As we bid farewell to Wellness Together Canada (WTC), a groundbreaking initiative in virtual mental health and substance use health support, it’s essential to reflect on the impact it has had on millions of people in Canada and care systems across the country.
Developed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and funded by Health Canada, Wellness Together Canada was delivered through a joint venture partnership by three of Canada’s leading mental health organizations: Homewood Health, Kids Help Phone and Stepped Care Solutions (SCS). As the lead administrative partner for WTC, Stepped Care Solutions oversaw all aspects of the development, delivery and continuous improvement of the technology and services. WTC served as Canada’s first and only national 24/7 virtual mental health and substance use health service, ensuring that support was always available without the need for a referral, ID, insurance, assessment, or diagnosis.
Stepped Care 2.0 in Practice:
At the heart of Wellness Together Canada’s success was the implementation of Stepped Care 2.0© (SC2.0), a care delivery model that organizes mental health and substance use health services to ensure individuals are able to access the level of support appropriate to their needs, whether that’s an article that helps them to better understand what they’re experiencing, peer support, or a direct line to a trained counsellor in a moment of distress.
Wellness Together Canada provided a range of resources for people to choose from, , recognizing that different types of support are required to meet unique needs. WTC effectively delivered a continuum of evidence-informed services, including learning resources, practice tools, peer support, counselling, and tracking mechanisms. This client-centric approach ensured that mental health support was accessible, culturally relevant, and tailored to the individual needs of people across the country, irrespective of their location or circumstances.
The portal’s continuum of service included:
Impact and Reach:
Throughout its tenure, Wellness Together Canada made a profound impact on mental health support in Canada. With over 4 million site visitors and 60 thousand PocketWell app downloads, WTC reached individuals from all walks of life and all regions of the country, providing them with the tools and resources they needed to prioritize their mental health, substance use health and overall wellbeing.
Wellness Together Canada also had a notable impact on wellbeing care systems in Canada. The program provided a range of resources that individuals could use independently or alongside conventional professional support. For instance, users could monitor their mood and well-being and discuss their findings with healthcare providers during appointments. By offering high-quality, self-directed resources without typical access barriers, the program supported treatment objectives and reduced waiting times. Additionally, it eased the strain on overburdened healthcare systems by offering immediate access to services regardless of geographical location.
The impact of the SC2.0 model and the 9-step continuum on Wellness Together Canada can be seen through the social media testimonials of individuals who have benefited from the platform:
Community-Centric Approach:
Grounded in principles of accessibility and inclusivity, Stepped Care Solutions sought to ensure that the services offered through Wellness Together Canada were culturally-relevant and community-centric. Through strong community engagement, co-design, and partnership building practices, SCS collaborated with federal, provincial, and territorial governments, subject matter experts, community leaders, and individuals with lived experience to develop tailored offerings for diverse communities across Canada.
Conclusion:
Through a community-centric approach, innovative use of technology, and unwavering commitment to accessibility, Wellness Together Canada empowered millions of individuals to prioritise their mental health, and substance use health in a revolutionary way. As we reflect on the impact of WTC, it’s essential to recognize the ongoing need for accessible and inclusive mental health support in Canada. While WTC may have come to an end, its legacy lives on in the advancements made within mental health and substance use health service delivery. Stepped Care Solutions remains committed to building on this legacy, continuing to innovate and collaborate to ensure that everyone has access to the support they need to thrive.