Alcohol or drug use
Many Canadians use alcohol, cannabis, prescription medications or other substances in ways that are unlikely to hurt them. In our culture, most of these drugs are simply a part of life, and accepted. And when used responsibly, they may not affect our daily life or our health.
But sometimes, we may lose our way and start using more, or more often. For any number of reasons some people find themselves struggling with more risk of harmful consequences to themselves and others. When substance use starts to negatively affect our relationships, performance at work, our health, or our finances, it could be a sign of a problem that needs attention. And if you consume alcohol or other drugs to avoid feeling bad or to cope with life’s challenges, you may be putting yourself at risk.
If this sounds like you, you might want to consider speaking to your doctor. Outside support may also be needed when dealing with the substance use of a family member or loved one
Tools
Kids Help Phone
Kids Help PhoneKids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, confidential support to young people in English and French. Services include mental health tips and info, crisis support, professional counselling, quizzes, games and...
More Information:
SMART Recovery - Self-Management And Recovery Training
SMART Recovery - Self-Management And Recovery TrainingSelf-Management And Recovery Training (SMART) is a global community of mutual-support groups. At meetings, participants help one another resolve problems with any addiction (to drugs or alcohol or to activities such as gambling or over-eating)...
More Information:
CAPSA - Community Addictions Peer Support Association
CAPSA - Community Addictions Peer Support AssociationCAPSA is a National leader on the topic of stigma, its impacts on individuals who use substances or have a substance use disorder and on identifying and correcting instances of systemic stigma imbedded in organizations. Employing subject matter...
More Information:
Togetherall
TogetherallTogetherall is a clinically moderated, online peer-to-peer mental health community that empowers individuals to anonymously seek and provide support 24/7.
Togetherall provides millions of people access to a safe and supportive online community where...
More Information:
HealthyMinds@Work
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and SafetyDiscover tools to help support your mental health efforts in creating a space where workers feel safe, respected, and valued.
More Information:
Mental Health 101
The Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthKnowledge is power. This series of free online tutorials is a starting point for learning about mental health. You can come away with a greater understanding of the mental health concern you are interested in knowing more about. The tutorials can...
More Information:
57 Program(s)
Mental Health and Addictions Provincial Intake
Mental Health and Addictions Provincial Intake is the entry point for all requests for service through the provincial toll free number 1-855-922-1122 Monday to Friday and all week-day holidays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. as well as Tuesday and Thursday...
Nova Scotia Brotherhood Initiative
Nova Scotia Brotherhood Initiative is a free program for Black men to access health care in the community to improve overall health and wellbeing. A team of health care professionals provide culturally appropriate primary medical care plus health and...
Access Wellness Nova Scotia
Access Wellness is a free single-session supportive counselling service for individuals (18 years and older), couples or families.
Sessions can be held over the phone, online with video, or in-person. People can speak with a qualified professional...
Recovery Support Centre
The Recovery Support Centre is a welcoming space that provides education, recovery and harm reduction support, along with one on one support and group treatment for people struggling with substance use and/or gambling concerns.
An interdisciplinary...
Peer Support Phone Service
The Peer Support Phone Service is a toll-free, non-crisis, province wide service, available to all Nova Scotians 18 years of age or older. It is staffed by trained peer supporters, who have personal or family-based lived experience with mental...
Acadia First Nation Community Health Centres
Mission Statement:
Acadia First Nations Health mission is to provide health programs and services to: "Assist communities and its members to achieve physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health through health promotion, traditional teachings...
Glooscap First Nation Health and Healing Centre
Health programs offered include:
-
Aboriginal Head-Start, On-Reserve (AHSOR)
-
Home and Community Care (HCC)
-
Brighter Futures - health promotion
-
Community Health Promotion and Injury/Illness Prevention
-
Building Healthy...
Annapolis Valley First Nation Health Centre
The Annapolis Valley First Nation Health Centre is made up of a Community Health Nurse, NADACA prevention Counselor, Community Based Water Monitor and a Receptionist.
Sipekne’katik First Nation
The Sipekne’katik Health Centre has many programs available for its community to benefit from, including:
- Adult primary health care services
- Prenatal classes and services
- Parent programming
- Maternal child health services
- Public health...
