Suicide Prevention Apps
Online and digital mental health resources, such as websites, apps, and artificial intelligence tools, are becoming more popular. To help support the development of safe, quality, and effective mental health apps in Canada, the Mental Health Commission of Canada created a Mental Health App Assessment framework with support from Health Canada and the Organization for the Review of Health and Care Apps (ORCHA). To view the app framework, visit: App Assessment – Mental Health Commission of Canada
In this month’s resource round-up we share the MHCC framework, as well as a few Canadian based mental health and suicide prevention apps. It may be helpful to review the apps using the framework linked above.
Hope by CAMH
Hope by CAMH is a free smartphone app that provides suicide prevention information, tools and crisis resources to support and guide individuals when they are experiencing thoughts of suicide. One of the key features of this app is the ability for individuals to create a personalized suicide safety plan, which can be done in consultation with their healthcare professional, loved one, or someone who they have a trusting relationship with. The Hope by CAMH safety plan can be accessed at any time – especially if an individual is experiencing thoughts of suicide – and it can be updated as their situation changes.
Embracing Life App by Embracing Life Initiative
Embracing Life App – Embracing Life
The Embracing Life App is a project of the Embracing Life Initiative. The Embracing Life Initiative aims to reduce suicide by sharing the strengths of northern communities and working together through healthy life promotion, suicide prevention, intervention, and post-vention.”
The app provides tools to help safety plan, practice gratitude, and includes conversation starters on suicide, as well as resources for help-seeking. Please note, some resources are local to Saskatchewan.
BeSafe by Mind Your Mind
Be Safe is an evidence-based app developed in partnership with youth that can help users to create a safety plan, find local resources for support, and learn how to be safe in a mental health or substance use crisis.