Free / Low-Cost Mental Health Services in Toronto
This list is an attempt to gather information about affordable mental health programs and resources in the Toronto area. PLEASE NOTE - some resources listed may not be up-to-date, be sure to check the website links for more information.
This list is also available as a Google Doc
Emergency Helplines
Kids Help Phone - 1-800-668-6868 / https://kidshelpphone.ca
Trans Lifeline Canada - 1-877-330-6366 available 11am-5am EST / https://www.translifeline.org/
LGBT Youthline - call 1-800-268-9688 / text 647-964-4275 / online chat / email / http://www.youthline.ca/
Toronto Distress Centre - 416-408-HELP (4357) - info@TorontoDistressCentre.com / http://www.torontodistresscentre.com/
Connex Ontario - 1-866-531-2600 / https://www.connexontario.ca/
Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape - 416-597-8808 (24/7 Crisis Line) / info@trccmwar.ca or crisis@trccmwar.ca / http://www.trccmwar.ca/index.html / http://www.sexualassaultsupport.ca/
Assaulted Women’s Help Line - 416-863-0511 / Toll Free: 1-866-863-0511 / awh@io.org / http://www.awhl.org/
Gerstein Crisis Centre - 416-929-5200 / admin@gersteincentre.org / http://gersteincentre.org/our-crisis-services/telephone-crisis-intervention/
Saint Elizabeth - 416-498-0043 / Offers a 24/7 Community Crisis Response Program which serves residents of Etobicoke and North York. Services include immediate telephone crisis intervention and support, mobile crisis visits in the home or the community, and referrals to other community services.
The Scarborough Hospital Mobile Crisis Program - 416-495-2891 / telephone crisis response service for adults in Scarborough and East York
Ontario Victim Support Line - 416-314-2447 / https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/ovss/programs.php
Emergency Centers
List of Distress and Crisis Centres across Ontario - http://www.dcontario.org/centres.html
CAMH Emergency Services - 250 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8 / 416-979-6885
Toronto Western Hospital - 399 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8 / 416-603-2581 / Free 24 hour service with most services offered by self referral. A health card may be required.
St. Michael’s Hospital - 30 Bond St, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8 / 416-860-4000 / No referral required. For individuals 18 or over experiencing mental health or addiction crises. They offer crisis management, psychiatric and medical assessments.
St. Joseph’s MHESU (Mental Health Emergency Service Unit) / 30 The Queensway, Toronto, Ontario / Phone: 416-530-6003 / https://stjoestoronto.ca/areas-of-care/emergency-department/
Free / Low Cost Outpatient Services
Outpatient Programs provide therapy and other mental health services. Outpatient means a patient who receives treatment without being admitted to a hospital. Please note that some of these services can be hard to access and may have long waitlists.
Hospitals: Many hospitals offer OHIP-covered mental health services through their psychiatry departments. Ask a family doctor for information, eligibility requirements, and referrals.
Community Health Centres (CHC): Some CHCs in the Greater Toronto Area provide free counselling services to individuals who live within their service area (also known as a “catchment”). Find your local CHC: https://goo.gl/5mNnKP
Services that help connect you to programs:
Connex Ontario - http://www.connexontario.ca/ / Offers non-judgmental listening, support and information about counselling and other services in your community. They do not provide counselling over the phone. Their job is to provide information about services where you live.
Access CAMH - Call (416) 535-8501 and select option 2 / http://www.camh.ca/en/hospital/referrals_to_camh/pages/referrals-to-camh.aspx
Access Point - APPLY ONLINE http://theaccesspoint.ca/
Individual & Mixed Programs
519 Community Center Counselling Services - 416-392-6874 / info@the519.org / http://www.the519.org/programs/category/counselling-services
AIDS Committee of Toronto - 416-340-2437 / 543 Yonge Street, on the 4th floor / http://www.actoronto.org/programs-services/counselling
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic: 489 College Street, Suite 503 (416) 323-9149 ext. 234; Barbra Schlifer offers no-cost group and individual counselling as well as legal and interpretation services to women who have experienced violence.
Catholic Family Service Toronto: Various locations; (416) 921-1163 (Central Toronto); (416) 222-0048 (North Toronto); Catholic Family Service Toronto provides sliding-scale individual, family, couple, and group therapy to people of all backgrounds – clients need not be Catholic. No one is turned away for inability to pay.
