Telemental Health

Intended For

Intended For: Adults 18 years of age or older living in northern communities and community partners that serve First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis patients specifically who are seeking assessment or consultation in general psychiatry via videoconference.

Additional Referral Details

If clients meet the criteria, a referral must be sent on a CAMH referral form, including telepsychiatry referral cover sheet.

Inclusion Criteria

• clients must be living in a northern community or be served by an organization that serves First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis patients specifically

Exclusion Criteria

• clients 17 years of age or younger
• clients in crisis who require immediate care
• clients currently being followed by a psychiatrist
• clients seeking: assessment for legal purposes (i.e., psychiatric assessments recommended by legal team representing the patient or prosecution); psychiatric assessments recommended by employer; and psychiatric assessments to resolve disputes at work
• clients who refuse to participate via videoconference

Contact Phone Number:

416-535-8501 ext. 34778

More Contact Details:

Fax: 416-260-4186

Types of Treatment and Services Offered

• real-time consultation for client care via secure videoconferencing

Program Overview

Telepsychiatry, one of the services in the Telemental Health program, is a modality of care that delivers real-time client care via secure videoconferencing to people in northern communities, as well as community partners that serve First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis clients/patients specifically. This innovative and effective mode of health services delivery bridges geographical disparities and improves access to psychiatric care. Consultations typically take place in health care facilities including hospitals, primary care clinics, and community-based mental health facilities; they utilize a secure telecommunications connection through the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN).

The CAMH Telepsychiatry Service provides consultation and assessment for general psychiatry, whereby clients are placed on a waitlist to be assessed by the first available psychiatrist. CAMH Telepsychiatry has also partnered directly with Family Health Teams to provide both direct and indirect client care, as well as with Keewaytinook Okimakanak Telemedicine (KOTM) to provide care to clients in numerous First Nations communities in Ontario.

Clients must be notified that the consultation will take place via videoconference. Our Telepsychiatry Service is NOT a crisis service. Clients who are experiencing a mental health crisis should go to their nearest emergency department.

Ongoing treatment or therapy is not currently offered through the Telemental Health program.

CAMH is a teaching hospital committed to research in the field of mental health and addictions. As part of our ongoing efforts to improve client care and program development, CAMH Telepsychiatry may invite clients to participate in research and quality improvement initiatives.

For additional information about our Telepsychiatry Service, please click here.