STEPPED CARE SOLUTIONS ANNUAL REPORT 2024
Embracing Our Mission: Navigating the JourneyMESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OUR PRESIDENT AND LEAD EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Read the complete message from the Chair of the Board of Directors and our President and Lead Executive Officer
On behalf of the SCS team and our Board of Directors, we are excited and proud to share our 2024 annual report. We included a selection of highlights, milestones, and important accomplishments achieved this year – a year in which we affirmed our commitment to our mission, and worked together to advance our vision of wellbeing everywhere.
The theme of this year’s annual report centres around our journey – with all of its twists, turns, joys, and challenges throughout. Our values have guided us as we navigated the winding road of mental health and substance use health system transformation, and we have boldly steered in meaningful directions, supported by our partners, funders, and communities we serve. This annual report is a wonderful opportunity to reflect and look in our rearview mirror to appreciate how far we have come. What a ride 2024 has been!
Within this interactive report, you’ll find a comprehensive map of our performance in the last year, highlighting key accomplishments, challenges, and our vision for the future.
2024 has been a period of significant achievements, with notable progress toward our strategic objectives. The work at SCS continues to contribute to the transformation of mental health and substance use health care systems with positive impact on the mental health and wellness of countless people.
In 2024, our Stepped Care Solutions team experienced a significant change with the wind down of Wellness Together Canada – a national mental health and substance use health portal for which Stepped Care Solutions served as the lead administrative partner. Despite the resulting and necessary shifts in our team, we were buoyed by the reported positive impact of WTC we heard from many of our partner organizations and individual people across Canada. While the end of WTC presented its challenges, we have many lessons to share about population mental health innovation and we are using our extensive experience in managing and delivering digital services at this scale to pursue new and exciting opportunities. We remain grateful for the opportunity to apply the SC2.0© model to address a significant national need during COVID-19 and proud of the work of WTC and its reach and impact for Canadians, which are highlighted in this report.
During pivotal times such as these, it is more important than ever to align with our mission, vision, and values, which provide guidance to support respectful and meaningful change processes. Through the Wellness Together Canada wind down, the SCS team remained committed to the mission to transform mental health systems by expanding the reach and impact of the SC2.0© model.
Our dedicated teams continue to work passionately on projects of local, provincial, national, and international significance to not only improve mental health systems, but to expand our influence, and change the narrative around mental health through the application of the SC2.0© principles.
It’s been a significant year for SCS, aligning existing and new partnerships, and paving the way for mission growth and expansion. We pivoted and purposely focused on continuously developing and improving our existing lines of service, while also expanding to new communities, potential partners and innovative digital service offerings.
As we reflect on this past year, we recognize the continued importance of our vision and remain committed to the mission of transforming mental health systems for better access and outcomes for all. More than ever, SCS is well-positioned to forge new paths, driving collaborations and innovations. With our nimble structure, capacity to adapt, innovative spirit, and the deep commitment of our team and board, we are optimistic for the future and confident that movement towards our strategic priorities and objectives will continue to journey forward.
We are truly honoured to lead this exceptional organization, and are grateful for the unwavering support, curiosity and guidance of our dedicated board and staff. Together, we will continue to help transform mental health and substance use health systems, in partnership with organizations and communities across the globe, to advance wellbeing everywhere.
GUIDED BY OUR MISSION
To lead a global transformation of mental health care systems where mental health is universally accepted as part of health and wellbeing, and everyone has open access to stigma free, culturally appropriate resources, tools and supports that elevate their quality of life.
EXPANDING OUR REACH AND IMPACT
Service Delivery and Impact
Driving Change: The Journey of Wellness Together Canada and its mobile app, Pocketwell
Developed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and funded by Health Canada, Wellness Together Canada (WTC) 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 Wellness Together Canada, SCS oversaw all aspects of the development, delivery and continuous improvement of the technology and services. Wellness Together Canada 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.
Availability and Access
Available from April 2020 until April 2024, this work left a legacy in the landscape of mental health and substance use awareness and support in Canada. Wellness Together Canada provided open access to a continuum of care which included mental health and addictions literacy resources, self-guided interactive mental health and wellbeing tools, peer support and coaching for anxiety, grief and substance use, and individual professional counselling. The success of this program is evidenced by its significant impact on both Canadians within the country and those residing abroad.
Impact on Care Systems
Wellness Together Canada also had a notable impact on care systems in Canada. The program provided a range of resources that individuals could use independently or alongside professional support. For instance, users could monitor their mood and wellbeing 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.
Integrity and Inclusivity
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 wellbeing in a revolutionary way.
At the helm of this first-of-its-kind venture, we worked hard to ensure that every person in Canada had free and open access to support without barriers. This commitment to integrity and inclusivity continued to guide us to its conclusion in April 2024.
Engagement Activities
Stepped Care Solutions engaged with both Engligh and French experts, organizations, people with lived experience and leaders across diverse communities and regions throughout the country.
Responsive Programming
Wellness Together Canada responded to real-time events beyond the pandemic with resources and supports for climate emergencies, the residential school crisis, healthcare worker stress, and the overdose crisis.
