Immediate Support Services for Youth
If you need someone to talk to, below is a list of resources available to young people in and around Toronto.
If you are in danger or are experiencing an emergency, please go to your nearest emergency department, call 911 or your local crisis support.
EMERGENCY AND 24/7 RESOURCES
Kids Help Phone
Text CONNECT to 686868 or Call 1-800-668-6868
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7, national support service. We offer professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people in both English and French
Gerstein Crisis Centre
Call (416) 929-5200
Gerstein Crisis Centre provides crisis intervention, wellness and recovery activities and training and education. Free and confidential crisis services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for adults 16+ in the City of Toronto who are dealing with mental health, concurrent, or substance use issues and are currently in crisis.
Good2Talk
Call 1-866-925-5454 or text GOOD2TALKON to 686868
Good2Talk is a free, confidential service for post secondary students in Ontario. Available 24/7/365. Post-secondary students can receive professional counselling and information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being.
Hope for Wellness Helpline
Call 1-855-242-3310 or use the online chat box to connect with a counsellor
Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all indigenous peoples across Canada
Distress Centres of Greater Toronto
Call 416-408-4357
Distress Centres of Greater Toronto supports with overwhelming emotional distress, social marginalization and mistreatment. For an emergency response, their 408-Help Lines allow you to connect with our well-trained volunteer responders who can provide you with timely support.
Michael Garron Virtual Emergency Department
Click here
Michael Garron Hospital’s Virtual Emergency Department offers same-day virtual care video appointments for patients in East Toronto who are three months of age or older and are experiencing an urgent but non-life threatening health issue.
CAMH Crisis Resources
visit us: https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/crisis-resources
Provides more information on Distress lines and Mobile Crisis Response Teams (24 hrs/7 days) Toronto and GTA
To walk in to see a doctor to refill your medication, you can go to the CAMH Bridging Clinic and for more immediate support, go right to the CAMH Emergency Room to be matched with a psychiatrist.
YOUTH SUPPORT COMMUNITIES
Stella’s Place
Call (416) 461-2345
Stella's Place provides comprehensive mental health services for 16 to 29 year olds. Their services are provided in a positive, peer engaging, non-residential community setting. Services offered include: peer support, clinical, employment, wellness, studio and recovery programs to help young adults learn skills, find connection and be empowered to manage their own health.
Youth Wellness Hubs
Call at (416) 482-0081 X 5 for the Central Toronto location
The Youth Wellness Hubs are fully integrated spaces for youth aged 12-25, designed to address their needs related to mental health, substance use, primary care, education, employment, training, housing and other community and social services. Check out the website for a location convenient for you.
What’s up walk in
Call 1-866-585-6486 to be connected to a counsellor
Offers free virtual mental health counselling between the hours of 9AM-7PM, Monday to Friday. Services offer immediate mental health counselling for children, youth, young adults and their families.
Progress Place WarmLine
Between 12PM-8PM, call (416) 323-3721
Between 8PM-Midnight, call (416) 960-9276
Text (647) 557-5882
If you are feeling lonely, isolated, anxious, depressed or in need of a friendly ear chat online, text or call a Warm Line Peer support worker.
2SLGBTQ+
Trans LifeLine
Call (877) 330-6366
Trans Lifeline is run by and for trans people. It is a non-profit organization offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis - for the trans community, by the trans community. Connects trans people to the community support and resources needed to survive and thrive.
LGBT Youthline
Call or text (647) 694-4275 or Live Chat via website
Youth Line offers confidential and non-judgemental peer support through telephone, text and chat services. It is a Queer, Trans, Two-Spirit youth-led organization that affirms and supports the experiences of youth (29 and under) across Ontario. Get in touch with a peer support volunteer from Sunday-Friday, 4:00 PM-9:30 PM
Friends of Ruby
Call (416) 359-0237
Located at 489 Queen St. East, Lower Level, Toronto, ON
Friends of Ruby is a welcoming space for LGBTQI2S youth, supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and two-spirit youth (aged 16-19) through counselling, housing, practical assistance and multiple activities.