Center for Training in Psychotherapy (CTP) - ctptherapyreferralservice@gmail.com / http://ctp.net/ctp-referral-service/
Family Service Toronto: Various locations; (416) 595-9618 / https://familyservicetoronto.org/our-services/programs-and-services/counselling/
North York General Hospital, Mental Health Program - 416-756-6655 / http://www.mentalhealthhelpline.ca/Directory/Organization/1621
OISE Psychology Clinic - 252 Bloor St. W. - (416)-978-0654 / https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/aphd/Home/Psychology_Clinic/
Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre - https://pqwchc.org/programs-services/counselling-and-case-management/
Scarborough Women’s Centre - https://www.scarboroughwomenscentre.ca/counselling/ / 416-439-7111 / uwcounsellor@scarboroughwomenscentre.ca
Scarborough Hospital Services - http://www.tsh.to/areas-of-care/mental-health/
Sherbourne Health Center - 416-324-4180 / http://www.sherbourne.on.ca/programs/mentalhealth-faq.html
Women’s College Hospital - Brief Psychotherapy Centre for Women (BPCW) - 76 Grenville Street, Floor 7 / 416-323-6011 / https://www.womenscollegehospital.ca/care-programs/mental-health/bpcw/
WoodGreen Community Services / 815 Danforth Ave, first floor / (416) 572-3575 / cccentralintake@woodgreen.org
Counselling involves meeting with a counsellor over a set period of time (that the both of you set together) to work on a specific problem or concern. For therapeutic Counselling services, please contact Community Care Central Intake: cccentralintake@woodgreen.org or call (416) 572-3575
Case Management is a more hands-on, direct service that involves the case manager meeting with you in your home, in the community or in the office. They are able to accompany you to appointments and can help you navigate different systems, such as housing, legal, health care, etc. Some examples include: helping you apply for ODSP, connecting you to housing workers, finding you a doctor. For Case Management, referrals can be made directly through Access Point by visiting www.theaccesspoint.ca or by calling 1-888-640-1934
Support Groups / Group Therapy
Mood Disorders Association of Ontario - 36 Eglinton Ave. West, Suite 602 / http://www.mooddisorders.ca/programs?field_region_value_many_to_one=Toronto
Sheena’s Place - https://sheenasplace.org/ / 416-927-8900 / info@sheenasplace.org / 87 Spadina Road / free services and support groups for anyone 17+ affected by eating disorders.
Women’s College: Women Recovering from Abuse Program (WRAP) - 76 Grenville St, Toronto / info@wchospital.ca / 416-323-6400 / https://www.womenscollegehospital.ca/programs-and-services/mental-health/trauma-therapy-program/wrap
The Centre for Mindfulness Studies - https://www.mindfulnessstudies.com/ - Multiple Locations - (647) 524 6216 - info@mindfulnessstudies.com
Mental health charity that offers Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) and other community drop-ins, programs and workshops to learn mindfulness for mental health. Led by healthcare professionals, these programs are partially covered by OHIP, sliding scale and bursaries available. Wheelchair-accessible.
Walk-In Support
416 Community Support for Women - 416 Dundas St. E. / (416) 928-3334 / a daytime drop in program for women looking to gain or give support while coping with, isolation, addiction and/or mental health issues and other difficulties. Basic services include daily breakfast and lunch, weekly food bank, social/recreational programs and life skills training. The center also offers weekly medical clinics and mental health and addiction case management services on a daily basis.
519 Community Center Counselling Services - 416-392-6874 / info@the519.org / http://www.the519.org/programs/community-counselling
AIDS Committee of Toronto - 416-340-2437 / 543 Yonge Street, on the 4th floor / http://www.actoronto.org/programs-services/counselling
Family Service Toronto - 355 Church St, Toronto / https://familyservicetoronto.org/our-services/programs-and-services/walk-in-clinic/ / 416-595-9618
Stella’s Place Walk-in Counselling - https://stellasplace.ca/programs/ / 416-461-2345 / connect@stellasplace.ca
WoodGreen Walk-in counselling - 815 Danforth Ave, first floor / (416) 572-3575 / cccentralintake@woodgreen.org / https://www.woodgreen.org/ServiceDetail.aspx?id=266
Other Counselling Resources
Scarborough Womens Centre list of resources
Psychotherapy Referral Service: PRS is a referral service that, based on an intake interview, matches individuals with trained psychotherapists in Toronto. prs.toronto.com (416) 920-0655
Ontario Psychotherapy & Counseling Referral Network http://referrals.psychotherapyandcounseling.ca/ offers appointments with experienced psychotherapists - offers low cost psychotherapy / sliding scale
Psychology Today: Psychology Today maintains an online directory of therapists all over Canada and the U.S.A., with information about their location, therapy type, experience, insurance coverage etc. http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_search.php