If you are in distress, you can call or text 988 at any time. If it is an emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to your local emergency department.

  • Professional Resources

Structural Stigma in Mental Health Care Scale

The Structural Stigma in Mental Health Care Scale (SSMHCS)1 was developed as part of a larger project, the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), initiated in 2019.

This scale was designed to provide a cultural barometer of stigma experienced by individuals with a mental health and/or substance use (MHSU) concern or illness receiving care in a MHSU service setting. It is a 20-item scale with two factors: an eight-item person‑centred care factor and a 12-item coercive care factor.

The SSMHCS was designed to capture mental health care-related stigma experiences specifically from the perspective of service users. Scale development and testing followed best practice guidelines, including participation of people with lived and living experience of mental health and substance use disorders and family members (PWLLE) in the development process. More information about the development and testing of the SSMHCS will be publicly available soon.

Reference:

1. Stuart, H., Knaak, S. Structural Stigma in Mental Health Care Scale (SSMHCS). Mental Health Commission of Canada (2025). (Academic article in submission)

  • Professional Resources

Structural Stigma in Mental Health Care Scale

Structural Stigma in Mental Health Care Scale

  • Structural Stigma

The Structural Stigma in Mental Health Care Scale (SSMHCS)1 was developed as part of a larger project, the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), initiated in 2019.

This scale was designed to provide a cultural barometer of stigma experienced by individuals with a mental health and/or substance use (MHSU) concern or illness receiving care in a MHSU service setting. It is a 20-item scale with two factors: an eight-item person‑centred care factor and a 12-item coercive care factor.

The SSMHCS was designed to capture mental health care-related stigma experiences specifically from the perspective of service users. Scale development and testing followed best practice guidelines, including participation of people with lived and living experience of mental health and substance use disorders and family members (PWLLE) in the development process. More information about the development and testing of the SSMHCS will be publicly available soon.

Reference:

1. Stuart, H., Knaak, S. Structural Stigma in Mental Health Care Scale (SSMHCS). Mental Health Commission of Canada (2025). (Academic article in submission)

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