Crisis Lines and Resources in Ottawa

CMHA Ottawa does not offer crisis services. If you are experiencing a mental health, addictions or substance use medical emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.

If you’re experiencing a non-emergency crisis in the Ottawa area, you can check out the resources below to help you get through it.

Distress and Crisis Lines:

• The Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region answers calls 24/7, with distress and crisis line specialists providing confidential, bilingual support. Call 613-238-3311.
  • You can now text and chat with the Distress Centre between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., seven days a week. Text 343-306-5550 or chat www.dcottawa.on.ca.
• The Mental Health Crisis Line is bilingual and answers calls for people ages 16 or older 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Callers can reach the line at 613-722-6914.
• 9-8-8 is for anyone who is thinking about suicide, or who is worried about someone they know. Connect to a responder to get help without judgement. Call or text 9-8-8 toll-free, anytime for support in English or French. For more information, visit https://988.ca.
• Tel-Aide Outaouais offers French-language mental health telephone support from 8 a.m. to midnight every day. Ottawa residents can call 613-741-6433 and Gatineau residents can contact 819-775-3223.
• Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868) provides confidential phone and web counselling for children ages 20 and under, 24/7.
• Youth Services Bureau (YSB) provides youth and family counselling, crisis support, a 24/7 crisis line at 613-260-2360, walk-in counselling and an online crisis chat service for youth at http://chat.ysb.ca.
• The National Overdose Response Service (NORS) is a national phone-based overdose prevention service to support Canadians and countless Indigenous communities. The service works by calling 1-888-688-NORS (6677). A caller is then connected to a virtual overdose supervisor who will monitor them for 15-30 min after they use. During the call, if there is a concern of overdose, such as the client becoming non-responsive, the supervisor will connect with local 911 dispatch services.

AccessMHA: One access point for mental health and addictions services in Eastern Ontario

Are you looking for support for your mental health or substance use/addiction? Navigating the complex and sometimes confusing healthcare system can be challenging. Our friends at AccessMHA can help.

Visit AccessMHA.ca for free mental health and/or substance use/addictions support, services, and care. AccessMHA is a web-based service that provides a single point of entry to Eastern Ontario’s system of care for mental health and addictions. It’s designed to help individuals, their supporters, and health care providers connect with appropriate services in a timely manner and support them through the process.

Counselling Connect: Free access to a same-day or next-day phone or video counselling session

Counselling Connect provides free individual counselling and support groups. Its services are for people of all ages in Ottawa and the surrounding area, from Renfrew to Cornwall and the places in between. Services are offered in several languages.

Information lines:

• Call 2-1-1 for information on the full range of community, social, government and health services and programs available in Ottawa and how to access those services.
• ConnexOntario
  • Problem gambling helpline: 1-888-230-3505 – opgh.on.ca
  • Addictions helpline: 1-800-565-8603 – dart.on.ca
  • Mental health helpline: 1-866-531-2600 – mhsio.on.ca
  • ConnexGo app

BounceBack: Free skill-building program managed designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, depression, anxiety, stress or worry

BounceBack is a free skill-building program managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). It is designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression and anxiety, stress or worry. Delivered over the phone with a coach and through online videos, you will get access to tools that will support you on your path to mental wellness.

The team at BounceBack has increased their capacity amid the COVID-19 pandemic.