Children and Youth
Canada’s Waiting Children and Youth
Canada's Waiting Children and Youth promotes the placement of waiting children and youth in permanent, safe, loving and culturally competent families. CWCY is the only national child-specific photo listing program in Canada, and only available to Canadian residents.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
This free early childhood literacy program is available for children from birth to age five.
KidsHelpPhone.ca
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, confidential support to young people in English and French. There are also tools and resources for issues from bullying to online safety
Kids in the Know
Kids in the Know is a national interactive safety education program for increasing the personal safety of children and reducing their risk of victimization online and in the real world.
Living with FASD comic book
A collection of five stories, based on stories told by members of the Whitecrow Village community. The stories are about struggling in school, the importance of friendships and receiving support from friends and family.
Making Sense of Trauma - Storybook for Kids
Big Feelings Come and Go is a free storybook the Canadian Centre for Child Protection hopes will be a resource to help families and caregivers have conversations with kids about freeze, flight, and fight and learn some basic self-regulation skills.
MentorNet
MentorNet is a unique program aimed at connecting Students and Young Professionals (SYPs) interested in global health with experts in the field.
Financial Literacy Course for Youth In and From Care
The Children's Aid Foundation has developed a free online financial literacy training that can act as a resource for youth transitioning out of the child welfare system so they are better able to successfully manage money and debts, and to begin building assets.
Sex Ed: Beyond the Classroom
For this special web series,The Walrus spoke with teens, parents, and educators nationwide, on what we get wrong—and right—about gender, intimacy, desire, and consent.
Stop Now And Plan (SNAP)
SNAP, is an evidence-based behavioural model that provides a framework for teaching children struggling with behaviour issues, and their parents, effective emotional regulation, self-control and problem-solving skills.
Weight-related Conversations Knowledge Translation Casebook
This Casebook is a compilation of best evidence and practice to assist healthcare professionals in having positive conversations about weight-related issues with children and their families.
Mobility for Good - Youth Aging out of Care
A collaboration between TELUS and Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (CAFC) and select Centre de Jeunesse Foundations, Mobility for Good® helps youth aging out of care achieve independence by providing them with a free phone and a $0 plan. This enables them to stay in touch with friends and vital support networks, search for somewhere to live, find education and job opportunities, and build credit.
Programs are also available to support seniors, low income families, and Indigenous women at risk or surviving violence - visit Mobility for Good to learn more.
Mental Health
BeyondNow – Your suicide safety planning app
Convenient and confidential, the BeyondNow app puts safety planning in the pocket so it can accessed and edited at any time.
BounceBack® - CMHA
BounceBack® is a free skill-building program managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). It is designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression and anxiety, stress or worry. Delivered over the phone with a coach and through online videos, you will get access to tools that will support you on your path to mental wellness.
Buddy Up - Centre for Suicide Prevention
This resource is an introduction to men and suicide. You’ll learn about statistics, warning signs, why men are more at risk, and how suicide can be prevented. You’ll also learn how to have a conversation with someone you’re worried about. If you know someone who is thinking about suicide, or if you’re thinking about suicide, call your local crisis line.
Continuing Education – MHCC
Looking for free online continuing education opportunities? The Mental Health Commission of Canada’s (MHCC) webinars, case studies and more on topics ranging from workplace mental health to recovery and suicide prevention.
E-hub Online Self-Help
Those are free e-mental health tools provided by the Australian Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing including e-couch, MoodGym and Bluepages.
FOVEO CARE
Foveo Care is a mental health support app that provides an anonymous forum for people to disclose their fears and struggles, while gaining encouragement from others going through the same thing.
Heads Up Guys
It is a online, anonymous resource specifically designed for men, and their families, to prevent the continued erosion of men’s mental health and deaths by suicide. Our website offers tips and articles that arm men with the tools they need to fight depression, as well as recovery stories from men who have faced depression, and an international therapist directory to connect men with local mental health professionals.
Medications and You
This book free, developed by The Mood Disorders Society of Canada, hopes to assist people by providing you with easy to understand information on medications.
Mental Health in the Workplace: An Accommodation Guide for Managers and Staff
This free guidebook aims to help employers and managers understand how to assist a colleague with a mental health concern and appropriately accommodate them in the workplace.
