Kids Help Phone Launches Canada's Only National Digital Platform to Connect Youth with Trusted Mental Health and Wellbeing Services

TORONTO, Sept. 19, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, Kids Help Phone (KHP) announces the launch of Resources Around Me, a free, innovative, tool designed to connect young people, their families, communities, adults and service providers to over 40,000 trusted programs and services across Canada, coast to coast to coast. Additionally, and a first in Canada, the verified youth apps database, features clinically vetted apps to support the mental health and well-being of youth across Canada.

At its core, Resources Around Me is Canada's largest system navigation tool designed to support young people. Each service and support listed in the tool undergoes a thorough vetting process by KHP Information and Referral Staff for efficacy and validity. This ensures accuracy and reliability, with detailed information on eligibility, access, contact details, and available languages.

The issues youth connect with KHP about are more complex than ever and compounding over time. Young people are also seeking support without an adult to navigate for them and require easier ways to find help in their communities and virtually. With Resources Around Me, KHP has created navigation that's more intuitive, accessible and supportive, so youth can more easily find trusted programs and services that address their needs.

Both Resources Around Me and the verified youth apps database were co-designed with young people and mental health advocates across Canada to ensure the process is user-friendly, safe, and empowering, allowing youth to find resources that best meet their individual needs. With the generous support of The Grocery Foundation, the Ontario Ministry of Health, Canada Health Infoway and RBC Future Launch, Kids Help Phone will continue to evolve Resources Around Me, paving the way as a global leader in youth mental health services.

Canadians can access Resources Around Me, including the Canadian Youth Mental Health Apps database, by visiting KidsHelpPhone.ca/ResourcesAroundMe.

FAST FACTS

The Resources Around Me page has become the third most popular destination on Kids Help Phone's website, following only the "Urgent Help" and "Text About It" pages.
Over the past 5 years, KHP service users accessed resources through Resources Around Me nearly 700K times.
Resources Around Me houses over 40,000 records of virtual and in-person programs and supports for young people in communities across Canada.

QUOTES

"KHP has been supporting and providing mental health and wellbeing services to youth coast to coast to coast for more than 35 years. We continually strive to ensure young people can find the services that they need, however, whenever, wherever they are. That can be directly with KHP or with other excellent mental health services in their communities. KHP knows that navigation can be a barrier for youth, and that not all services have the right level of clinical oversight – both issues are what Resources Around Me solves for." said Katherine Hay, President & CEO, Kids Help Phone. "The launch of the KHP Resources Around Me and the authoritative youth apps database helps bridge these gaps, providing young people with accessible and well-researched options when they need them the most. KHP is proud to be a global leader, and the first in Canada to offer innovative tools like this at this scale."

"Our mindApps.org team is thrilled to partner with Kids Help Phone and support their adaptation and innovation in the digital mental health space around helping youth find apps and make more informed decisions around their use," said Dr. John Torous, MD, MBI, Digital Mental Health. "We look forward to seeing the database make a positive impact across the country."

SUPPORTING QUOTES

"Since 2018, our government has increased our investments in children and youth mental health by over 25 per cent, and we are not stopping there. Our government is continuing to take action to support new, innovative services, like Resources Around Me, the first tool of its kind in Canada, to connect even more children, youth, and their families to convenient mental health support services, when and where they need it," said The Hon. Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health

"Resources Around Me is establishing a new benchmark for countries looking to support young people and improve how to navigate mental health services," said Anil Thapliyal, Executive Director at eMental Health International Collaborative (eMHIC). "Kids Help Phone is redefining how charities can practically embrace innovation and technology to find new solutions and evolve to meet the changing needs of youth today."

"As proud supporters of Kids Help Phone, today marks another step forward in nourishing the needs of all youth," said Shaun McKenna, Executive Director, The Grocery Foundation. "We have always championed the well-being of youth and Resources Around Me gives them a way to easily seek help and get support for their emotional and physical needs, no matter where they are or at what time of day."

"The launch of KHP's Resources Around Me is a significant milestone in helping young people find services that match their needs," said Tonie Chaltas, CEO, Achēv. "Especially for our clients and other newcomer youth, this database is instrumental when it comes to navigating complex systems and finding vetted programs that offer the support they need."

About Kids Help Phone

Kids Help Phone is Canada's only 24/7 national, e-mental health service offering free, confidential, multi-lingual support to young people. As the country's virtual care expert, we give millions of youth a safe, trusted space to Feel Out Loud over the phone, through text, or in self-directed supports for any moment of crisis or need. The Feel Out Loud campaign is the largest movement for youth mental health in Canada's history - it will raise $300 million to unlock hope for young people to thrive in their worlds. Kids Help Phone gratefully relies on the generosity of donors, volunteers, stakeholder partners, corporate partners and governments to fuel and fund our programs.

Learn more at KidsHelpPhone.ca.