Seeking Credible Information - Choosing the right Mental Health & Addictions supports for you
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Seeking Credible Information
Choosing the right Mental Health & Addictions supports for you
Stay informed by checking information provided by experts and credible sources. A lot of information
is disseminated every day, but not all of it is accurate.
When you first visit any website, consider the source. As a general rule, Web sites sponsored by
municipal, provincial and federal government agencies are reliable starting points. Avoid unfamiliar
websites, or online discussion groups where people post information from non-credible sources or
share stories which may or may not be true. Be wary of what is posted on social media, and always
consider the reliability of information you see on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (Adapted from
CAMH, Mental Health and Covid, accessed May 2020).
How do I choose the right provider?
You will likely encounter different mental health professionals on your recovery journey. They have
different kinds of training and offer different services and supports.
In Ontario, psychotherapy is a controlled act; meaning that only the members of certain healthcare
professions can provide that service. Not all members of the professional group may have training in
psychotherapy. Anyone performing the Controlled Act must be registered with one of the six health
regulatory colleges whose members are authorized to practice the controlled act of psychotherapy:
the College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario, the
College of Nurses of Ontario, the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario, the College of
Psychologists of Ontario, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, and the Ontario College
of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Some types of psychotherapy have research
evidence supporting its helpfulness with certain types of problems and we often refer to such
treatments as “evidence-based”.
Definition of Controlled Act of Psychotherapy: Treating, by means of psychotherapy
technique, delivered through a therapeutic relationship, an individual’s serious disorder of
thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception or memory that may seriously
impair the individual’s judgement, insight, behaviour, communication or social functioning.
1991, c. 18, s. 27 (2); 2007, c. 10, Sched. L, s. 32; 2007, c. 10, Sched. R, s. 19 (1).
Ideally, you should find someone with whom you feel comfortable, who is competent to provide
psychotherapy and has experience working with the types of concerns you wish to
address. Contacting the provider’s healthcare college would allow you to learn more about the
provider’s areas of competence and any history of complaints. You may wish to ask the questions
listed below when trying to select a psychotherapist, in addition to any other questions you may have.
1) Are you a member of a healthcare college authorized to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy
in Ontario?
2) Have you received training and supervision in an evidence-based form of psychotherapy?
3) What are the types of psychotherapy in which you have received training?
Page | 1Local Services
• Algoma Public Health:
Blind River (705) 356-2551
Elliot Lake (705) 848-2314
Sault Ste. Marie (705) 942-4646
Wawa (705) 856-7208
http://www.algomapublichealth.com/addictions-mental-health/
• Canadian Mental Health Association – Sault Ste. Marie Branch:
705-759-0458
http://ssm-algoma.cmha.ca/
• Sault Area Hospital
705-759-3434
https://www.sah.on.ca/programs-services/mental-health-and-addictions
• SSM & Area Drug Strategy
info@ssmareadrugstrategy.ca
Navigation Tool for connecting clients: https://ssmareadrugstrategy.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2019/09/Mental-Health-and-Addictions-Support-Services-in-Algoma-1.pdf
Page | 2Provincial & National Services
• 211 Ontario www.211ontario.ca
o Helpline (Call 2-1-1 or toll free 1-877-330-3213) and online database of Ontario's
community and social services
• Assaulted Women’s Helpline:
o TOLL-FREE: 1-866-863-0511
o TOLL FREE TTY: 1-866-863-7868
o #SAFE (#7233) on your Bell, Rogers, Fido or Telus Mobile
o 24-hour telephone and TTY crisis line for all women in Ontario who have experienced any
form of abuse.
• Big White Wall: www.bigwhitewall.ca
Safe peer-to-peer mental health community that is accessible online 24/7. Free to all Ontarians aged
16+.
• BounceBack: www.bouncebackontario.ca
A free, guided self-help program that’s effective in helping people aged 15 and up who are
experiencing mild-to-moderate anxiety or depression, or may be feeling low, stressed, worried,
irritable or angry
• CAMH: The Centre for Addition and Mental Health http://www.camh.ca/
• ConnexOntario: 1-866 -531-2600 or www.connexontario.ca
Free and confidential health services information for people experiencing problems with alcohol and
drugs, mental health and/or gambling. Available 24/7.
• Crisis Services Canada: 1-833-456-4566
Suicide prevention and support.
• Good2Talk Helpline: 1-866-925-5454 or text GOOD2TALKON to 686868
Ontario’s 24/7 helpline for postsecondary students.
• Healthline www.thehealthline.ca
Find local health and community services across Ontario
o Northeast Healthline www.northeasthealthline.ca - resource for patients, caregivers,
health care providers, and anyone wanting to learn more about the many health services
available in communities across Northeastern Ontario
• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868
Youth mental health support available 24/7.
• LGBT Youthline Ontario: 647-694-4275 + https://www.youthline.ca/ (chat, text and email
currently available)
Ontario-wide peer-support for lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirited, queer and
questioning young people.
Page | 3• Lumino Health: Stress and Anxiety Explorer
Information and tools from Lumino Health and mental health partners.
• Ontario Caregiver Helpline: 1-833-416-2273 + live chat also available
at https://ontariocaregiver.ca/
Provides caregivers with a one-stop resource for information and support.
• Seniors Safety Line: 1-866-299-1011
Provided by Elder Abuse Ontario, the Seniors Safety Line provides contact and referral information
for local agencies across the province that can assist in cases of elder abuse.
• Talk4healing (for Indigenous women): 1-855-554-4325
Page | 4Downloadable Workbooks
• Antidepressant Skills Workbook:
https://psychhealthandsafety.org/asw
The Antidepressant Skills Workbook (ASW) is a self-care manual based on scientific research
about which strategies work best in managing depression. It provides an overview of depression,
explains how it can be effectively managed, and gives a step-by-step guide to changing patterns
that trigger depression. In this self-care guide, we show how to use cognitive and behavioural
methods to make important changes in thinking and actions that help one to emerge from
depression and make it less likely to recur. These methods can be used in combination with
depression treatments, increasing their effectiveness.
• Antidepressant Skills at Work: Dealing with Mood Problems in the Workplace
https://psychhealthandsafety.org/asaw
This workbook is intended for: Working people with low mood, who may be at risk for developing
depression; Working people who have developed a mild or major depression; Partners, family
members, friends or workplace colleagues who want to help; Employers, supervisors or managers
concerned about their staff
• Canadian Mental Health Association: Wellness Modules
https://cmha.bc.ca/documents/wellness-modules/
11 Wellness Modules breaks down a different factor related to mental health and well-being. You’ll
explore different evidence-based skills to help you work through common problems.
• Dealing With Depression: Antidepressant Skills for Teens
https://psychhealthandsafety.org/dwd/
Dealing with Depression is a workbook for teens that explains depression and teaches three main
antidepressant skills you can use to help overcome or prevent it. The skills are presented in a
step-by-step way so that you may learn them easily and apply them to your life.
• Positive Coping with Health Conditions: A Self-Care Workbook
https://psychhealthandsafety.org/pcwhc
PCHC is a self-care workbook authored by scientist-practitioners with expertise in issues relating
to coping with health conditions. This workbook is designed for individuals who deal with health
conditions, including patients, physicians, psychologists, nurses, rehabilitation professionals and
researchers.
Sources
https://ontario.cmha.ca/provincial-mental-health-supports/
http://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-health-and-covid-19#coping)
Page | 5You can also read