Stepped Care Solutions is committed to building on this legacy, and ensuring key learnings from WTC are applied to the further development of mental health systems and SCS’s digital innovation products. This work will be leveraged in future engagements with partners and communities.
I had used them [WTC] in really dark times. I am so privileged to have a counsellor. But sometimes, you can’t see them at the drop of a hat. And this [WTC] felt like a safe place to call.
Wellness Together Canada’s Impact
18
Service provider organization partners
624
Resources made available through WTC
4.3m
People accessed WTC
2.7m
Resource interactions
58k
Pocketwell downloads
2,650
Community organizations engaged
Our Training Services
Based on our clients and funder needs, and with our world renowned subject matter experts, we have continued to deliver training to build capacity within organizations and communities through a suite of SC2.0© training courses.
Stepped Care Solutions Training
1,231
courses completed
86%
of participants reported they were satisfied with the training
Provinces and Territories
This year, we supported governments within eight provinces and territories across Canada.
*This episode of the So, Why? podcast was recorded while Bernie Goguen was employed by the Government of New Brunswick. Bernie is now a consultant with our organization.
Testimonials
“Much more satisfaction and feel like I am making a difference today”
“This new way of working has been refreshing, energizing and instills new hope for the profession.”
“They are coming in, we’re helping them, they’re leaving feeling better. That’s the whole point of what we’re doing.”
“We are now able to say ‘we can be available when you need it, in a way that you need it’.”
Provincial and Territorial
Implementation Results
89%
of individuals in New Brunswick accessing services for children and youth were satisfied with how their concerns were addressed in their One-at-a-Time Therapy sessions
62-79%
reduction in waitlists across partnered / implementing Provinces and Territories
78%
of service users in NWT surveyed were satisfied with their involvement in decisions about their care following implementation of SC2.0©
Supporting Post-Secondary Institutions
This year, we worked with post-secondary institutions in Canada, the United States and in Chile.
Post-Secondary by the Numbers
11
Institutions
⬆88%
access*
*The implementation of SC2.0 at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile increased access to mental health professionals through One-at-a-Time Counselling (OAAT), with the number of students accessing a single session of OAAT counselling increasing from 1,161 in 2021 to 2,188 in 2023.
Innovating Youth Care: Foundry BC’s Partnership with Stepped Care Solutions
In the ever-evolving landscape of youth mental health and well-being, the importance of integrated care cannot be overstated. Foundry BC has long been a beacon of hope for young people in British Columbia, providing accessible, wraparound services that address not only mental health needs but also physical health, substance use, and social supports. However, as Foundry expanded its reach, it recognized the need for a more flexible, personalized approach to integrated care. As Elise Durante, Manager of Service Implementation and Integration, explains:
“SCS has been immensely helpful to us in refining our integrated stepped care model.”
With our expertise, SCS helped Foundry navigate the complexities of scaling stepped care across diverse communities. By examining the nuances of service delivery and communication, SCS ensured that Foundry’s approach was as inclusive, compassionate, and effective as possible.
“SCS helped us better understand the nuances of language; they generously shared resources that will both improve and support our training and implementation.”
The partnership between Foundry BC and Stepped Care Solutions serves as an example of how organizations can come together to innovate and refine approaches, ultimately better serving people seeking services. Foundry’s journey with SCS is not just about improving systems of care—it’s a story about what can be accomplished when experts, advocates, and service providers unite with a shared vision for a brighter, healthier future for all young people.
OUR EMERGING INNOVATIONS
2024 was marked by an increasing emphasis on our emerging digital innovations portfolio, which leverages the experience and expertise gained from the application of SC2.0© in the development and implementation of Wellness Together Canada. Stepped Care Solutions is well-positioned to build on this momentum to co-develop, deliver, and maintain digitally-enabled mental health system solutions.
Our flagship digital innovation product is a virtual platform (web and app-based) which facilitates open access to a coordinated and comprehensive continuum of mental health and substance use health resources and services. Key features of our portal, aligned to the SC2.0© framework, include the ability to self-monitor, a library of self-guided psychoeducation content, and access to a range of provider-delivered services, including peer support, counselling, and crisis response.
By combining the proven effectiveness of the SC2.0© model with the power of digital technology, SCS is poised to make a lasting impact on how mental health and substance use health services are accessed and delivered.
ADVANCING THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
A significant focus over the last year was to build awareness of SCS worldwide, to gain momentum for the SCS vision and mission. This is an essential priority to sustain the organization and inspire others to work with us on our mission. Several initiatives were launched to introduce the SC2.0© model into the current discourse on mental health and wellness, as well as promote the work of SCS.
Research and Publications
Last year, SCS contributed to five publications, including a co-authored paper titled Guiding Principles for Implementing Stepped Care in Mental Health. This paper, published in the peer-reviewed Community Mental Health Journal, showcased the SC2.0© model, highlighting our ongoing commitment to advancing mental health care practices.
