Mental Health and Wellness Resources
If you ever feel you need help, we are here for you. If it's an emergency or someone is in danger, call 911 immediately.
In our schools, educators, administrators, guidance departments (secondary), and support workers are available to help students and direct families to resources. We work closely with trusted community partners and organizations.
Below is a list of organizations, community partners and resources to support the mental health and well-being of students, families and staff.
- Call 911 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.
- The Children's Aid Society of Ottawa
To report any concern about the safety and/or well-being of a children or youth under the age of 18 years call 613-747-7800 (24/7). - YSB-24/7 Crisis Line & Chat: Services available for children and youth ages 18 & under and for parents, guardians and friends concerned about a young person in crisis.
- Call 613-260-2360 or online chat
- Kids Help Phone: Provides non-judgmental, inclusive services available to young people across Canada 24/7.
- 1-800-668-6868 or online chat
- Distress Centre of Ottawa-Carleton: Support available to all residents regardless of age.
- Crisis Line 613-238-3311 or chat service
- LGBTQ Youthline: Provides confidential, informed, LGBTQ2SI peer support that affirms and supports the experiences of youth (29 & under).
- Call 1-800-268-9688
- Text or live chat is also available at youthline.ca
- Hope for Wellness Helpline: Available for all Indigenous peoples across Canada, offers experienced and culturally competent counsellors.
- Call 1-855-242-3310 or online chat. Phone counselling is also available in Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut.
- Métis Nation of Ontario: This is a 24-hour Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line.
- Call 1-877-767-7572
- Mental Health Mobile Crisis Team: Responds to calls from individuals, family members, and professionals in the community, providing support for mental health crises through assessment, short-term intervention, links to community supports, and liaison with other health and social service providers.
- Call 613-722-6914
- Interval House of Ottawa: Provides help to women and gender-diverse people who are experiencing or fleeing domestic and gender-based violence.
- Visit Interval House of Ottawa
- Call their crisis line at 613-234-5181
- Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: Provides confidential, multilingual, support to connect victims and survivors to emergency, transitional and long term services in communities across Canada.
- Call 1-833-900-1010 (24/7)
- Non-Insured Health Benefits: This is provided based on Status and N Number. This service includes 20+ sessions of government paid mental health counselling support per year.
- Call General NIHB Inquiries at 1-800-640-0642 (toll free) and ask for the list of practitioners in Ottawa.
- Free mental health counselling for those who have attended residential school, or have a close family member who attended residential school: Regardless of status or N number,
- National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: This provides support for former students and those affected.
- Emotional and crisis referral services can be accessed by calling the 24-hour national crisis line at 1-866-925-4419.
- Inuuqatigiit Center for Children, Youth and Families: Provides cultural, educational, recreational and social support services to children, youth and families of Ottawa’s Inuit community.
- Métis Nation of Ontario:
- Call 1-877-767-7572 for the 24/7 crisis and addictions line, or
- Call 613-217-3143 for children and youth looking for non-urgent support services.
- Minwaashin Lodge Centre for Indigenous Women: Provides a range of programs and services, including emergency shelter, to First Nations, Inuit and Metis women and children who are survivors of domestic and other forms of violence.
- Website: Minwaashin Lodge
- Hope for Wellness: Telephone and online chat counselling available, 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all Indigenous people across Canada.
- Call 1-855-242-3310, or
- Visit Hope for Wellness Helpline
- Talk 4 Healing: A 24/7 help, support and resource service for Indigenous women, offered in English as well as many Indigenous languages.
- Call or text 1-855-554-HEAL, or
- Visit Talk4healing
- Odawa Native Friendship Centre: Provides a variety of supports and programs to enhance the quality of life of Indigenous peoples living in the Ottawa Area.
- Website: Odawa Native Friendship Centre
- Wabano Centre: Provides cultural programming and comprehensive health care to Indigenous peoples.
- Call 613-748-0657, or
- Visit Wabano Centre - Indigenous Mental Wellness Services Ottawa
- Black Youth Helpline: Provides support to black youth through their helpline open 9am-10pm everyday.
- Call 416-285-9944, or
- Visit Black Youth Helpline
- Jaku Konbit: Supports families and individuals of African and Caribbean descent through programming and community supports.
- Call 613-567-0600, or
- Visit Jaku Konbit
- RiseUp powered by Kids Help Phone: 24/7 bilingual mental health support for Black youth informed by their rich cultures and diverse lived experiences.
- Text RISE to 686868, or
- Visit Support for Black youth: RiseUp powered by Kids Help Phone
- Somali Centre for Family Services: Provides assistance to refugees and immigrants, particularly Somali families and individuals, including mental health programs for children and youth.
- Call 613-526-2075.
- BRISC - Black Racialized Individuals Support Channel: Available to children, youth and adults; the program provides support via telephone for racialized individuals. All Ottawa residents who require support are welcome to access this service. Support is offered in English, French, Somali, Arabic, Swahili and Lingala
- Call 613-820-0853, or
- Visit BRISC
- CRSD - Center for Resilience and Social Development: has a variety of free mental health services that are culturally responsive and trauma-informed.
- Visit thecrsd.org to access individual counselling, groups and advocacy support, or
- Call 613-686-6333
- SAPACCY - Substance Abuse Program for African Canadian and Caribbean Youth: Connects Black youth with Black clinicians for mental health and substance use support. They offer africentric supports including counselling, assessment, case management and referrals, as well as caregiver supports.
