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Staff Resources - Mental Health and Well Being

Staff Mental Health and Well-Being Resources

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Your wellness is important and sometimes when you are not feeling okay, it is okay to reach out and talk to someone, utilize well-being resources and breathe. Building your wellness includes your circle of care, knowing where and who you can reach out to and establishing your boundaries at and out of work.

Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

workhealthlife.com A free, confidential and accessible service supporting Mental Health and Well-Being to all staff and their family members available through our Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP). Click on the link at the beginning of this message or call 1.844.880.9142.

There are many services in Toronto that can support you when you are feeling sad, worried and overwhelmed. Below are places you can contact when you need support and are identity affirming. 

I Need Support Now 


24/7

Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) 

workhealthlife.com A free, confidential and accessible service supporting Mental Health and Well-Being to all staff  and their family members available through our Employee Family Assistance Program(EFAP). Click on the link at the beginning of this message or call 1.844.880.9142.

Crisis Services Canada  

Support for people who are thinking about suicide. 

  • Call: 1-833-456-4566 (available 24/7)
  • Text: START to 45645 (daily from 4 p.m. to midnight)

Crisis Text Line

Provides text support for young people in crisis by connecting them to trained Crisis Responders. Powered by Kids Help Phone. 

  • Text: HOME to 741741
  • Available 24/7

Distress Centre of Greater Toronto 

Emotional and crisis support including help for people who are thinking about suicide. Language interpretation is available for crisis calls.

  • Call: 416-408-4357 (available 24/7)
  • Text: 45645 between 4 p.m. and midnight

Gerstein Crisis Centre

Community-based crisis services for adults age 16+ in Toronto who are dealing with mental health issues and/or substance use issues and are currently in crisis. Also offers online face-to-face support, wellness groups, short term follow-up support, and referrals to other services.

  • Call: 416-929-5200 (language interpretation available)
  • Available 24/7

Kids Help Phone

Confidential professional online, telephone, and text-based counselling to children and youth in both English and French.

Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape

  • Provides anti-oppressive, feminist peer support through direct individual and group counselling and crisis supports to survivors of gender-based or sexualized violence and their supporters. Free 24 hour, seven days a week crisis line service.
  • Call: 416-597-8808


NOT 24/7

Across Boundaries

Mental health support and services delivered through Anti-Racism/Anti-Black racism and Anti-Oppression frameworks.

  • Call: 416-787-3007
  • Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Barbra Schlifer Clinic

The Schlifer Clinic offers individual and group counselling, legal and interpretation services to marginalized populations of women who have survived violence.

  • Call: 416-323-9149, ext. 234
  • Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Caribbean African Canadian Social Services

Culturally safe mental health services for Black children, youth, adults and families.

  • Call: 416-740-1056
  • Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Family Services Toronto

Counselling and group sessions available by phone and video for anyone living or working in the City of Toronto. See the Virtual Workshops and Groups page for upcoming sessions.

  • Call: 416-595-9618
  • Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Generation Chosen

  • Provides mental health supports, including individual and group counselling, and safety-planning to racialized, marginalized, and disenfranchised young adults from underserved communities.
  • Call: 647-705-9565

Hong Fook

An ethno-cultural community mental health agency with a culturally competent team in Ontario serving Asian community members who are 16 years and older. Services include case management, psychotherapy, psychiatry, peer support, virtual group activities and virtual mental health workshops

  • Call: 416-493-4242 ext 0
  • Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hospice Palliative Hotline 

Responds to the emotional needs of people who are facing serious illness, including COVID-19, and end of life. Provides service to the person who is ill, their family and those who are grieving. Also provides consultation, education and resources to frontline workers supporting those who are palliative or diagnosed with COVID-19.

  • Call: 905-667-1865
  • Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • After hours support available in cases of emergency

Leap of Faith Together (LOFT)

  • Provides support to people facing complex mental and physical health challenges, addictions, dementia, homelessness or risk of homelessness. Services include: mental health counselling, case management, crisis support, psychogeriatric supports, and housing for youth, adults and seniors.
  • Call: 416-979-1994

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto

Holistic healing services for Indigenous children, youth and families.

Strides Toronto

Supports clients from the pre-natal stage to age 29 and their families, helping them move forward and developing their abilities and skills including those currently or at risk of experiencing social, emotional, behavioural or adjustment difficulties or disorders, including speech and language disorders (preschool only), hyperactivity, attention deficit disorders, autism spectrum disorders, or trauma.

