I am having an emergency and I need help now (24/7)

I require immediate assistance to manage my safety or the safety of others

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No matter where you are, you will be connected with a crisis responder 24/7 who will listen, without judgment, and help you find the resources you need. You can call this number if you are feeling lost, hopeless, or thinking about suicide. You can call if you are worried about yourself or worried about someone else.

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Get Emergency Help | 9-1-1

911 is an emergency helpline that connects you with 24/7 first responders, such as police, fire, or an ambulance. If you need immediate assistance, are in danger, or need to go to hospital, call 911.

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Understanding the Mental Health Care System

How the Mental Health Care System Works in Ontario

The mental health care system has public (funded by the government) and private (fee for service) options. Different organizations provide a variety of mental health care. In Ontario, unless it is an emergency, patients, clients including students, do not need to go to a hospital emergency department to access services.

Different Types of Care

Family doctors and nurse practitioners can assess both physical and mental health conditions, prescribe medications, and make referrals to specialist care, such as psychiatry.

As a U of T student, you may already have a regular doctor or nurse practitioner which you should continue to use. For those who are new to Toronto or don’t already have a doctor, you have access to the U of T Health Centres, additional U of T resources or community walk in clinics.

U of T health centres offer a range of services that may also be found with other local agencies. The key difference is on-campus the service is customized to the needs of students.

However, community organizations may offer specialized services that are tailored to a specific need or specialized cultural or religious considerations.

While the health centres make every effort to ensure their counsellors can respond to the needs of our diverse student population, there will be times when a community referral is the best way to support a specific student. This is a growing and dynamic area of health care with resources available changing each year.

Specialized mental health services, such as psychiatry, group therapy, individual therapy can be found in outpatient services within a hospital. These services are considered ‘clinical’ supports for those with diagnosed mental illnesses. These services require a referral from a family doctor or nurse practitioner.

There are often waiting lists for these services so ensure you ask about the wait times. Most of these programs have ‘time limits’ or ‘session limits’ on the help they provide. Psychiatry is often a consultation service, not a long term support and will often refer you back to your family doctor for continued care.

There are many private therapists who offer individual therapy, ADHD assessments, or residential treatment for substance use disorders. The cost can be covered by private health insurance, employee assistance programs, or be paid directly by you.

Wait times can be (but not always) shorter for private mental health care. Be sure to check whether you have health insurance coverage for specific providers, as coverage can vary for social work, psychology, psychotherapy, occupational therapy, etc.

U of T has a workshop to help with this and can be found at here.

A mental health crisis occurs when the situation is so urgent that the person must have immediate help to address their personal safety. Hospital emergency departments are open 24/7 with specially trained mental health staff who will provide immediate assistance which might result in a hospital admission or referrals to other resources.

A person in crisis can also call the National Crisis Helpline by dialing 988 or through the TELUS Health Student Support app available to U of T students.

Helpful Tips

Healthcare can be complicated and having support is helpful.

Develop a support plan for unexpected health events:

If you want your parents or other loved ones to know you are having a health emergency, list them as an emergency contact with your health clinic. They can also be listed on your university registration and with residence if you live on campus. Without this specific consent, your loved ones cannot be contacted and notifying them will be delayed until you provide consent in the moment.

Differences from Paediatric to Adult Healthcare Systems

As a university student, this may be the first time you are accessing health care as an adult. In the Ontario healthcare system, you are considered an adult once you turn 18. There are a number of important legal and system changes that relate to this transition:

A doctor examines a patient at the Health Services clinic.

Decision Making

You are expected to manage your own healthcare, make your own decisions. You can still have family members support you (attend appointments, help with treatment decisions) but they cannot decide for you next steps in care.

General Views of the University of Toronto Mississauga campus

Privacy

A student’s medical information is protected by the Personal Health Information Privacy Act (PHIPA) and is private. Information cannot be shared without your expressed consent – this includes your family members or anyone at the university.

Records

There is no automatic process of transitioning child healthcare records to an adult provider. You must request your old records and ask them to be sent to your new clinic.

Differences from Paediatric to Adult Healthcare Systems

Paediatric Healthcare

Adult Healthcare

Longer in duration

Short in Duration

Family-Centred care

Person-centred Care

Whole person approach

Issue Specific

Can be a one stop shop

Care can be in multiple places

Others can help make decisions with you

Responsibility is solely yours

People will help you find what you need

You must be proactive to get services

Family involvement is expected / normal

Family involvement not automatic – needs to be requested