| Contact | blackdoginstitute.org.au/education-services/national-emergency-worker-support-service |
| Information | Free mental health check, providing insights and recommendations to support PSP. |
| Service area | International: Australia 🇦🇺 |
| Resource type | Online service |
| Support type | Wellness support |
| Target demographic | Public safety personnel |
| Serves children (0–12) | — |
| Serves youth (13–17) | — |
| Serves adults (18+) | Yes |
| Serves families | — |
| Language spoken | English 🍁 |
About this directory of supports
Navigating mental health support can be challenging during emergency situations, such as Canada's ongoing wildfires. This comprehensive guide aims to simplify that journey by providing a curated list of evidence-informed and free mental health and well-being resources available across Canada to all communities.
Whether you or your family members are in need of immediate assistance through crisis support, seeking ongoing wellness supports, requiring tools to help navigate further resources, or looking for counselling services, this resource list is designed to help you find the right support to maintain and enhance your mental well-being before, during, and after an emergency.
Although the majority of these resources are tailored to meet the needs of the broader community in Canada (adults, youth, children, and families), a smaller subset of these resources are tailored to specific occupational groups — including public safety personnel (PSP), health care providers (HCP), military members and Veterans — as well as to equity-deserving groups like Indigenous populations, BIPOC communities, and LGBTQ2SIA+ individuals.
Please select the resource that is best tailored to your own needs.
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Black Dog Institute: National Emergency Worker Support Service
Free mental health check, providing insights and recommendations to support PSP
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Black Mental Health Connections Montreal
Promotes healing through culturally competent education and community activities
Contact bmhcmtl.ca Information Promotes healing through culturally competent education and community activities. Service area Quebec Resource types Online service, in-person service Support type Wellness support Target demographic Black population Serves children (0–12) — Serves youth (13–17) Yes Serves adults (18+) Yes Serves families — Language spoken English 🍁 -
Boots on the Ground Alberta
Provides first responders and military members with an anonymous helpline wherein they can receive peer support
Contact 1 (866) 724-2684 Information BOTG provides first responders and military members with an anonymous helpline from which they can receive peer support. Service area Alberta Resource type Telephone Support type Peer support Target demographics Military members and Veterans, public safety personnel Serves children (0–12) — Serves youth (13–17) — Serves adults (18+) Yes Serves families — Language spoken English 🍁 -
Boots on the Ground Ontario
BOTG provides first responders and military members with an anonymous helpline wherein they can receive peer support
Contact 1 (833) 677-2668 Information BOTG provides first responders and military members with an anonymous helpline wherein they can receive peer support. Service area Ontario Resource type Telephone Support type Peer support Target demographic Public safety personnel Serves children (0–12) — Serves youth (13–17) — Serves adults (18+) Yes Serves families — Language spoken English 🍁 -
BounceBack
A free skill-building program from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) for people with low mood, depression, anxiety, or general stress
Contact cmha.ca/bounce-back Information A free skill-building program from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) for people with low mood, depression, anxiety, or general stress. Service area National Resource type Online service Support type Wellness support Target demographic General population Serves children (0–12) — Serves youth (13–17) Yes Serves adults (18+) Yes Serves families — Languages spoken English 🍁, French ⚜️ -
Build Them Up
Offers therapy, peer support, and other programs to children, teens, and families
Contact buildthemup.ca Information Offers therapy, peer support, and other programs to children, teens, and families. Service area Alberta Resource types Online service, in-person service Support type Wellness support Target demographic General population Serves children (0–12) Yes Serves youth (13–17) Yes Serves adults (18+) Yes Serves families Yes Language spoken English 🍁 -
Calgary Outlink
Provides support, education, outreach, and referrals for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Calgary
Contact calgaryoutlink.ca Information Provides support, education, outreach, and referrals for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Calgary. Service area Alberta Resource types Online service, in-person service Support type Wellness support Target demographic LGBTQ2SIA+ population Serves children (0–12) Yes Serves youth (13–17) Yes Serves adults (18+) Yes Serves families — Language spoken English 🍁 -
CAMH Youth-Vast Dependence Program
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Youth-VAST Dependence Program provides in-person or virtual care to young people in Ontario
Contact wehearyou.ca Information The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health's Youth-VAST Dependence Program is a personalized youth addiction program. It provides in-person or virtual care to address many types of addiction – including nicotine (vaping is the V in VAST), alcohol, substances, and technology. Service area Ontario Resource types In-person service, online service Support type Addiction support Target demographic General population Serves children (0–12) Yes Serves youth (13–17) Yes Serves adults (18+) Yes Serves families — Languages spoken English 🍁, French ⚜️ -
CAMH: Metro Addiction Assessment & Referral Service (MAARS)
Centralized addiction assessment and referral service connecting individuals to appropriate treatment programs across the Greater Toronto Area
Contact (416) 535-8501 ext. 2 | camh.ca/en/patients-and-families/programs-and-services/metro-addiction-assessment-referral-service-maars Information Centralized addiction assessment and referral service connecting individuals to appropriate treatment programs across the Greater Toronto Area. Service area Ontario: Greater Toronto Area Resource type Assessment and referral Support types Wellness support, addiction support Target demographic General population Serves children (0–12) — Serves youth (13–17) — Serves adults (18+) Yes Serves families — Languages spoken French ⚜️, English 🍁 -
CAMH: Rainbow Services (2SLGBTQ+)
2SLGBTQ+ affirming in-person outpatient group therapy for substance use. Toronto only
Contact (416) 535-8501 ext. 2 | camh.ca/en/patients-and-families/programs-and-services/rainbow-services-2slgbtq Information 2SLGBTQ+ affirming in-person outpatient group therapy for substance use. Service area Ontario: Toronto Resource type Mental health agency Support types Wellness support, addiction support Target demographic LGBTQ2SIA+ population Serves children (0–12) Yes Serves youth (13–17) Yes Serves adults (18+) Yes Serves families — Languages spoken English 🍁, French ⚜️