Conferences
We presented on SC2.0© at influential forums including the College for Behavioral Health Leadership, the Global Leadership Exchange, and the E-mental Health International Collaborative. Our conference participation allowed us to connect with folks from Canada and the USA, as well as from Sweden, Finland, India, Chile, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Social Media
Our efforts on social media allowed us to expand the reach and impact of SC2.0© and change the narrative around mental health. We reached approximately 45,000 people with our LinkedIn content and garnered approximately 80,000 impressions. +100 hours of our thought leadership content was viewed on YouTube along with +10,000 impressions.
One-at-a-Time (OAAT) Counseling Series
This year, we launched the ‘OAAT Series’ – a One-at-a-Time multi-channel series including podcasts and blogs. The OAAT Series explores different perspectives on One-at-a-Time (OAAT) thinking – also called single-session thinking. OAAT is a method that providers can learn and embrace to support people in the moment, based on the belief that a single interaction can yield substantial benefits. Through blog posts, podcast episodes, webinars and conversations, we are learning from various individuals about how OAAT thinking can be applied in different contexts.
Recognition
We’re so excited to share that SCS was a recipient of the 2023 Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) Champions of Mental Health Award. We have been recognized as an organization that has been innovative through our work and has advanced the mental health agenda in Canada.
Check out the press release here.
Exploring the Issues
We continue to produce the SCS “Diplomatic Disruption” webinars and the “So Why?” podcast, which explore issues and challenges, as well as ideas and solutions, to strengthening wellbeing everywhere at the system, community/organization, and individual-levels. Through these series, we engage with a variety of speakers who come from different backgrounds and perspectives.
OPERATIONS, STEWARDSHIP
AND GOVERNANCE
The Board of Directors
Throughout the year, significant efforts were dedicated to strengthening the board’s infrastructure and enhancing governance frameworks. As part of this initiative, three key committees were established: Audit and Finance, Governance and Nominating, and Culture, Talent, and Ethics. Each committee was equipped with a comprehensive terms of reference and a detailed work plan, ensuring a clear mandate and structured approach to fulfill their respective responsibilities. These developments are integral to fostering effective oversight, risk management, and alignment with the organization’s strategic goals
Driving Growth in the U.S.
We embarked on a plan to establish a U.S. subsidiary, a pivotal step in advancing SCS’s mission of growth and impact within the United States. This initiative includes securing 501(c)(3) charitable status, which will not only strengthen our legal and financial framework but also position us to engage more deeply with local communities. By expanding our presence, we aim to foster new partnerships, tap into broader funding opportunities, and create lasting, positive change in the regions we serve. This move represents a significant investment in our future growth and ability to fulfill our mission at a larger scale.
Human Resources
We conducted our first official staff engagement survey, gathering feedback on our strengths and areas for improvement to build a positive and dynamic workplace. Employees overwhelmingly expressed alignment with the organization’s mission, vision, and values, and take pride in their work. We are committed to taking this feedback seriously and using it to shape future initiatives that enhance the employee experience.
The HR team has taken proactive steps to ensure compliance with employment legislation and best practices. By co-developing and implementing inclusive, organization-wide policies, we foster a supportive work environment. These policies, shaped by staff input, emphasize fairness and ensure ongoing alignment with industry standards.
Flexibility
Alignment
Pride
Developing Our Unique Culture
Synergy – SCS’s unique approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion – is fundamental to our organizational culture. Key initiatives to facilitate continued integration of synergy across the organization include the inaugural Synergy Summer Book Club and the Synergy in the Workplace Thinkspaces.
Summer Book Club
The Summer Book Club, which centered upon Synergy, Healing, & Empowerment by Dr. Richard Katz , was attended by 37 employees, and provided opportunities for meaningful discussions regarding the foundations of synergy and how it is connected to our work.
“It felt great to have this level of conversation about an abstract thing that can be made real with consistency and effort.”
“It [the book club] opened my eyes to the ways that synergy is about so much more than just our work lives!”
Synergy in the Workspace
There were 15 Synergy in the Workplace ‘Thinkspaces’, which provided both structured and open spaces for discussions related to diversity, equity and inclusion, including questions about synergy and challenges and opportunities to apply these practices in the SCS context and/or more broadly in our own lives.
[The Thinkspace is a] “collective space for listening, (un)learning, reflection, and growth. Opportunities to ask questions and receive a variety of perspectives and ideas from other team members, in a space rooted in compassionate accountability and courageous vulnerability.”
After each session, one-word takeaways included:
THE JOURNEY AHEAD
Stepped Care Solutions embraces the challenge to meaningfully transform mental health and substance use health systems to foster wellbeing everywhere.
Creating accessible, high quality, and culturally relevant services and supports will require innovation and leadership in thought and action to best serve the needs of communities. Building on the accomplishments and developments of 2024, we are excited by the opportunity ahead to continuously enhance our services and increase our reach.
It won’t be easy, but it is well worth it.
We will do it by being principle-driven. We will do it by being person-centric. We will do it with creativity, leveraging synergy and our desire to disrupt the status quo. And we will do it, above all, because we care.
As we continue this journey, we recognize that deep, systemic change will require compassionate collaboration with all involved and impacted. Committed to co-design, we invite our partners, collaborators, and funders to join us.