents (intake required). For more information call 905-579-1551 or visit the website.

• Kinark Child and Family Services provides a range of assessment and treatment services for children under age 12 dealing with mental health challenges or autism and their families. Services include individual, family and group counselling and supports. For more information, call 1-888-454-6275 (for mental health supports) or 1-800-283-3377 (for Autism Services) or visit the website.

• BounceBack for Teens is a free skill-building program managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) to help teens aged 15-17 manage low mood and mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress, or worry. Delivered over the phone with a coach and through online videos, it offers tools to support mental wellness. For information or to request service, visit the website or call 1-866-345-0224.

Free Online Mental Health and Substance Use Resources and Information

• Anxiety Canada is a website with a wide range of free CBT-based information and tools for managing anxiety and related symptoms (like sleep difficulties). Includes resources for adults, youth, and children and their caregivers. Offers a variety of self-help tools including guided relaxation audios and templates to help you develop a personalized anxiety management plan.

• Connex Ontario provides free and confidential information to help those experiencing problems with alcohol and drugs, mental illness or gambling connect with services in their area. 

• Where to Get Care: A Guide to Navigating Mental Health Services in Canada helps you navigate the public and private options for mental health care available in Canada.

• CAMH offers a wide range of guides and other publications on many different topics related to mental health and substance use.

• When a Family Member Is Thinking About Suicide (CAMH) provides information to those who are supporting a family member or other loved one who is suicidal.

• Addiction: An Information Guide (CAMH) contains information about substance use and addiction for those dealing with substance issues and their families/loved ones.

• Suicide Prevention offers various learning modules, toolkits, factsheets, and other resources related to suicide prevention.

Free Apps to Support Mental Health and Coping

• MindShift is an app from Anxiety Canada that provides a range of tools to help adults and youth cope with anxiety.

• Sanvello: Anxiety & Depression is an app for teens and adults that uses CBT principles and mindfulness to help with stress, anxiety and depression. Includes a library of tools for relaxation, breathing, mindfulness meditation, coping, mood tracking, and recording/reframing thoughts.

• Bearable is an app that allows you to track your mood, emotions, physical health, sleep, energy levels, fatigue, pain, chronic illness, menstrual cycle and more. Helps you identify how various factors are affecting your mood and health.

• Moodcast is a simple app that uses the concept of weather conditions (ie: stormy, sunny) to help you track your mood and emotions.

• Daylio is an app with multiple options for customization. It acts as a self-care bullet journal and mood diary with tools to set goals and track emotions.

• Medito: Free Meditation, Sleep & Mindfulness is an app that provides guided and non-guided meditations, courses, and other tools to help you practice mindfulness and gratitude, manage anxiety and stress, relax, sleep better, and improve mental health.

• Breathr is a free app that provides opportunities to try a variety of mindfulness practices, from guided meditations to simple practices that can be used anywhere.

• Breathe: Relax and Focus offers a variety of free and customizable guided breathing exercises to decrease the body’s stress response and support mood stabilization, anger control, and anxiety management.

• Insight Timer Wellbeing App provides free access to over 100,000 guided meditations and music tracks and ambient sounds to calm the mind, focus, sleep better and relax.

• Calm provides a range of free meditation and mindfulness tools to help you manage anxiety, lower stress and sleep better.

• Relax Lite: Stress and Anxiety Relief is an app that provides free guided breathing and meditation exercises that use calming music to promote relaxation.

• The LifeLine App offers support to those in crisis and those who have lost someone to suicide. Also provides awareness education and prevention strategies for those in crisis. Includes access to online chat, crisis help via text or email Crisis Help, and self-management tools.

• If you do not have a smartphone or do not want to download an app, the following free web-based mood-tracker is available: MoodTracker.

• If you do not have a smartphone or do not want to download an app, you can access this free web-based relaxed breathing tool.