Bell Let’s Talk Day 2022: Supporting Canadians With Evidence for New Approaches to Mental Health Support

Bell Let’s Talk Day promotes mental health awareness, acceptance, and action. Today, at CADTH, we want to encourage Canadians to keep talking and keep listening.?

For most of us, the arrival of a new year is?associated with?feelings of hope and optimism. But after almost two yearsof the COVID-19 pandemic, this year feels eerily similar as we continue to deal with significant uncertainty, mental exhaustion, and, for many, loss and grief.?An increasing number of published reports have now documented the significant impact the pandemic is having on?people’s mental health, and jurisdictions across the country are prioritizing mental health care and services.

Supporting Our Customers With an Evidence-Informed Approach to Virtual Mental Health Care

The COVID-19 pandemic not only affected our lives but also transformed the way care is delivered, particularly virtual mental health care. A good example is?internet-delivered cognitive?behavioural therapy (iCBT), a topic on which CADTH has delivered valuable evidence and appropriate use recommendations.??

?Cognitive?behavioural therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based and effective psychological treatment commonly used?to treat depression and anxiety disorders. While traditional CBT requires the client to meet with the therapist in person for a series?of?treatment?sessions,?iCBT delivers the treatment through an online platform.?This means that anyone with access to an internet connection and a computer, tablet, or smartphone can connect with?a therapist and?mental health resources from anywhere.??

Based on a?comprehensive review of the evidence, CADTH concluded that?iCBT (particularly with the guidance of a therapist) is an effective method for reducing symptoms of mild-to-moderate depression and select anxiety disorders and?for improving quality of life. While?iCBT might not be the right resource for everyone, it could help more Canadians access effective mental health care when they need it. See our?Evidence Highlights ?tool for a helpful summary of the findings, including clinical and economic evidence, patient perspectives, ethical considerations, and implementation considerations.

Several?iCBT programs are now available in Canada, some of?which are publicly funded.?iCBT is also being considered for other mental health conditions, including?post-traumatic stress disorder . In 2020, we gathered leading experts from the University of Toronto and the Mental Health Commission of Canada?for a discussion on the role of technology in delivering mental health care during the pandemic. Their conversation can be viewed anytime on our YouTube channel:?Addressing psychological trauma due to the COVID-19 pandemic: Can technology help in a time of acute crisis?

And for more resources and reviews of the evidence on a range of mental health interventions, including e-mental health, pharmaceuticals, and clinical interventions, please visit?cadth.ca/mentalhealth .

#BellLet’sTalk Day is a call to action for Canadians to help break the silence around mental health. As?CADTH’s work in this space continues, so too does our commitment to inform national conversations with trusted evidence and to work with our partners to support mental health care for all Canadians.