MindShift App
MindShift® CBT uses scientifically proven strategies based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you learn to relax and be mindful, develop more effective ways of thinking, and use active steps to take charge of your anxiety. Click here to learn more.
E-mental health implementation toolkit
This implementation toolkit was developed to support the establishment of e-mental health programs.
Suicide prevention and support
Crisis Services Canada (CSC) is a collaboration of distress and crisis centres from across Canada, offering Canada’s first nationally available, regionally delivered suicide prevention service.
Suicide Prevention Toolkits
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), has developed 2 toolkits to support people who have been impacted by suicide. One toolkit is tailored for people who have attempted suicide, and the other is focused on resources for people who have lost someone to suicide.
Supporting a Family Member with Schizophrenia
Supporting a Family Member with Schizophrenia is a practical guide for families and other caregivers. The support strategies in the manual can help people with the illness to really engage in life—to be able to work, study, enjoy their leisure time and have meaningful relationships.
Hope and Recovery guide: Your Guide to Living with and Beyond Schizophrenia
This guide has been developed by the The Schizophrenia Society of Canada (SSC) to provide information and guidance to young people who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and those who support them.
Think Outside the Box
Information, tools and stories for people with disabilities, employers, landlords, service and transportation providers and anyone else looking to learn more about mental health accessibility and disability accommodation.
My Grief
Confidential and free, MyGrief.ca helps you to understand and move through your grief.
WalkAlong
WalkAlong is a free online mental health companion. Click here to access their on-line tools that support your own journey as well as being a good resource for others.
Brain Connections
Brain Connections was created to share information about how problem gambling affects the brain. Brain Connections translates current research into understandable answers to these and other questions in handout and video formats.
PTSD Coach Canada - Mobile App (Military/ Veterans)
Together with professional treatment, PTSD Coach Canada provides dependable resources and self-help tools based on research.
Reconciliation
CASW Reconciliation Hub
In this page you can find links to CASW's previous statements, letters, and other publications related to CASW's advocacy for reconciliation and rights and equity for Indigenous people and communities over the past number of years. In addition, you can also find provincial and national resources from other organizations websites, webinars for continuing education, and training for Social Workers.
Health Care
Speak Up Canada
Advance Care Planning is a process of thinking about and sharing your wishes for future health and personal care. The Advance Care Planning initiative, spearheaded by the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) since 2008 focuses on an accessible Pan-Canadian Framework for advance care planning.
Living Well, Planning Well
Speak Up and the BC Centre for Palliative Care developed a complementary “Living Well, Planning Well” resource for the public. This resource intended to help people understand their rights and the legal requirements for planning for your future care.
Fraser Health Authority Advance Care Planning Companion Workbook: My Voice in Action
Alzheimer Society of Canada
The Alzheimer Society of Canada provides lots of resources for people with dementia, family members, caregivers, and health-care professionals.
The brainXchange™
The brainXchange™ is a network of people dedicated to improving quality of life and supports for persons with or at risk of having brain-health needs related to dementia, mental health and neurological conditions related to aging or have experienced brain health changes earlier in life that are now more complex with aging.
Canadian Pain Task Force Report
The report herein summarizes their findings from this rapid assessment of the current state of chronic pain in Canada and some of the personal responses from people living with pain. The activities undertaken to inform this report mark only the start of the Task Force's engagement of Canadians in this important work.
CANImmunize
CANImmunize is a free digital tool for Canadians that securely stores your vaccination records and helps you get vaccinated on time.
Canadian Society for Spirituality & Social Work
CSSSW stimulates interest and scholarship in the area of spirituality and social work through hosting conferences, encouraging research, and publishing quality articles and research papers by practitioners, students and academics.
Framework on Palliative Care in Canada
This is a review of the Framework on Palliative Care in Canada tabled in December, 2018 at Parliament.
Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF)
The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) provides funding for projects that make Canadian communities and workplaces more accessible for persons with disabilities. EAF aims to create more opportunities for persons with disabilities to take part in community activities, programs and services, or access employment.
Medical Assistance in Dying: Resource Hub
This is CASW MAID Resource Hub with national and provincial resources for social worker across Canada.
