College and university is a time when many students are affected by mental illness. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, 75% of first time diagnoses occur between the ages of 16-25. While therapy is an option that is proven to be beneficial in helping with mental health, it can also be expensive and out of reach for many students juggling tuition, school, and a part time job.
Humber College offers many counselling services on campus, however this can pose an issue for students busy with work and classes. On Humber’s site they offer links for 24/7 crisis hotlines, one of those being Good2Talk.
According to their website “Good2Talk is a free, confidential helpline for post secondary students in Ontario.” Good2Talk provides single session confidential counselling over the phone as well as referrals to services on and off campus. Originally launched in 2013, it was created by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development. Funding is provided by the Mental Health Innovation Fund.
Good2Talk ad featured on their website
The people answering the phones for Good2Talk are paid professionals with and are required to have degrees in a relevant discipline. All of the staff have training in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills (ASIST).
Adriana Vukosich has worked with Good2Talk in the past as a member of the Women’s Health Collective University of Toronto Chapter. “For a school as large as Uoft, their mental health resources are inadequate. The waitlist to see a counsellor through the school is up to a year or more. When doing mental health outreach activities, we give Good2Talk’s information to student to use as a resource since the school isn’t doing enough. They are a good resource for struggling students to talk to where they can be heard immediately and won’t have to wait for the help they need.”
Trinity College on University of Toronto St. George Campus
Good2Talk is a partnership between the four organizations ConnexOntario, Kids Help Phone, Ontario 211, and the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health.
The University of Toronto has also been criticized by many mental health groups for a new policy that allows them to place students with mental health issues on leave, as reported by the CBC.
Good2Talk is a partnership between the four organizations ConnexOntario, Kids Help Phone, Ontario 211, and the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health.
