Delivering free therapy across Ontario

The Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) program is the first of its kind in Canada, offering free therapy services for adults facing depression and anxiety-related concerns across the province. 

Professor Martin Antony, chair of the Department of Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Faculty of Arts, joined the OSP program as clinical and training lead in January 2019, helping to oversee the transition from a pilot project to a fully implemented program. OSP is modelled on a similar free therapy program originally launched in the U.K. “[The program] is increasing access to evidence-based therapies at no direct charge to the client, which is huge," said professor Antony. “We are one of a handful of programs across the world that are doing this kind of thing.”

Evidence-based therapies

OSP focuses on providing evidence-based therapies so that clients receive care proven to be effective. The program currently includes cognitive behavioural therapy, which teaches people how to change behaviour and thinking patterns and could expand to other therapies provided they are substantiated by research and evidence. OSP is also a measurement-based care program. To maintain effectiveness and facilitate clinical decision-making, there are ongoing evaluations of an individual’s progress and of the program as a whole. 

After the initial pilot program launched in 2017 with four networks, the fully implemented OSP now has nine regional networks coordinating these free services with local organizations across Ontario, enrolling more than 66,000 people so far. “It’s very much a program where we are engaging in the communities with whom we’re working, so it’s not a top-down kind of decision-making process,” professor Antony said. Clinicians providing services as part of the program include social workers, nurses, occupational therapists, registered psychotherapists, psychological associates and psychologists. 

TMU psychology alumni have a strong presence in this program, professor Antony noted, including Caitlin Davey from St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, who leads the in-development Indigenous stream. 

How OSP works 

Once they join the program, individuals are assessed to see what level of care is recommended. There are two streams: self-led pathways, which are guided by a coach or clinician, and therapy sessions offered in both individual and group settings. There are in-person and online options, and all programs are offered in both English and French. Some additional languages are also offered, and an Indigenous stream is in development. These streams and options help maximize the number of people who can access these services, which are available to people 18 years of age or older and experiencing depression or anxiety-related disorder symptoms. Potential clients can be referred via their health-care team or self-register through the local network. 

The OSP program is the first of its kind in Canada, offering free therapy services for adults facing depression and anxiety-related concerns across the province.

Learn more on the OSP program page. (external link, opens in new window)   

 (PDF file) Read about the OSP program in “An innovative stepped-care cognitive-behavioural therapy program for depression and anxiety-related disorders in Ontario,” (external link)  published in Psynopsis, Canada’s Psychology Magazine. 

The Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program is funded by the Government of Ontario.