Patients Medical Neighbourhood - Best Advice
This guide will help family practice teams improve their connections with colleagues in other care settings both within the health care system and social services more broadly.
RISE (Reach Isolated Seniors Everywhere)
HelpAge Canada initiated a new pan-Canadian project called RISE (Reach Isolated Seniors Everywhere) - the key components of the project is a country-wide campaign encouraging people of all ages to reach out to a senior who may be isolated or lonely or at risk of becoming isolated.
Supplementary Health Insurance Explained for Healthcare Providers
As the Chair for the Extended Healthcare Professionals Coalition (EHPC), CASW was pleased to coordinate the launch of this practice resource that was developed in collaboration with the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association to support help healthcare providers and their patients better understand how private health insurance works.
Additional information about Health Insurance for Healthcare Providers from Canadian Life & Health Insurance Association.
Your Care, Your Choices
Advance Care Planning for First Nations People - Using the Your Care, Your Choices workbook as a guide can help you to begin conversations with your family, friends and health care team. That way everyone knows how you wish to be cared for if you ever become ill or injured, and can no longer make decisions for yourself.
Canada Dental Benefit
The Canada Dental Benefit is part of the Government’s plan to improve dental care for Canadians with a family income of less than $90,000 annually. Through this benefit, children under 12 who do not have access to dental care insurance can get the dental care they need.
Canada launches new toll-free number for Poison Centres
A poison centre is a telephone-based front-line service operating 24 hours, seven days a week, staffed by registered nurses and pharmacists with specialized training in the effects of poison, known as toxicology. Call 1-844 POISON-X, or 1-844-764-7669 to access critical medical advice for poisonings.
Housing and Homelessness
Housing First 101
This is a collection of resources including practical guides for working with various populations in the Housing First framework.
BOOK | 10 – Engaging People with Lived/Living Experience
Informed by the 10 Lived/Living Experience Advisory Committee, this guide was written to support poverty-reduction groups to meaningfully engage people with lived/living experience.
Canadian Housing First Toolkit
This toolkit is based on the experience of the Canadian At Home/Chez Soi project that used the Pathways to Housing model of Housing First for homeless people with mental illness. While the toolkit has a mental health focus because it is based on the At Home/Chez Soi experience, it is applicable to and can be adapted to other segments of the homeless population (e.g., youth, families), many of which also experience mental health challenges.
Canadian Rental Housing Index
The Canadian Rental Housing Index is a comprehensive database that compiles rental housing statistics for cities, regions, and provinces across Canada.
Homeless Hub
The Homeless Hub is a web-based research library and information centre representing an innovative step forward in the use of technology to enhance knowledge mobilization and networking.
Homelessness Learning Hub
The Homelessness Learning Hub (HLH) is the place for professional development and community capacity building for frontline service providers from the homeless-serving sector in Canada.
Landlord Engagement Toolkit
A practical “how to” guide to working with landlords in the context of a Housing First program.
Toolkit for Intensive Case Management in Canada
For those using a Case Management Program for the Housing First Model, there is a toolkit available from the Homelessness Partnering Strategy on the Community Workspace on Homelessness.
A Way Home Canada
A Way Home is a national coalition reimagining solutions to youth homelessness through transformations in policy, planning and practice. A Way Home is also an international movement for change that began with A Way Home Canada.
Mental Health and Addiction Interventions for Youth Experiencing Homelessness: Practical Strategies for Frontline Providers
This intervention guide from the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press was developed to provide timely and relevant guidance to direct service providers on how to intervene more effectively with youth who have experienced homelessness.
Substance Use
Cannabis in Canada
While cannabis is legal in Canada, illegal products are still being sold and consumed in Canada. Learn to recognize the differences between legal and illegal cannabis, and find out why it matters.
Discussing non-medical cannabis use in primary care
The Canadian Paediatric Society has prepared messaging and social media posts to make it easy to communicate the key messages in our new practice point on counselling adolescents and their parents on non-medical (recreational) cannabis use.
Cannabis and Psychosis
Health Canada and the Schizophrenia Society of Canada have teamed up to provide information regarding ways to get informed on cannabis and mental health.
Cannabis Knowledge Exchange Hub
The Cannabis Knowledge Exchange Hub connects you with evidence-based information on the non-medical use of cannabis that’s ready to be put into action. The hub also allows you to connect with other professionals across Ontario and Canada through our online discussion forum.