WOMEN AND FEMME SPECIFIC
Assaulted Women’s Helpline
Call 1-877-488-4215
For TTY line call 1-877-488-4215
The Assaulted Women's Helpline is a free and confidential 24 hour telephone and TTY crisis telephone line to all women in the province of Ontario who have experienced any form of abuse. They provide crisis counselling, safety planning, emotional support, information and referrals. Accessible 7 days a week 365 days a year.
Fem’aide
Call 1-877-336-2433
Fem'aide is a service offered to french speaking womxn who have experience gender-based violence with support, information and referrals to appropriate services in their community. These services are offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Fem'aide also responds to inquiries made by relatives of womxn experiencing abuse.
Talk4Healing
Call 1-855-554-4325
Talk4healing is a culturally grounded, fully confidential helpline for Indigenous womxn available in 14 languages all across Ontario. Provides culturally sensitive crisis counselling, advice and support, personalized information and referrals, acceptance of Aboriginal womxn's issues in a non-judgemental way, helps to find the path to personal healing and scheduled counselling sessions.
INDIGENOUS RESOURCES
ENAGB Indigenous Youth Agency
Call (416) 604-0300
The ENAGB Indigenous Youth Agency focuses on providing cultural, employment, life skills, holistic wellness and recreational opportunities to Indigenous youth ages 12-24. Programming is designed through Indigenous youth participation and works to build self-esteem, confidence, skills and self-determination
Talk4Healing
Call 1-855-554-4325
Talk4healing is a culturally grounded, fully confidential helpline for Indigenous womxn available in 14 languages all across Ontario. Provides culturally sensitive crisis counselling, advice and support, personalized information and referrals, acceptance of Aboriginal womxn's issues in a non-judgmental way, helps to find the path to personal healing and scheduled counselling sessions. (24/7 Service)
Anishnawbe Health Toronto
Anishnawbe Health Toronto offers access to health care practitioners from many disciplines including Traditional Healers, Elders and Medicine People. Their mission is to improve the health and well-being of Aboriginal People in spirit, mind, emotion and body by providing Traditional Healing within a multi-disciplinary health care model.
COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
Back to school during COVID-19: Helping with children’s anxiety
Because of COVID-19, many children are experiencing higher levels of worry and distress about going back to school. This information sheet presents some strategies to help you identify your child’s level of anxiety, and support their mental health as they prepare to return to school in person.
Back to school during COVID-19: Tips for parents’ well-being
With most children returning to the classroom in September for at least part of the week, there will be changes to daily routines that may present challenges for children, parents and the family as a whole. This information sheet includes tips to help make the transition smoother, and strategies to support you as you prepare for your child to return to school in person.
Talking to children about COVID-19 and its impact
This time may be very challenging for children and adolescents, and they may have questions about the pandemic, school closures, and information that they may hear from other sources that can cause anxiety and alarm. This information sheet contains tips on how to have open, honest, informative conversations with your kids about COVID-19.
COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR YOUTH
Coping During COVID-19: Virtual Resources for Youth
This information sheet provides tips to help young people find mental health services, along with a list of resources they can use to support themselves.
Coping during COVID-19: A resource for youth
The information sheet offers ways for young people to take care of themselves and focus on their mental health, from stress-beating strategies to staying connected and informed.
ABCoping with COVID-19: A resource for youth
An A-to-Z list of ideas to help young people keep occupied when at home, self-isolating, or during times of lockdown.
Reflection Exercise: Cup of Gratitude
This worksheet teaches young people a mindfulness and reflection exercise to support their mental health during COVID-19.
Coping with COVID-19: A resource for trans and non-binary youth
This info sheet, by and for trans and non-binary youth, offers tips, validation and resources to help with coping during the pandemic.
