Finding Help
If you need help in an emergency or are in crisis:
- visit your local emergency department or call 911
- contact a distress centre in Ontario near you (phone numbers provided below).
Update: In light of the current Canada Post strike, online giving is the quickest and most effective way to support CAMH.
Donate hereIf you are in an emergency, in crisis or need someone to talk to, there is help.
View Crisis ResoucesCrisis Resources
If you are in an emergency, in crisis or need someone to talk to, there is a list of resources available for areas in and around Toronto.
Distress lines
When in need of someone to talk to. Operated by various agencies. Open 24 hours a day (unless otherwise indicated):
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call or text 9-8-8
- Toronto Distress Centres: 416 408-4357 or 408-HELP
- Gerstein Centre: 416 929-5200
- Spectra Helpline: 416 920-0497 or 905 459-7777 for Brampton and Mississauga residents
TTY: 905 278-4890; Languages: English, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Spanish, Portuguese - Assaulted Women's Helpline: 416 863-0511; Toll-free: 1 866 863-0511
- Kids Help Phone: 1 800 668-6868; Languages: English and French
- Community Crisis Line Scarborough and Rouge Hospital: 416 495-2891 for 24/7 telephone crisis support.
Service borders: south to the lake, north to Steeles Avenue, east to Port Union Road, and west to Victoria Park - Durham Crisis and Mental Health Line: 905 666-0483
- Distress Centre Halton: For Residents of the Halton Region (Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville). Oakville: 905-849-4541; Burlington: 905-681-1488; Milton/Halton Hills: 905-877-1211
Mobile Crisis Response Teams (24 hrs/7 days) Toronto
Toronto:
- Gerstein Centre Crisis Line: 416 929-5200 service borders: south to the lake, north to Eglinton, and then north to Highway 401 (between Bathurst and Bayview), east to Bayview to Danforth and then to Victoria Park, west to Islington Ave.
- St. Mike’s Hospital Mobile Crisis Team via Police Department (911) accessible through police (no direct number). Response team consists of a police officer and a mental health nurse.
- St. Joseph’s Hospital Mobile Crisis Team via Police Department (911) accessible through police (no direct number).
Scarborough/East York
- Scarborough Hospital Regional Mobile Crisis Team via Police Department (911) accessible through police (no direct number).
York Region:
- Community Crisis Response Service, Distress Centre: Toll Free: 1 855 310-COPE (2673)
Peel Region:
- Mobile Crisis of Peel: 905 278-9036, 24 hours, 7 days a week (Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon)
- Credit Valley Hospital; Emergency Department: 905 813-4141. Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and statutory holidays, 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. The mobile crisis team only meets with individuals who are registered in the emergency departments at either Credit Valley Hospital or Mississauga Hospital. Note: Emergency Department is unable to offer medical advice over the phone. Please call Telehealth for medical advice at 1 866 797-0000.
Hamilton
- St. Joseph’s Hospital Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST): 905 972-8338
Halton
- Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST): 1 877 825-9011. Covers: Oakville, Milton, Georgetown, Acton and Burlington.
Community Crisis Supports
- Toronto Community Crisis Service. Run by the City of Toronto, the Toronto Community Crisis Service sends out mobile crisis teams to provide a community-based support for people who are in crisis or who need a wellbeing check, without involving the police.
The service is currently available in four areas of Toronto. In each area, the mobile crisis response is provided by different partners:
- Northeast Toronto/Scarborough – in partnership with Taibu Community Health Centre
- Downtown East Toronto – in partnership with Gerstein Crisis Centre
- Downtown West Toronto - Kamaamwizme wii Naagidiwendiiying – in partnership with 2-Spirited People of the First Nation, ENAGB Indigenous Youth Agency and Niiwin Wendaanimak / Four Winds Indigenous Health and Wellness Program
- Northwest Toronto – in partnership with Canadian Mental Health Association Toronto, Addiction Services of Central Ontario, Black Creek Community Health Centre, Black Health Alliance, CAFCAN, Jane/Finch Community and Family Centre, Rexdale Community Health Centre
You can access the Toronto Community Crisis Service if you are in the above parts of Toronto by calling 2-1-1 or 9-1-1, or directly by contacting the Gerstein Crisis Centre or the 2-Spirited People of the First Nation. Phone-based Information & Referral services are also available through Findhelp 211.
