Digital Mental Health
Digital technologies are changing how people access mental health information, services and supports, as well as how care is delivered.
What is digital mental health?
Digital mental health refers to the use of technology to support mental health and well-being. This can include virtual care, mental health apps, online programs and resources, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).
These technologies can create new opportunities to access and deliver mental health services and supports. They also raise important considerations related to quality, safety, privacy, equity and how technology can best support people and the care they receive.
Our work in digital mental health
Digital mental health refers to the use of technology to support mental health and well-being. This can include virtual care, mental health apps, online programs and resources, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).
These technologies can create new opportunities to access and deliver mental health services and supports. They also raise important considerations related to quality, safety, privacy, equity and how technology can best support people and the care they receive.
Explore our work
AI is increasingly shaping how mental health and substance use health (MHSUH) services and supports are developed and delivered.
In partnership with the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), the Commission is developing practical guidance to support the responsible use of AI in MHSUH.
With many mental health apps available, it can be difficult to understand their quality, safety and effectiveness.
The Commission’s Assessment Framework for Mental Health Apps provides an evidence-informed approach to evaluating mental health apps across key areas such as safety, privacy, clinical effectiveness, usability and accessibility. The framework guides our National Mental Health App Assessment work and supports more informed decisions about mental health apps.
Digital mental health has an important role to play in the future of mental health services and supports in Canada.
The E-Mental Health Strategy for Canada provides a shared vision and roadmap for advancing digital mental health, with six priority areas and 12 recommendations to support coordinated action across the country.
Build your knowledge and confidence in using digital mental health in practice.
These free, self-directed learning modules provide practical information, tools and strategies to support the effective integration of digital mental health into mental health services and care.
Additional Resources
The term e-mental health refers to the use of the internet and other electronic communication technologies to deliver mental health information and care. E-mental health services are an effective and complementary option to traditional face-to-face mental health support. By providing accessible and convenient assistance, e-mental health can play an important role for patients seeking help.
A two-pager designed to help service providers and people seeking care navigate the challenges of choosing the best apps.
Visual examples for people seeking care on how to use technology to access services and supports, co-created by people with lived experience of mental health problems or illnesses.
A two-pager designed to help service providers and people seeking care navigate the challenges of choosing the best apps.
Stepped Care 2.0 uses a recovery-oriented approach to provide flexible access to a range of wellness and mental health resources like e-mental health apps and online and in-person services. It’s a person-centered, evidence-informed system that structures care according to the least intensive and most effective options, giving service users the greatest likelihood of improvement. Learn more on our Stepped Care 2.0 page.
A briefing document about the opportunities and challenges of investing technology to transform the mental health care system from experts across Canada.
A literature review identifying the current knowledge gaps and opportunities revealed by the latest research.
An environmental scan of e-mental health initiatives that highlights the challenges of implementation and how to build on existing strengths.