Pictou Landing Health Centre
Provides health services to Pictou Landing First Nation community members, including mental health counselling.
Millbrook Health Centre
The Millbrook Health Centre provides health services to Millbrook Band members, First Nations people who reside at Millbrook First nation, and community members.
Services provided include:
- Primary health care
- Nursing services
- Dental services
- M...
Paqtnkek Health Centre
Dedicated and caring staff at the Paqtnkek Health Centre support a variety of community health promotion, education and prevention programs from Monday through Friday.
The centre provides primary health care services for adults and children, such as...
We'koqma'q Health and Wellness Department
The department provides an array of services including:
- Home and community care
- Dietician services
- Clinical therapists
- Addictions services
- Public health
- Primary care
- Palliative care
- Lab services
The department is also actively involved...
Membertou Health and Wellness Home
The Membertou Wellness Home delivers programs in heart disease/hypertension, smoking cessation, healthy weight, crisis prevention/intervention, mental health, pre-natal, diabetes foot care, addictions services, dental therapy, chronic disease, home...
Union of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq - Mental Wellness Team
The Union of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Mental Wellness Team provides case management and service navigation for First Nations persons of all ages seeking mental wellness services.
We work in collaboration with relevant community and provincial...
Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line
The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line is available 24-hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of their residential school experience. Call 1-866-925-4419.
There are no fees associated with use and this service is...
Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselling Association of Nova Scotia (NADACA)
NADACA programming is designed to deal with all aspects of substance abuse, i.e. alcohol abuse, illicit drug abuse, prescription drug abuse and solvent abuse. Our mandate is to provide accredited certified indigenous addictions prevention, education...
IWK Mental Health and Addictions Program
The IWK Mental Health and Addictions Program provides specialized care throughout the province for children and youth up until their 19th birthday within a patient and family...
Canadian Mental Health Association - Colchester East Hants Branch
The Canadian Mental Health Association, Colchester East Hants Branch provides public education, advocacy, and a resource center to support the resiliency and recovery of people...
Canadian Mental Health Association - Halifax-Dartmouth Branch
The Canadian Mental Health Association, Halifax-Dartmouth Branch works at the community level and facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and improve...
Canadian Mental Health Association - Nova Scotia Division
Canadian Mental Health Associations in Nova Scotia are the oldest community-based mental health and addictions charitable organizations in the province, founded in 1908. The CMHA...
The Marguerite Centre
The Marguerite Centre provides a holistic, women-centred approach to recovery from substance misuse and gambling addiction. We are an inclusive, safe, non-judgmental environment...
Hope for Wellness HelpLine
The Hope for Wellness HelpLine offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous peoples across Canada. Experienced and culturally competent...
Eskasoni Mental Health
Eskasoni Mental Health Services (EMHS) provides a wide range of services to the Mi’kmaq people of Eskasoni, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The Tui'kn Residential School Survivor Team...
Direction 180
Direction 180 is a community-based, opioid treatment program located in the North End of Halifax, Nova Scotia. This non-profit organization has been running since 2001 as a program of the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Center.
Caregivers Nova Scotia
Caregivers Nova Scotia provides free programs, services, information, and advocacy for family and friend caregivers. We are dedicated to providing recognition and practical assistance to friends and family giving care.
Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7, national support service. We offer professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young...
Ally Centre of Cape Breton
The Ally Centre of Cape Breton is dedicated to preventing the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C in the community and supporting those who have been infected and/or affected by these...
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who...
Alateen
Alateen a part of the Al-Anon Family Groups, is a fellowship of young people (mostly teenagers) whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking whether they are in your...
Al-Anon
Al‑Anon is a mutual support program for people whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking. By sharing common experiences and applying the Al-Anon principles...
211
211 is a free, confidential information and referral service that can connect you to thousands of programs and services offered by local community groups, nonprofits and government departments across Nova Scotia, 24/7.
Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services - Mental Health Programs and Services
Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) is responsible for administering Non-Public Property (NPP) on behalf of the Chief of the Defence Staff and for delivering...
Veterans Affairs Canada Assistance Service
Veterans Affairs provide targeted services and benefits to improve well-being including support and services related to your physical and mental health and wellness.The VAC...