Specialized Resources
- Multilingual Distress Line: Provides emotional support, crisis intervention and suicide prevention, intervention & postvention in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm EST. For at risk and vulnerable individuals in Peel Region.
Phone: 905-459-7777 - Trans Lifeline: Provides peer support by trans people for trans and questioning callers. Crisis and other supports and resources are provided in both English and Spanish from 10:00 am to 4:00 am EST.
Phone: 1-877-330-6366 - LGBT YouthLine: Provides peer support by and for 2SLGBTQ+ people 29 and under across Ontario. Trained peer support volunteers with a diversity of 2SLGBTQ+ identities provide a range of supports, including: questioning gender identity/sexual orientation; coming out; mental health; relationships; social isolation; and referrals to further supports. Phone, text and chat is available from Sunday to Friday, 4:00 pm to 9:30 pm EST. This is not a crisis line. Those in immediate crisis will be referred to their local distress centre, Kids Help Phone or Trans Lifeline. Please note that the phone line is currently unavailable, but text and chat support remain available. Check youthline.ca for updates.
Text: 647-694-4275, Chat: youthline.ca, Phone: 1-800-268-9688 - Naseeha: An international hotline that provides youth and particularly Muslim youth with the tools needed to address a range of issues including mental health, drugs and alcohol, bullying, religion, marriage and divorce, domestic issues, pornography, and career or work related issues. Peer-counsellors provide immediate, anonymous, and confidential support over the phone from 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm, 7 days a week and text support from 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
Phone: 1-866-627-3342 (NASEEHA), Text: 1 (866) 627-3342 (NASEEHA) - Black Youth Helpline: This multicultural youth helpline and service serves all youth and specifically responds to the needs of Black youth. Contact with the helpline results in a professional, culturally relevant assessment aimed at identifying root causes of problems and informs next steps. The helpline can be accessed by youth, families, schools and other stakeholders. Service is provided in English. French and other languages available upon request. Other languages are available upon request. This is not a crisis line. The helpline is open from 9am to 10pm, 7 days a week. Clients can also submit service requests 24 hours a day using the 'contact us form' on the website blackyouth.ca.
Toronto phone: 416-285-9944, National phone: 1-833-294-8650, Email: info@blackyouth.ca - Toronto Seniors Helpline/ Woodgreen Crisis Outreach Services for Seniors: The helpline provides information about home care and community care, and offers over-the-phone supportive counselling, de-escalation, and safety planning to seniors in emotional distress or crisis from 9:00am to 8:00pm Monday to Friday and 10:00am to 6:00pm on weekends. The helpline can connect callers to Woodgreen’s mobile crisis intervention and outreach service for adults 65+ with dementia, addictions or mental illness who need temporary, short-term support. The mobile service is staffed by crisis workers who can provide in-person assessment, crisis counselling, short-term intensive case management, harm reduction and concurrent disorder services, mental health and addictions support and referrals to other services. The mobile crisis team is available 365 days a year from 9:00am-5:00pm.
Phone: 416-217-2077 - Talk 4 Healing: Provides support and resources for Indigenous women, by Indigenous women, across Ontario, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Services are grounded in Indigenous culture, wisdom and tradition and are available in Oji-Cree, Ojibway, Cree, Algonquin, Inuktitut, Mohawk, Oneida, Odawa, Potawatomi, Micmac, Black Foot, Anishinaabe, Moose Cree, Swampy Cree and English and French
Phone: 1-855-554-HEAL (4325), Text: 1-855-554-HEAL (4325), Chat: talk4healing.com, Visit Talk4Healing on Facebook & Twitter - National Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line: This national service provides support to former Residential School students in crisis 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Support is provided by trained crisis counsellors, many of whom are Indigenous.
Phone: 1-866-925-4419 - Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape: Provides private and confidential crisis intervention and support services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to: anyone who has been raped, sexually assaulted or experienced physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, ritual or financial abuse; anyone who has had unwanted sexual touching; incest survivors; survivors of childhood and adult sexual assault and family and/or friends. Referrals can be made to other services.
Phone: 416-597-8808 - Assaulted Women’s Helpline: Provides anonymous and confidential crisis counselling, safety planning, emotional support, information and referrals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all women in Ontario who have experienced any form of abuse. Services are also available at all times for women who are deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing.
