Welcome to Our Care Model
As a U of T student, your mental health is incredibly important.
You’re part of a large and diverse group of students, and you need to be part of a community that allows you to thrive. University can be both stimulating and demanding at every stage, from your very first day all the way through to graduation.
This site provides information to students about with all of our mental health resource offerings in one place, so that finding the support you need is easy and accessible 24 hours a day, wherever you are.
Take advantage of the many mental health resources presented here and offered across all three U of T campuses – and remember that if you need support, every door at U of T is the right door to walk through.
Consistent Process, Custom Care
As students, you are at the heart of the University of Toronto’s mission of higher education and advanced research, and we want to support you as effectively as possible. We’re incredibly proud of your successes, but we know that challenges often come up along the way.
Across the University, important discussions about student well-being and mental health have been taking place, and students are showing great leadership. In March 2019, a four-point plan of action, including a Task Force on Student Mental Health mandated a review of the mental health supports and services we provide.
The Task Force completed its work and submitted its Final Report. The comprehensive and thoughtful recommendations in the report are a direct result of extensive feedback you’ve contributed, along with other members of the U of T community.
In order to provide a streamlined and simplified way to access mental health services, The Presidential and Provostial response to the Task Force report committed to a process redesign of mental health service delivery that would be based on a stepped model of care.
The new model will ensure that you have access to the care and resources you want and need, regardless of where you find yourself on the mental health continuum.
We encourage all of you – students, parents, faculty and staff to learn about the new model and explore the resources available to our community.
Flexible Wellness Journey
Many models of care exist to respond to student mental health needs. Everyone’s situation is unique and that’s why we have adopted a model of care that can be customized to deliver the right care at the right time for each student. Our model is a comprehensive system that organizes treatments by intensity and by readiness to participate. Students can access services along any of the steps at any point in their journey and can try new things at any time.
Self-Care
Information & Education
Self-Guided Activities
Peer to Peer Support
Organized Workshops
Guided
Learning
Group
Programs
One-On-One Sessions
Specialist
Care
Crisis Support & Care Team Planning
Care From Others
Information & Education
Resources can be accessed at any time and provide information that supports understanding mental health and wellness. These can be paper-based resources or accessed online through video, podcast, blogs, websites, and social media platforms.
Self-Guided Activities
Participation in these activities is self-managed and can be done as preferred. Activities can include workbooks/sheets, informal drop-in groups, and drop-in fitness classes among others.
Peer to Peer Support
Support is provided through sharing and active listening, both formal (trained) and informal (not trained). Peer support can be mental health focused, or genral support that provides opportunities for social connection.
Organized Workshops
Educational workshops are facilitated by health care professionals and health promotion staff on various topics and themes, including mindfulness, sleep, coping with anxiety, skill-building, overall wellness and more.
Guided Learning
These resources provide a blend of self-guided readings and activities with the opportunity to connect with a professional, either on-line or in person.
Group Programs
Evidence-based, skill-building group therapy sessions involve a group of peers led by a mental health professional and require regular participation for a set number of sessions.
One-On-One Sessions
Confidential individual meetings with a health care professional take place on a routine, continuing basis, and most often involve talk therapy.
Specialist Care
While remaining under the care of a primary care provider such as a physician or nurse, these resources give options to connect with a mental health specialist, such as a psychologist or a psychiatrist.
Crisis Support & Care Team Planning
These resources are for those in need of immediate crisis support. A team of health care professionals will help to facilitate treatment and recovery.
Core Components
This flexible wellness journey has several core components that support a student-centred approach, providing responsiveness in how care is planned, delivered and continuously improved. These components guide all aspects of the model and invite students to participate in their own care as desired.
Student Care Experience
- Daily access
- Individualized intervention
- Adaptable treatment plans
- Personalized care
Approach and Philosophy
- Stakeholder collaboration
- Accessible services
- Emphasized risk management
- Ongoing service
- Improvement recovery-oriented
