Crisis and distress line services aim to reduce an individual's crisis state, emotional distress, and risk of suicide. They may also provide access to other suicide prevention and mental health resources, tools, and services.
The Government of Canada is dedicated to ensuring everyone in Canada has access to mental health services and supports, respecting their culture, background or experiences. To help achieve this goal, in September 2023, the Government of Canada announced $8 million in funding through the Distress Line Equity Fund to address gaps in equity, diversity and inclusion within Canada's crisis and distress line sector.
Building on a previous announcement on March 1, 2024, where 19 early recipients were announced, the Government is announcing $4,535,707 in funding to 26 additional organizations. The maximum funding available per project is $250,000 for a maximum duration of twelve months.
This Government of Canada program is helping organizations in providing crisis and distress line services to respond to the needs of everyone who calls or texts, including populations with higher rates of suicide, such as Indigenous peoples, members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, newcomers, veterans, older adults, and those living in rural and remote communities.
Project Overviews
British Columbia
Vancouver Island Crisis Society
- Vancouver Island Crisis Society will receive $105,185 in funding to provide service that is more equitable, diverse, and inclusive.
Chimo Community Services Society
- Chimo Community Services Society will receive $235,521 in funding to reduce barriers which exist for marginalized groups.
Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC
- Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC will receive $250,000 in funding to learn the strengths and limitations of language translation approaches to assessing and managing crisis and suicidality.
Canadian Mental Health Association Vernon & District
- Canadian Mental Health Association Vernon & District will receive $233,196 in funding to increase operational staffing, recruitment and training of volunteers and paid responders.
Kelowna Community Resources Society
- Kelowna Community Resources Society will receive $103,781 in funding to increase capacity and competency by providing support and trusted resources to underserved populations, regardless of their cultural, social and economic status.
KUU-US Crisis Line Society
- KUU-US Crisis Line Society will receive $181,744 in funding to increase the knowledge of staff and make services more impactful and accessible.
Alberta
Eastside Community Mental Health Services of Wood's Homes
- Eastside Community Mental Health Services of Wood's Homes will receive $144,150 in funding to increase services to equity seeking groups.
Legacy Place Society
- Legacy Place Society will receive $241,497 in funding to improve their confidential helpline services for individuals and families of first responders, military personnel, and veterans.
Saskatchewan
Mobile Crisis Services
- Mobile Crisis Services will receive $220,000 in funding to provide current staff with professional development and training opportunities, enhancing their existing crisis intervention techniques and build new skills.
Ontario
Canadian Mental Health Association Peel Dufferin Branch
- Canadian Mental Health Association Peel Dufferin Branch will receive $250,000 in funding to enhance their ability to provide culturally appropriate and safe crisis support for Black, African, and Caribbean community members.
Parents' Lifelines of Eastern Ontario Family Mental Health Support Association
- Parents' Lifelines of Eastern Ontario Family Mental Health Support Association (PLEO) will receive $245,012 in funding to create a new partnership between PLEO and Britannia Woods Community House, capitalizing on each organization's strengths to provide culturally informed and responsive distress line services.
Naseeha Youth Helpline
- Naseeha Youth Helpline will receive $240,874 in funding to extend their operational hours to 24/7 to reach diverse communities in all time zones and increase accessibility across various modalities, like text and chat.
Lance Krasman Memorial Centre for Community Mental Health
- Lance Krasman Memorial Centre for Community Mental Health will receive $222,154 in funding to provide 24/7 mental health supports to newcomer communities.
South Asian Canadians Health & Social Services
- South Asian Canadians Health & Social Services will receive $196,626 in funding to provide members of the South Asian community with a service they can access that will provide support, counselling, and access to community and/or mental health resources.
Yor-Sup-Net Support Service Network
- Yor-Sup-Net Support Service Network will receive $ 108,985 in funding to enhance capacity to provide a more culturally responsive service.
Quebec
SOS Professionnels
- SOS Professionnels will receive $105,670 in funding to further develop their phone line that services professionals in Quebec including in the health sector, education, first responders, community-level responders.
Centre d'écoute et de prévention suicide Drummond
- Centre d'écoute et de prévention suicide Drummond will receive $80,660 to provide training and to promote available resources with the 2SLGBTQIA community, new Canadians, men and boys, and veterans.
Tel-Aide Montréal
- Tel-Aide Montréal will receive $218,500 in funding to provide training to responders to meet the needs of senior populations and their caretakers.
Centre d'action bénévole Laviolette
- Centre d'action bénévole Laviolette will receive $149,926 in funding to promote their services to diverse populations, as well as increase capacity to offer extended hours of service.
La Maison sous les Arbres
- La Maison sous les Arbres will receive $178,792 in funding to offer responder training and raise awareness of their services with non-Francophone users.
Centre de prévention du suicide de Québec
- Centre de prévention du suicide de Québec will receive $40,516 in funding to meet the needs of their diverse callers, including training in equity and diversity.
La Traversée centre de crise et de prévention du suicide
- La Traversée centre de crise et de prévention du suicide will receive $216,029 in funding to provide responder training and resources so that they are better able to meet the needs of 2SLGBTQIA+, newcomers, the deaf or hard of hearing and Indigenous populations.
Centre d'écoute Montérégie
- Centre d'écoute Montérégie will receive $105,889 in funding to increase capacity to increase the hours of service and train employees in cultural, sex and gender, and stigmatization experienced by persons with mental health difficulties.
Centre de Référence du Grand Montréal
- Centre de Référence du Grand Montréal will receive $250,000 in funding to remove barriers for those calling from equity-seeking populations, including improving data collection and increasing awareness of interpretation services in 200 languages.
Centre de prévention suicide Arthabaska-Érable Inc.
- Centre de prévention suicide Arthabaska-Érable Inc. will receive $72,000 in funding to ensure cultural safety for those they serve, including training in cultural safety and diversity, and tools to enhance equity in intervention practices.
Ressource de transition Le Tournant
- Ressource de transition Le Tournant will receive $94,000 in funding to better meet the needs of their diverse callers, including equity and diversity training, and translation and interpretation services for non-Francophone users.