Phone: 1-866-863-0511, TTY: 1-866-863-7868 - Victim Services Toronto: The Victim Crisis Response Program provides immediate on-scene crisis response, intervention, and prevention services to victims, survivors, family members and witnesses of crime and sudden tragedies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Also provides follow-up referrals to a wide range of programs, services and counselling. The Crisis Response team pairs a Crisis Counsellor with expertise in trauma management and crisis intervention with a trained volunteer. The Crisis Response Program is reflective of the diverse communities in Toronto and provides services in over 35 languages. Please note that some of these services have been modified during COVID-19.
Phone: 416-808-7066 - Warden Woods Community Centre COVID-19 All-in-One Support line: Provides complete support in one place for anyone in need, Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Services include crisis support, mental health support, harm reduction, homelessness prevention, eviction prevention, LGBTQ+ support, seniors support, conflict resolution, homework help, food safety and access to government support.
Phone: 647-327-0206, Email: Supportline@wardenwoods.com
One more life lost to suicide is one too many
As Canada’s leading mental health research hospital, CAMH is dedicated to suicide prevention. We investigate, develop and implement treatments and policies that give people hope for a better tomorrow. We hope you find the following resources for you and your family helpful.
I’m worried about myself
If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, there are resources available to help you.
More InformationI’m worried about myself.
If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, you are deserving of help and can call 1-833-456-4566. If you feel safe in the moment, follow up with your family physician or care team. If you require immediate, in-person emergency care, call 911, or go to your nearest emergency department.
If you are at risk for suicide, you may:
- notice a sudden change in your mood or behaviour
- feel a sense of hopelessness and helplessness
- express the wish to die or end your life
- increase substance use
- withdraw from people and activities that you previously enjoyed
- experience changes in sleeping patterns
- have a decreased appetite
- give away prized possessions or make preparations for your death (for example, creating a will)
It is important to remember that suicide is preventable. Most people who have suicidal thoughts or have attempted suicide go on to live full, meaningful lives.
I’m worried about someone I know
If you think someone you care about may be at risk of suicide, there are steps you can take to help them through this difficult time.
More InformationI’m worried about someone I know
It may be difficult to know if a person is thinking about suicide, but familiarizing yourself with common warning signs can better prepare you to notice someone who is at risk.
People who are at risk for suicide may:
- show a sudden change in mood or behaviour
- show a sense of hopelessness and helplessness
- express the wish to die or end their life
- increase substance use
- withdraw from people and activities that they previously enjoyed
- experience changes in sleeping patterns
- have a decreased appetite
- give away prized possessions or make preparations for their death (for example, creating a will)
If you’re worried someone you know may be at risk of suicide, be direct and ask them if they have been experiencing suicidal thoughts. Reaching out can save a life.
Read More
My life has been affected by suicide
If someone dear to you has died by suicide, there are dedicated resources that can support you through your grief and help you make sense of what has happened.
More InformationMy life has been affected by suicide
When a loved one dies by suicide, your emotions can overwhelm you. As you face life after a loved one’s suicide, using healthy coping strategies and seeking support from others will help you begin the journey to healing and acceptance.
The grieving process is different for each person and there is no timeline for grief. It’s important to remember that what you’re feeling is normal.
- Most survivors find that they cannot stop asking “Why?”
- You are not to blame for the suicide of someone close to you.
- You don’t need to go through it alone. If your feelings become too much, seek support from a loved one or talk to a mental health professional.
It may be difficult to speak openly about suicide, but it is important to tell family and friends the truth. This allows them to help each other cope with their grief while also helping you work through yours. When talking to children and young people about suicide, use words that match their age and development. Reassure them that suicide is never anyone’s fault.
Remind yourself you will survive. There will be times when your grief is overwhelming. But you will learn how to cope and heal in a way that honours the memory of your loved one. It is hard to believe now, but you will get through it. And as time goes on, the pain will lessen.
Read MoreKnowledge is empowering
CAMH has developed a catalogue of research-informed educational materials on the topic of suicide, mental illness and addictions. By knowing the facts, you can help dispel the myths and taboos that lead to shame and silence.
Helpful Resources
When a family member is suicidal
When a parent dies by suicide: What kids want to know
When someone close to you dies by suicide
What suicide notes teach us about experiences with mental illness and mental health care
Words matter
By learning how to talk about suicide in a hopeful, respectful way, we can ensure suicide is seen for what it is: a public health problem, not a moral weakness.
For more information, download our full language guide below.
Language GuideKeep in touch with CAMH
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