Clearing the Smoke on Cannabis
The Canadian Centre on substance Abuse (CCSA) has released updated reports that summarize what the effects of cannabis use on human functioning and development.
Families for Addiction Recovery
Free and confidential support group for parents in Toronto and parent phone support. Supporting families affected by addiction, advocating for timely, compassionate, evidence-based treatment, and ending stigma.
Guide to Facilitate Discussions about Youth Cannabis Use in Your Community
Marijuana — its medical uses, effects and legalization — is a common topic of discussion of late among members of the public and health professionals, and in political circles. This is a guide to support discussions developed by the Canadian Center on Substance Abuse.
National Alcohol Strategy
Alcohol is a popular drink in Canada with special social and cultural significance, yet it also causes many types of harm. Canada has developed a National Alcohol Strategy to address problematic alcohol consumption.
Opioids toolkit
This resource helps to promote awareness on preventing opioid overdoses.
PreventionCoalition
PreventionCoalition is an informational site designed to educate parents, teachers and concerned community members about teen drug use and ways to prevent it.
Substance Use and Addictions Program
Health Canada's Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) provides contribution funding for projects that respond to drug and substance use issues in Canada.
Substance Use Disorder Guidelines
The Canadian Coalition for Seniors Mental Health (CCSMH) has been funded through the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) of Health Canada to create a set of four guidelines on the prevention, assessment, and management of substance use disorders among older adults. Click the below links to access the guidelines:
• Alcohol Use Disorder in Older Adults
• Benzodiazepine Use Disorder in Older Adults
• Cannabis Use Disorder in Older Adults
• Opioid Use Disorder in Older Adults
Talking Pot with Youth: A Cannabis Communication Guide for Youth Allies
This guide takes a harm reduction approach to talking with youth about cannabis. Its purpose is to help those who work with young people to have the right kind of conversations with them about cannabis: conversations that are safe, unbiased, informed and non-judgmental.
Wellness Together Canada: Mental Health and Substance Use Support
Wellness Together Canada Connects Canadians to peer support workers, social workers, psychologists and other professionals for confidential chat sessions or phone calls and will make it easier to find credible information and help address mental health and substance use issues.
Family and Intimate Partner Violence
CASW Domestic Violence Resources Page
In this page you can find resources for those who are or know someone who is seeking help as well as support websites, continuing education, and training for Social Workers
Refugees and Newcomers
Immigration measures for people affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Access information about the Government of Canada's commitment to support those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including measures in place to help Canadian citizens and permanent residents return home and to help Ukrainians come to and stay in Canada.
Toolkit: Immigration Matters
IRCC is working on an initiative called Immigration Matters that combines storytelling and facts to dispel common myths about immigrants and refugees, and promotes positive engagement between Canadians and newcomers.
National Newcomer Navigation Network (N4)
N4 is a national network for the diversity of providers who assist newcomers in navigating the complex Canadian healthcare and social service systems. It provide opportunities for professional development, education, virtual discussions, networking, and the sharing of data and resources.
General Practice
Best Advice Guide: Team-Based Care in the Patient’s Medical Home
Team-based care is an integral part of the Patient’s Medical Home (PMH) model. The continuous, comprehensive, patient-centred care provided by these family practices is made even more effective by building a strong, well-connected team that strives for the same goal.
Canadian Virtual Hospice
The Canadian Virtual Hospice team has identified protocols, advanced practices, and assessment and evaluation tools to help support your practice.
CRA launches new digital services for charities
The Canada Revenue Agency’s Charities Directorate announces the launch of new digital services for charities on My Business Account (My BA).
Eco-Social Work: An Ethical Imperative
This resource is for Social Workers who are interested in learning more about eco-social work. It was developed in order to raise greater awareness about the importance of ecological/environmental issues, as well as eco-social work theory and practice within the field of social work itself.
Evidence-based Principles of Therapy (EPT) Clearinghouse
The goal of the EPT Clearinghouse is to develop a crowd-sourced site for free resources (e.g., videos, worksheets, manuals) for therapists, educators, and students who want to learn how to implement evidence-based practice elements.
