National Guidance for AI in Mental Health and Substance Use Health Care
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, national guidance for using artificial intelligence (AI) in the mental and substance use health (MHSUH) field is being developed through a partnership between the Mental Health Commission of Canada and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction.
AI is increasingly being used for healthcare triage, service navigation, service delivery, and communication, but service providers, developers and users have no guidelines specific to mental or substance use health to support its effective and safe use. The recently published E-Mental Health Strategy for Canada highlights the need for safety in this field.
The new National Guidance for Artificial Intelligence Use in Mental Health and Substance Use Health Care will provide guidance, tools, and resources to help practitioners, organizations, and health leaders in efficiently evaluating and implementing AI-enabled mental health and substance use health care services and solutions.
It will also support people with lived or living experience of mental health or substance use health concerns in making informed choices about these technologies, while helping technology companies design and improve such solutions to meet the needs of those who use them. The full guidance will launch in 2026.
Our Findings
Through our literature review and environmental scan, we identified 10 key considerations for early guidance, along three main themes: trust and explainability of AI systems, human-centred care, and equity and data governance. We will refine these findings through engagement with expert advisory groups to ensure the final guidance reflects the unique considerations within the MHSUH sectors.
By investing early in national guidance, Canada is positioning itself as a global leader in ensuring that technological innovation in healthcare translates into safer, more equitable outcomes.
Steering Committee Members
The Steering Committee provides strategic advice and oversight, ensuring that diverse perspectives, including lived and living experience, First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives, ethics, equity, legal, and technical expertise, are integrated into the guidance.
Dr. Aislin R. Mushquash
Associate Professor; Lakehead University Research Chair in Youth Mental Health; Clinical Psychologist, Lakehead University
Al Raimundo
- Person with lived experience/Technical experience
Dr. Allison Crawford, MD, PhD
Chief Medical Officer, 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline
Professor Departments of Psychiatry and Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Psychiatrist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Anthony Esposti
CEO, CAPSA
Ashley Silversides
- Treatment Manager
Mamisarvik Healing Centre
Dr. Benjamin Rosen
Psychiatrist, (Physician Lead, Psychiatry Emergency Services), Sinai Health
Medical Head, Psychiatry Partnerships with Northern Communities, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Carly Straker
Manager, System Quality and Integration, Mental Wellness and Addictions Recovery Division, Government of the Northwest Territories
Chris Cull
Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Mental Health, Neurological and Substance Use Conditions
World Health Organization
Dr. Christopher DiCarlo
Principal/Founder, Critical Thinking Solutions
Dr. Christopher Mushquash
Dr. David Martell
Physician Lead, Addiction Medicine – Mental Health & Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health
Dr. David Wiljer, PhD
Associate Dean, CPD, Temerty Faculty of Medicine;
Professor (status only), Department of Psychiatry and IHPME,
University of Toronto; Scientist, The Wilson Centre;
Executive Director, Education Technology Innovation,
University Health Network.
Dr. Gillian Strudwick
Scientific Director, Registered Nurse, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Jason Miller
Jeannie Borg RN, MA Leadership
Director of Clinical Informatics and Digital Health, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care
Jennifer Dahak
Jonathan Morris
CEO, Canadian Mental Health Association BC Division
Kim Kulbacki
Dr. Leslie E. Roos
Associate Professor, Departments of Psychology & Pediatrics; Licensed Clinical Psychologist; Clinical Scientist at Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba; CIHR Implementation Science Chair in Human Development, Child, and Youth Health
The University of Manitoba
Norm Odjick
Director General, Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation Tribal Council
Rebecca Jesseman
Executive Director, Mental Health and Addictions, Health PEI
Russell Greiner
Professor, Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta
Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta
Canada CIFAR AI Chair and Fellow-in-Residence, Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii)
Stephanie Thevarajah
Valerie Pisano
President & CEO, MILA
Health Care Professional Advisory Group
The Health Care Professional Advisory Group provides clinical and practice-informed input, expertise, and advice focused on implementation realities, professional considerations, and frontline care contexts.
Dr. Conrad Sichler
Medical Psychotherapy Association of Canada
Dr. Devin Fowlie
- Canadian Psychological Association
Dr. Erin Knight
Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine
Florence Budden
Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses
Dr. Hance Clarke
- Canadian Pain Society
Karina Albert
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
Dr. Leyna Lowe
Canadian Mental Health Association
Lisa Diamond-Burchuk
- Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
Mayce Al-Sukhni
Canadian Society of Healthcare Systems Pharmacy Representative
Dr. Norm Buckley
McMaster University/Institute for Pain Research and Care
Dr. Sarah Pennisi
Canadian Association of Social Workers
Tifaine Magnusson
Canadian Society of Healthcare Systems Pharmacy Representative
Tracie Risling
Canadian Nurses Association
Dr. Vijay Seethapathy
Canadian Psychiatric Association