  • Call: 416-321-5464
  • Monday to Thursday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Access Point 

Mental health case managers and service navigators provide telephone support, referrals and resources for those experiencing mental health and addictions challenges, and are 14 years of age or older. Help is also available to apply for supportive housing or access other essential services such as food, income supports, legal and health supports.

  • Call: 416-640-1934 or toll free 1-888-640-1934
  • Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Toronto Seniors Helpline (WoodGreen)

A single point of access for seniors and caregivers to receive information, supportive phone counseling, crisis assessment and system navigation by registered professionals. Referrals provided to other services, including Crisis Outreach for Seniors.

  • Call: 416-217-2077 (language interpretation available), long distance: 1-877-621-2077
  • Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, Sunday and holidays: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Warm Line (Progress Place)

Confidential and anonymous service for adults (18+) who are feeling lonely, isolated, anxious, depressed or in need of a friendly ear. This is not a crisis service.

  • Call: 416-960-9276 (3 p.m. to midnight)
  • Text: 647-557-5882 (3 p.m. to midnight)
  • Online chat  (noon to midnight)
  • Call 211 to be connected to mental health and other social services.

Culturally Responsive & Relevant Resource Lists - Google Slides

211 Central

A central access point to be connected to the appropriate mental health and other social services that meet your needs.

  • Call: 211
  • Available 24/7
  • TTY: 1-888-340-1001
  • Available 24/7
  • Text: 21166
  • Monday- Friday: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

City of Toronto Mental Health Resources – City of Toronto 

Books available from TDSB’S Professional Library (vpn required)

Lawson, J. E.,  Gander, S., Scott, R. N., & Kipling, S. (2022).  Teacher, take care: A guide to well-being and workplace wellness for educators . Portage & Main Press. (eBook)

Kise, J. A. G., & Holm, A C. (2022). Educator bandwidth: How to reclaim your energy, passion, and time. ASCD.

Sayer, A. (2021). Supporting staff mental health in your school. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. (eBook)

Boogren, T. H. (2021). Coaching for educator wellness: A guide to supporting new and experienced teachers . Solution Tree. (eBook)

Cowley, A. (2019). The wellbeing toolkit: sustaining, supporting and enabling school staff. Bloomsbury Education

Virtual Mental Health Tools and Resources

Mental Health Choice Board

Staff Well-Being Kit

Staff Well-Being Resources

Tips to Cope with Stress (Adapted from: City of Toronto)

  • Have a routine. Structure your day and maintain positive habits.
  • Take deep breaths. Simple breathing exercises can help ease stress. Try breathing in deeply, counting to three, hold for a count of three, and then slowly breathe out, counting to three.
  • Call or connect with friends, colleagues, and loved ones. Lean on each other for support.
  • Exercise, dance, and have fun to boost endorphins.
  • Let in the sun. Open windows. Sunlight and vitamin D can improve your mood.
  • Help others. Volunteer. Helping someone else can make you feel good.
  • Stay informed. Check credible sources of information for updates but take breaks when needed. Taking in the news all day can be draining. Unplug for a bit and recharge – listen to music, meditate, read, or listen to a podcast instead.
  • Look for the positives. Share inspirational stories of people helping one another.
  • Engage your brain. Do a word search, Sudoku, jigsaw, or crossword puzzle.
  • Seek help. If you are feeling overwhelmed, reach out. Community help is available.

camh_covid19_infosheet-challenge_worries-pdf.pdf 

camh_covid19_infosheet-dealing_with_problems-pdf.pdf 

Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic | CAMH 

96b1-COVID-19-Taking-Care-of-Your-Mental-Health-and-Well-being-Infographic.pdf (toronto.ca) 

Box Breathing (toronto.ca) 

Self Care Tips for Managing Stress and Anxiety (toronto.ca)  

What is Resiliency (toronto.ca) 

Wellness Together Canada

  • Help Ahead. An up-to-date resource and Toronto’s centralized intake phone line for multiple trusted community-based mental health agencies who have the expertise to meet diverse needs. Call 1-866-585-6486 https://helpahead.ca/family/ 
  • One Stop Talk.  One Stop Talk is a free provincial, confidential, virtual counselling support for children and young people (0-17 years of age). Available: Monday – Friday: 12PM – 8PM Saturday: 12PM – 4PM. Call 1 855 416 8255  http://onestoptalk.ca/ 
  • Kids Help Phone. Kids Help Phone provides online and telephone counselling to youth across Canada. Kids Help Phone also provides information on how to access community support services for youth. Call 1-800-668-6868 – or Text #: “68686”. https://kidshelpphone.ca/