Grant and Contribution Funding Opportunities
in this resource you can find the current Public Health Agency of Canada’s funding opportunities.
HelpSeeker
HelpSeeker.org is a systems mapping platform that generates real-time insights for better decision-making for funders and policy-makers, while connecting vulnerable people to the right services.
The New Social Worker – Online Magazine
The New Social Worker is a careers magazine with each issue providing practical articles on social work students, social work ethics, field placement, practice issues, practice specialties, technology in social work, book reviews, and more.
Toolbox for the Active Offer – For Better Understanding and Better Care
The Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS), has developed a set of training and information tools for healthcare and social service professionals. This toolbox will provide you with valuable resources to help you offer quality healthcare services to your francophone clients.
QualityRights Initiative
The goal of WHO’s QualityRights is to change mindsets and practices in a sustainable way and empower all stakeholders to promote rights and recovery in order to improve the lives of people with psychosocial, intellectual or cognitive disabilities everywhere.
CASW Virtual Counseling Resources page
The CASW Virtual Counseling Resources page with links specific to your province or territory as well as additional resources and webinars to help support this potential transition in your practice.
Harassment and Sexual Violence
Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline
The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking has launched the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline. If you are a victim/survivor of forced prostitution or forced labour, or believe someone else might be, call the hotline at 1-833-900-1010. The Hotline Response Advocates will connect callers to support and services and will also take tips, answer questions and forward information, when appropriate, to law enforcement.
Canadian Women’s Foundation
Together, let's empower women and girls to move out of violence, out of poverty, and into confidence and leadership.
Draw the Line Sexual Violence Prevention Education Campaign
Draw the Line, an interactive campaign which provides educators with free resources on sexual violence prevention.
Cybertip.ca
Canada’s tipline to report the online sexual exploitation of children.
WePROTECT Global Alliance
Worldwide cooperation to stop the crime of online child sexual abuse and exploitation.
Incarceration and Reintegration
The only way forward: Shifting Punitive Perspectives
The Canadian Friends Service Committee (CFSC) is offering a free webinar series on the topic of Shifting Punitive Perspectives. With the help of panelists, CFSC will examine the impacts of the existing criminal justice system, possible alternatives, and next steps.
Youth Criminal Justice – Educational Tools
The Youth Criminal Justice Act is Canada's law that applies to youth between the ages of 12 and 17 who have come into conflict with the law. This tool gives access to information and resources to help you better support youth in understanding the Act and the youth justice system.
Canadian Families and Corrections Network (CFCN) Resources
Time Together - A survival guide for families and friends visiting in Canadian federal prisons.
Coping over Time -This booklet gives suggestions and thoughts from families across Canada are coping with having a family member in the criminal justice system
One Step at a Time - Rebuilding life following crime within the family. This resource is for family-victims: those who have been the victim of a crime in which the offender was another member of the family.
One Day at a Time - Compiled writings by family members of incarcerated offenders to help new family members cope while their family member is incarcerated.
Time's Up - A reintegration toolkit for families who want to plan for successful family reintegration following incarceration
A New Time - Following incarceration, women and their families face unique challenges related to family and community reintegration. This toolkit assists the family, the woman, or those who provide services to women and their families
Parole Book! - Families and friends frequently ask Canadian Families and Corrections Network about how they can help a person who is serving time in prison with the parole process. This booklet is a direct result of those questions.
LGBTQ2S+
JusticeTrans
JusticeTrans provides access to Justice and Legal Information for Two Spirit, Trans, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming Communities Across Canada
Intersectional approaches to ending LGBTQ2S youth homelessness in Canada
The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness recently released the first-ever academic text that focuses specifically on LGBTQ2S youth homelessness in both Canada and the U.S.
Raising the Bar for 2SLGBTQ+ Youth
Call to Action on 2SLGBTQ+ Inclusion articulates the standard all our organizations should strive towards to ensure 2SLGBTQ+ youth are meaningfully included at every level of our work.
Resource Toolkit on the Conversion Therapy Ban
Wisdom2Action, in collaboration with No Conversion Canada and a Project Advisory Council consisting of survivors, 2SLGBTQIA+ community members, legal experts, and service providers, has developed a resource toolkit. This toolkit includes practical guides applicable to various professional and personal contexts.