GreenShield Cares about mental health
Mental health journeys are deeply personal and unique, especially in a country as diverse as Canada. Many face barriers that prevent them from receiving the care they need, when they need it.
We collaborate with community partners to address these gaps and advance health equity, supporting underserved communities with specialized and culturally appropriate care that reflects the diverse needs of people living in Canada.
Featured spotlight:
Our 2025 Women’s Mental Health Report, in partnership with Mental Health Research Canada, explores various life transitions, including youth, caregiving and menopause, revealing that anxiety and depression are more prevalent among women than men, with particularly high rates for 2SLGBTQI+ and racialized women.
Featured spotlight:
Women’s mental health
We launched our Women’s Mental Health program in 2021 to improve and expand access to services that reflect the diverse identities and lived experiences of women in Canada.
We offer free culturally appropriate, trauma-informed virtual therapy and digital Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to those 18+ who identify as women, non-binary, and gender non-conforming.
We’ve provided over 120,000 women with free care and meaningful support.
Anxiety is on the rise
Close to 50% of women report increased anxiety due to political and economic pressures, while 18% of young women (16-24) report higher anxiety compared to young men.
Life transitions matter
Over 50% of women feel unprepared for menopause, and close to 60% were unaware that anxiety and depression are common symptoms of this hormonal change.
Equity gaps persist
Nearly 10% of 2SLGBTQI+ and racialized women report needing mental health support but not accessing it — nearly double the rates of non-2SLGBTQI+ and non-racialized peers.
When mental health support is personal, it’s powerful
Our partnership with GreenShield enables us to break down barriers and create spaces where Black women can connect with trusted support, ensuring they feel seen, heard, and empowered on their mental health journey."
Signature Initiative:
Youth mental health
Canadian youth are facing a mental health crisis. Every year, more than 1 million young people need support. Yet nearly 60 per cent aren’t getting the care they need because of barriers such as cost and accessibility.1
As a solution, we’ve created a Youth Mental Health Ecosystem. This comprehensive, easy-to-navigate digital platform connects youth directly to culturally relevant mental health support and resources when they need them.
Understanding the diverse mental health needs of youth
To gain a full picture of youth mental health across the country, we partnered with Mental Health Research Canada to introduce the Youth Mental Health Data Hub, Canada’s most comprehensive resource to aggregate data that can be used to explore key trends in mental health indicators, critical gaps, and barriers to support for young Canadians.
Care navigation
Only 19% accessed mental health support last year, with service gaps and fragmented systems making it difficult to get help.
Affordable support
With living expenses on the rise, over 50% of youth identify the cost of mental health services as a barrier to accessing support.
Equitable access
Among youth who’ve tried to access care, 45% identify long wait times as a barrier and 41% report difficulty finding the right support.
Better Mental Health for All
We asked some of our partners and program participants to share their stories and experiences, highlighting the barriers to mental health support care many Canadians face.
Partner spotlight:
Noojimo Health
The first and only all-Indigenous virtual mental wellness clinic, Noojimo focuses on early intervention, prevention and education, helping Indigenous clients feel seen and supported throughout their healing journey. Our partnership provides culturally safe care for Indigenous communities through GreenShield+.
Everyone’s mental health journey is unique
Sheryl
Sheryl wanted to connect with other women who could offer support. Here’s how the QUEENS program helped.
Jamie
Finding a South Asian therapist helped Jamie Pandit start her healing journey. This is her story.
Margherita
Motherhood was an exciting change in Margherita’s life. This is how therapy helped her navigate a new life stage.
1 Mental Health Research Canada (2024)
2 Mental Health Research Canada, A Generation at Risk (2024)