Take Home Naloxone Program
The program provides opioid overdose prevention/naloxone administration training and free take home nalaxone kits to Nova Scotians.
The aim is to prevent opioid overdoses and...
Families Matter in Mental Health
Families Matter in Mental Health is an 11-week education and support program for family or friends who are providing practical and/or emotional support to someone who has a...
Narcotics Anonymous
NA is a nonprofit fellowship or society of people for whom drugs had become a major problem. We are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean. This is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs. There is only one...
Outpatient Withdrawal Management
The Outpatient Withdrawal Management combines functions of an outpatient (day program) withdrawal management (detox) and structured treatment, providing the support of a team...
Health Psychology
Health Psychology offers psychological interventions for those with chronic and acute health conditions. The main focus is on the patient's mental and emotional reaction to an illness or their recovery from an illness.
Wellness Court
Wellness Court Programs are specialty or problem-solving courts, where a team of professionals helps treat the issues contributing to the individual coming into conflict with the...
Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR) Unit
The Psychosocial Rehabilitation Unit offers 24 hours a day, seven days a week support for individuals with mental illness (such as Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder and...
Geriatric Psychiatry Acute Inpatient Unit
The Geriatric Psychiatry Acute Inpatient Unit is for individuals over the age of 65 with a new onset of mental illness or for individuals of any age with dementia and complicated medical and/or psychological symptoms.
Geriatric Psychiatry Outpatient Program
Seniors mental health services provide assessment, consultation and treatments to:
- seniors aged 65 and older for a new onset of mental health challenges
- individuals of any...
Opioid Recovery Program (ORP)
The Opioid Recovery Program offers opioid maintenance therapy and programming to individuals with an addiction to opioids. From a harm reduction perspective, the program...
Inpatient Withdrawal Management Program
Inpatient withdrawal management service provides medication-assisted withdrawal management and recovery supports to individuals requiring inpatient treatment to manage withdrawal from alcohol and/other substances. These services are staffed by a...
Driving While Impaired (DWI) Program/Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program (AIIP)
If your driver’s license has been suspended or revoked for a substance related offence, you are required by the Registry of Motor Vehicles to attend the DWI Program in order to...
Adult Addictions Day Treatment Program
The Addictions Day Treatment Program is a two-week group program for individuals that require a more intensive and daily treatment option.
Individuals may benefit from this type of program if they recently left an inpatient treatment program (i.e...
School Mental Health (SchoolsPlus)
The school mental health clinicians provide individual and group therapy, mental health and addictions education for school staff and consultation services. Clinicians are on...
Nova Scotia Operational Stress Injury (OSI) Clinic
The Nova Scotia Operational Stress Injury Clinic (NSOSIC) belongs to a national network of OSI Clinics funded by Veterans Affairs Canada. The clinic provides mental health...
Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line
The Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line provides crisis intervention for children, youth and adults experiencing a mental health crisis or mental distress.
The...
Inpatient Mental Health Services
Inpatient mental health services are available for those who cannot be safely assessed, diagnosed and stabilized in the community.
First Nations Services
Mental Health clinicians work as part of the first nations health care team in several first nations communities. The Mental Health Clinician provides assessment, diagnosis and...
Crossroads Clubhouse
Crossroads Cape Breton is community organized to support people living with mental illness in reclaiming and enhancing their lives. People are referred to as “members” because...
Community Support Service (Adults)
The Community Support Teams for Adults/Community Supports for Adults supports individuals living with persistent mental illness to develop and maintain a safe, satisfying quality...
Adult Community Mental Health and Addictions Services
Community Mental Health and Addictions includes a team of mental health and addictions professionals who provide services on an outpatient basis. The team provides assessment...
Child and Adolescent Services
Child and Adolescent Services/Child Youth and Family/Child and Adolescent Outpatient Clinical Services provide mental health and addiction services to children and youth (under...
Adolescent Outreach Services
Adolescent Outreach Services (AOS) is an expansion of the CaperBase model, which originated in Cape Breton. AOS focuses on providing:
- Brief and Early Intervention
- Screening
- Outreach
- Community Partnerships
The AOS model is set up for youth...