Finding Help & Resources

If you, or someone in you know, is experiencing challenges with their mental health or having suicidal thoughts, it is important to reach out for support.

Reaching out for support has many benefits, such as helping to reduce feelings of isolation and hopelessness. Sharing your thoughts and feelings with a mental health professional can help to reduce stress and bring relief, provide opportunities to work through problems and identify solutions, and increase overall feelings of hope, connectedness, and empowerment.

Remember that you are not alone. There are many local programs, support services, and resources available in our community. CMHA-WECB’s Suicide Prevention Resources webpage provides more information on the signs and symptoms of suicidal ideation, suicide education programs, workplace strategies, and mental health services.

If, at any time, you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact the local crisis line at 519-973-4435. If at any time, you are experiencing a mental health emergency, or your safety is in immediate danger, please call 911 or go to your closest local emergency department.

Crisis Services

  • Suicide prevention line 9-8-8.  988 connects those in crisis to trained responders who provide suicide prevention and crisis support for everyone in Canada. This bilingual service is available 24/7 by phone and/or text. 
  • The Community Crisis Centre: Offers mental health services for individuals ages 16+ who are experiencing an acute mental illness and/or psychosocial crisis. Services include a 24-Hour Crisis Telephone Line (519-973-4435) and walk-in crisis support.
  • Talk Suicide – Offers a 24/7 telephone crisis line at 1-833-456-4566 and a crisis text line at 45645 (4:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. daily).
  • Crisis Text Line (powered by Kids Help Phone) – Offers Free 24/7 support for people in crisis. Text ‘HOME’ to 686868 to text with a trained real-life Crisis Responder.
  • ONTX Ontario Online & Text Crisis Service  - Offers a Crisis Chat that is available between 2 p.m. and 2 a.m. (Text 741-741)
  • Youth Space – Offers a ‘Youth Text’ service that is available in Ontario between 6 p.m. and 12 a.m.

Mental Health & Mental Health Promotion Services

  • Canadian Mental Health Association (Windsor-Essex County Branch) – Offers a variety of mental health programs and services during the pandemic, including a pandemic therapist and a Mental Health & Addictions Urgent Care Centre. Please call the Coordinated Access Line for more information about the programs and services that are available at 519-973-4435.
  • Family Services Windsor-Essex – Offers telephone counselling during the COVID-19 pandemic. To set up a telephone appointment or to speak with a counsellor, please call 1-888-939-1831 or email info@fswe.ca.
  • Bounce Back Ontario: A free skill-building program managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association designed to help adults and youth ages 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, and anxiety. Services are delivered over the phone with a coach and through online videos.
  • Togetherall: An online community that allows individuals to interact with a supportive network of community members when dealing with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues. 
  • Windsor-Essex Counselling Support Line: A temporary support line set up to provide timely, safe, and responsive counselling support to people who may be experiencing difficulties with coping during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please call 519-946-3277 or 1-877-451-1055 for support.
  • Wellness Together Canada: A new online portal for mental health and substance use support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Connex Ontario: Offers free and confidential health services information for individuals experiencing mental health, substance use, or gambling issues at 1-866-531-2600.
  • Centre for Addictions and Mental Health: Developed a mobile application in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that provides evidence-based coping strategies to help people manage stress and anxiety during this time.

For a comprehensive listing of programs and services available in Windsor-Essex County during COVID-19, please visit https://www.wechu.org/cv/where-access-help-resources.

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Resources

  • Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Access Centre (SOAHC) – Provides crisis counselling support services by telephone to individuals from First Nations, Metis, and Inuit communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please contact SOAHAC by phone at 519-916-1755 for more information about the services available or to schedule a telephone appointment.
  • Hope for Wellness Hotline - Offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention services to all persons who are Indigenous across Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telephone support is available 24/7 by phone at 1-855-242-3310 or through online chat.

2SLGBTQIA+ Resources

  • Trans Wellness Ontario, formerly known as Windsor-Essex Transgender & Allied Support (W.E. Trans Support) is a local organization that provides health and wellness services to LGBTQIA2S+ communities and their families. Programs and services available during the COVID-19 pandemic include:

    • Counselling Services – Counselling services are currently being conducted over the phone or through Doxy due to COVID-19 restrictions. To book an intake, please call the reception desk at 226-674-4745 or email reception@transwellness.ca.
    • Support Groups – Support groups provide the opportunity for community members to connect with each other in a safe and welcoming environment and to explore their identity, emotions, and experiences. Each group is facilitated by staff members with lived experience. All support groups are currently talking place through Zoom. If you are interested in joining a support group, please email reception@transwellness.ca with your name, pronouns, and what group(s) you are interested in joining.

    To learn more about other programs and services available, please visit https://www.transwellness.ca/.

  • Windsor Pride Community – Offers a variety of programs and services to support the mental health of LGBTQ2S+ populations. For a list of programs, please visit the Windsor Pride Community website.