Resources Compiled by Focused Psychological Services
For social workers, case managers, probation and parole officers:
Promoting the mental health of clients
- The Mental Health Commission of Canada offers a training course on mental health, “The Working Mind”: Looking for workplace mental health training? | The Working Mind
- The Mental Health Commission of Canada offers free training and resources on suicide prevention: Suicide Prevention – Mental Health Commission of Canada
- The Mental Health Commission of Canada also offers various courses for workplaces to increase knowledge of mental health: https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/what-we-do/mental-health-first-aid/
- Fact sheets from the Canadian Psychological Association [CPA]: https://cpa.ca/psychologyfactsheets/
- Fact sheet from the Canadian Mental Health Association on mental health & addiction: https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info
- Understanding mental illness: https://www.samhsa.gov/serious-mental-illness
- Information and videos on mental health: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/media
- The American Psychological Association provides guidelines for inclusive respectful language: https://www.apa.org/about/apa/equity-diversity-inclusion/language-guide.pdf
- The Government of Ontario provides an online therapeutic program to assist with mental health and substance abuse recovery. Health care providers can use the program, “Breaking Free Online”, for their clients to use independently or as computer-assisted therapy:
https://www.ontariohealth.ca/about-us/our-programs/clinical-quality-programs/mental-health-addictions/programs-resources/breaking-free - Tips on effective non-verbal communication: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/external/2018/06/6-ways-to-improve-your-non-verbal-communication-skills/
- Supporting mental health through listening and reflecting: https://ideas.ted.com/how-to-listen-really-listen-to-someone-you-dont-agree-with/
- Tips for starting a conversation about mental health: 5 Tips for Starting a Conversation About Mental Health – Mental Health First Aid
- Helping clients with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum DIsorder (“FASD”) manage their mental health: https://www.communitylivingbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/Supporting-Success-for-Adults-with-FASD.pdf
- Tips for effectively interacting with clients with FASD: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK344242/
- “Me Too” provides resources for adults who are learning to heal from sexual victimization: https://metoomvmt.org/explore-healing/
- The Canadian Association of Mental Health (CAMH) has information on apps to promote mental health: https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-health-and-covid-19/information-for-professionals/apps-for-mental-health
Promoting the management of substance use by clients
- Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction: https://www.ccsa.ca/publications
- For staff interested in competencies for working with clients with addictions: https://www.ccsa.ca/understanding-competencies#competencies-video-series
- Posters and workbooks: https://www.ccsa.ca/publications
- Understanding the basics of substance use and related mental health disorders in English, French, and additional languages: https://www.merckmanuals.com/en-ca/home/mental-health-disorders/substance-related-disorders/substance-use-disorders
- Understanding the overlap between homelessness and substance use: https://www.homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/topics/substance-use-addiction
- The Government of Ontario outlines standards of care for alcohol use disorder. These are applicable to health professionals in all health care settings: https://www.hqontario.ca/Portals/0/documents/evidence/quality-standards/qs-alcohol-use-disorder-quality-standard-en.pdf
- The Government of Ontario established standards of care for opioid use disorder. They are informed by the best available evidence. Covers all services and settings, including correctional facilities: https://www.hqontario.ca/portals/0/documents/evidence
Promoting knowledge for working with people whose sexual behaviour is in conflict with the law
- The Safer Society Foundation offers live webinars, on demand training, workbooks, and textbooks for working with children, adolescents, and adults: Safer Society Foundation: Safer Society Foundation
- The Safer Society Foundation offers a free podcast on YouTube, “ATSA Backchannel”
- Stop It Now! provides training and resources on providing safe and healthy environments for children: https://www.stopitnow.org/
- WhatsOK is an innovative, primary and secondary prevention resource that provides confidential resources to youth with questions about potentially problematic sexual interests and behaviors: www.whatsok.org
- Educational information on the prevention of child sexual abuse: https://www.csaprimaryprevention.org/
- A popular brief video by the Thames Valley Police amusingly explains the attributes of consent for sex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZwvrxVavnQ
- Resources and education from the Canadian Centre of Child Protection: https://www.protectchildren.ca/en/resources-research/
For adolescents or adults seeking help:
Self-help Organizations
- Alcoholics Anonymous: https://www.aa.org/find-aa
- Narcotics Anonymous: https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/index.php
- Gamblers Anonymous: https://gam-anon.org/meeting-directory/canada-meeting-directory
- Al-Anon: https://al-anon.org/al-anon-meetings/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkMa994nR-wIVM8mUCR1t2wDPEAMYAiAAEgLPUPD_BwE
- A free course is available to help adults who are attracted to children: https://www.helpwantedprevention.org/
- Troubled Desire is a free support service for people who are concerned about their sexual attraction to children. Professional services are provided in five languages: https://troubled-desire.com/en/
Service Providers
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) offers free therapy and anonymous support for:
- Individuals distressed about their attraction to children
- Individuals concerned about using child sexual abuse materials
- Individuals engaging in online/offline offending involving a child.
They can be reached by telephone toll-free in Canada at: 1-833-703-3303.
They can also be reached in Ontario at: 416-583-1310 (Monday to Friday: noon until 6:00 P.M. EST)
For more information: TalkingforChange.ca
A free knowledge centre on addictions and mental health is offered at: New Brunswick Addiction and Mental Health Helpline (bridgethegapp.ca)
Free support for mental health for children, teens, and young adults is available at: Get support with these mental health resources – Kids Help Phone
Private practitioners can be found at:
- Ontario Psychological Association (Ontario Psychological Association – OPA Referral Services)
- Yellow Pages (yp.ca)
- Psychology Today (Find a Therapist, Psychologist, Counselor – Psychology Today)
The information contained on this website is provided solely for general interest and may not reflect current psychological developments and should not be relied upon or construed as psychological advice. For more specific, comprehensive, and up-to-date information, or for help with a particular situation, you should seek the opinion of a mental health professional. The hiring of a mental health professional is an important decision. Online readers should not act upon any information at this site without seeking professional advice. Reproduction, distribution, reproduction, and/or retransmission of material contained within this website is prohibited unless you have obtained our prior written permission.