- Book an appointment online
- Email sapaccy@upstreamottawa.ca
- Call 613-248-3330
- Naseeha Mental Health: Provides Muslim-specific mental health support through a help-line and more comprehensive services.
- Call or text 7 days a week for mental health support for Muslim and non-Muslim youth: 1 (866) 627-3342.
- These Mosques offer free counselling for children, youth and adults by appointment:
- Ottawa Mosque - Support is offered in English and Arabic.
- Jami Omar Mosque - Support is offered in English and Arabic.
- Rahma Mosque/AMA Community Centre - Support is offered in various languages.
- Muslim Family Services of Ottawa: Non-profit community service and mental health organization. Culturally responsive counseling and psychotherapy center. Sliding scale fee/subsidy. Services are available to all residents.
- Call (613) 562-2273 or visit Muslim Family Services of Ottawa.
- NISA Helpline: Confidential, anonymous and free 12-hr helpline for Muslim women across North America that offers mental health support and peer counselling.
- Call 1-888-315-NISA (6472) or visit NISA Helpline.
- Sakeenah Canada: Services: shelters, financial assistance, counselling, case work, safety and sustainability planning, cultural sensitivity training. Locations: Ontario: Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Ottawa, London
- Call +1 (888) 671-3446 or email info@sakeenahhomes.com
- Youth Services Bureau: 24/7 Crisis Line can be reached at 613-260-2360. Online crisis chat.
- Spectrum LGBTQ Community Youth Group - Youth Services Jeunesse provides an opportunity to connect with peers.
- LGBTQ Youthline: Provides service for youth, by youth that affirms the experiences and aspirations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, 2-spirited and queer youth.
- Call 1-800-268-9688 or visit LGBT YouthLine
- Around the Rainbow: A community-based program that provides a full range of education, counselling and support services offered by Family Services Ottawa.
- Kindspace: A community centre for 2SLGBTQ+ community members, providing resources, events, social and educational programming.
- Visit kindspace.ca
- Trans Lifeline: Peer support phone service run by trans people for trans and questioning peers.
- Call 1-877-330-6366 or visit translifeline.org
- Catholic Centre for Immigrants: CCI helps refugees and immigrants settle and adapt to their new lives in Ottawa, and provides settlement, language, employment and youth services.
- Call 613-232-9634 or visit cciottawa.ca
- Immigrant Women’s Services: A community-based organization that helps immigrant and racialized women through crisis support, counselling, interpretation and settlement services.
- Call 613-729-3145 or visit immigrantwomenservices.com
- OCISO (Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization): Provides a variety of supports including counselling, employment and youth programs to help immigrants and refugees in the journey of making Canada home.
- Call 613-725-5671 x316, visit ociso.org or email info@ociso.org
- YMCA/YWCA Newcomer Information Centre: Provides access to vital information and referral services at locations in central, east and west Ottawa. There is no cost to participate. Visit their website.
- Jewish Family Services Ottawa: Offers multilingual Settlement Services to all newcomers, no matter your cultural, ethnic and linguistic background. Visit their website.
- Jewish Family Services: JFS offers counselling programs for children, youth and families, settlement support as well as financial assistance for low income Jewish people. Visit the website for a full range of services provided.
- Call 613-722-2225 or visit jfsottawa.com
- Ten Yad of Ottawa: A grassroots community organization dedicated to helping individuals and families within the Jewish community during life-altering situations.
- Call 613-618-0485 or visit tenyad.ca
- Ottawa Kosher Food Bank: A food bank dedicated to providing kosher food to Ottawa families who are in need
- Visit .okfb.wordpress.com
- Tamir: Tamir supports people with Developmental Disabilities and people with Autism to live their best life by promoting individuality, independence, dignity, and community inclusion while embracing Jewish culture and values.
- Call 613-725-3519 or visit tamir.ca
- 1Call1Click: 1Call1Click.ca helps children, youth and families connect with the right mental health and addiction services and care when they need it. Visit the website or call 613-260-2360 (extension 2)
- Counselling Connect: Provides free access to a same-day or next day phone or video counselling.
- Crossroads Children’s Mental Health Services: Free mental health services for children under age 12.
- Youth Services Bureau-Mental Health Services: For youth ages 12-18 yrs & their families. call 613-562-3004.
- One Stop Talk: Free virtual counselling with a certified counsellor, available 6 days a week in more than 200 languages.
- Parents Lifeline of Eastern Ontario: Offers peer support for parents/caregivers of young people facing mental health challenges. 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Call: 613-321-3211.
- 211 Ontario: Information on community and social services.
- Walk-In Counselling Clinic: Offers everyone; adults, children, youth and couples, immediate and free counselling with qualified Registered Counsellors in many locations in the Ottawa area.
- Family Services Ottawa: Counselling and support services to families, parents and children, with a variety of specialized programs.
- Rideauwood Addictions and Family Services: provides support to those who are struggling with substance use and behavioural addictions. They also provide support to those whose family members are struggling with substances. Call 613-724-4881.
- YouTurn Youth Support Services: provides support and advocacy for those who are at risk of or who have become involved with the criminal justice system, including programs for street level violence and anti-human trafficking.
- Bereaved Families of Ontario, Ottawa Regio: Inspiring hope and healing for people who are grieving.
- Unsafe at Home Ottawa: Visit the website to chat, or text or send a WhatsApp message to 613-704-5535.
- Hopewell Eating Disorder Support Centre: Offers support, resources and hope to those who are affected by an eating disorder.