Student Mental Health Resources

Updated: 22 Feb. 2024

Emergency: Call 9-1-1

911 is for police, fire, or medical emergencies when immediate action is required. Someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy, or a crime is in progress. Call if someone needs medical attention or is at risk of harming self or others.

Crisis:

Someone needs emotional & mental health support, and may need medical attention. In this case, provide Mental Health First Aid, call any of the following help lines, and call 9-1-1 if needed.

The following is a list of mental health resources available to students (no cost):

• Health Link BC (Dial 8-1-1)

  or go to www.healthlinkbc.ca This website gives up-to-date information about health-related resources in BC, such as how to find a family doctor or nurse practitioner, and how to access other health services and resources.

• 310 Mental Health Support (Dial 310-6789)

  310 Mental Health support is the toll-free provincial access to emotional support, information and resources specific to mental health.

• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline

  9-8-8 is a Canada-wide number to call or text for suicide prevention and crisis support.

• 1 800 SUICIDE See above

  Provides a confidential, 24-hour toll-free crisis line for people who are feeling suicidal, are concerned for someone who might be suicidal, or for emotional support.

  Crisis line workers are able to provide intervention through emergency mental health teams or other emergency services, and may also refer callers to their local crisis centre for additional support and information.

• Kids Help Phone (ages 5-25) Help for youth 24/7 across Canada who need mental & emotional support. They’re here to listen. Website has many useful resources about many different issues.

  Call 1 800 668 6868 or text “686868”
  https://kidshelpphone.ca/

• Here 2 Talk: Free counselling for post-secondary students

  Here2Talk connects students with mental health support when they need it. Through this program, all students – domestic or international – currently registered in a B.C. post-secondary institution have access to free, confidential counselling and community referral services, conveniently available 24/7 via app, phone and web.

  For your convenience, we provide counselling and support services in various languages upon request. We will try our best to match people to support in their preferred language. However, please note that language-specific counsellors, and third-party translation services are limited and therefore, subject to availability and/or a waiting time.
  Canada-wide toll free, dial: 1-877-857-3397
  Canada-wide direct, dial: 604-642-5212
  https://here2talk.ca/

• YouthSpace

  www.youthspace.ca

  Youthspace.ca is a free online crisis & emotional support chat service for youth under 30 across Canada. We listen without judgement and keep chats confidential & anonymous.

  Before messaging us, please read our Terms of Service.

  Hours: 6PM – Midnight PST
  Start Online IM Chat
  Text Us: 778 783 0177

• Youth in BC: Online Chat

  Go to www.YouthinBC.com or call 604-872-3311

  Online chat is available from Noon to 1 AM in BC and Yukon only for youth 25 and under
  Youth In BC Chat is a free online crisis, suicide prevention, and emotional support service for youth under 25 in British Columbia and Yukon. We offer a safe space where we listen without judgment, and our chats remain private and confidential.
  For youth 25 and under, but no one is turned away based on age.

• Moving Forward Family Services (free and low-cost mental health counselling)

  At MFFS, clients can access free and low-cost mental health counselling services, in several languages. Their application process takes a few weeks, so this is not an emergency resource.
  https://mffs.ca/
  Phone: 778-321-3054

• Wellness Together Canada

  offers phone and text counselling for adults by Homewood Health at no cost. Counselling is available by drop-in or up to 3 sessions with the same counsellor.
  Phone: Call 1-866-585-0445 to arrange a counselling session with Homewood Health.
  Text (SMS): Text COVID to 741741 to connect with a trained volunteer crisis responder.
  Website: https://ca.portal.gs/

• Naseeha Muslim & non-Muslim Youth

  Naseeha Mental Health operates a confidential helpline that offers immediate, non-judgmental, and anonymous support to Muslims.
  naseeha.org/contact-us/
  Phone: 1-866-NASEEHA (627-3342)
  7 DAYS A WEEK: 9AM – 9PM PST

• MindHealthBC

  http://www.mindhealthbc.ca/
  Phone: 1-800-784-2433
  Provides an interactive website where British Columbians can learn about information and resources available to improve their mental well-being. Resources include online information, self-help programs and local in-person services. Individuals can also use the website to connect with resources on behalf of their friends and families.

• Bounce Back

  https://bouncebackbc.ca/
  BounceBack® is a free skill-building program designed to help adults and youth 13+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress or worry. Delivered online or over the phone with a coach, you will get access to tools that will support you on your path to mental wellness.

• MindShift CBT App

  https://www.anxietycanada.com/resources/mindshift-cbt/
  Free Evidence-Based Anxiety Relief. MindShift® CBT uses scientifically proven strategies based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you learn to relax and be mindful, develop more effective ways of thinking, and use active steps to take charge of your anxiety. A new feature, the Community forum, now enables you to find and offer peer-to-peer support.

• Online Distress Services:

  www.youthinbc.com
  www.crisiscentrechat.ca

• Alcohol & Drug Information Referral Service (ADIRS)

  provides free, confidential information and referral services to British Columbians in need of support with any kind of substance use issue (alcohol or other drugs). Referral to community substance use treatment services is available for all ages. Information available from ADIRS includes prevention resources, support groups, and addiction related topics such as fetal alcohol syndrome.
  Contact ADIRS toll-free at 1 800 663-1441, or in the lower mainland at 604 660-9382. Free, multilingual telephone assistance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  Funded by the Ministry of Health, and provided by BC 2-1-1.

• British Columbia Mental Health & Substance Use Services http://www.bcmhsus.ca/health-info

• VictimLinkBC

  VictimLinkBC is a toll-free, confidential, multilingual service available across B.C. and the Yukon 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be accessed by calling or texting 1-800-563-0808 or sending an email to [email protected]. It provides information and referral services to all victims of crime and immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence, including victims of human trafficking exploited for labour or sexual services.
  VictimLinkBC provides service in up to 150 languages, including many North American Indigenous languages. In 2019-2020, VictimLinkBC assisted on more than 12,000 calls.

• Even if you’re not sure if you have been a victim of crime, you can call or text VictimLinkBC at 1-800-563-0808 or 604-875-0885 or email [email protected] for assistance. Your call will be completely confidential.

• Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline

  The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline is a confidential, multilingual service, operating 24/7 to connect victims and survivors with social services, law enforcement, and emergency services, as well as receive tips from the public.
  The hotline uses a victim-centered approach when connecting human trafficking victims and survivors with local emergency, transition, and/or long-term supports and services across the country, as well as connecting callers to law enforcement where appropriate.
  Open 24/7. Toll-free phone: 1-833-900-1010
  Web: www.canadianhumantraffickinghotline.ca
  Open to and on behalf of minors and adults, citizens, permanent residents and foreign nationals. Open to individuals of any and all gender identities (male-, female- and gender-non-conforming- identifying).