Mental Health and Addictions Program website

Dear Colleagues, Partners and Stakeholders, 

We are so pleased to introduce you to MHAhelpNS.ca!

We want Nova Scotians to be able to access mental health and addictions support where and when they need it. A key way to achieve this is to answer their questions with thoughtful, relevant, and current information at any time. To help make this possible, we have launched a new Mental Health and Addictions Program website. People can use the site to explore information, resources and connect with help whenever they need it, 24/7.

What makes MHAhelpNS.ca so different? At the heart of the website is a wizard tool that guides visitors on a personalized journey. By answering a few short questions about an individual’s interest in visiting the site, they will be able to use free resources, tools, and supportive information. Should they or someone they know need to access care, the website offers accurate, up-to-date information about services, contact information, locations, and other resources in our communities.   We are also pleased that initially some portions of the website are available in French and we will continue to build on this in the coming months.   

To build the site, we listened to Nova Scotians. Individuals, community support groups, health care partners, staff, and clinicians provided great insights. We wanted to ensure visitors to the site had every opportunity to learn more about mental illness, wellness, and harmful substance use. We will continue to add new content over time.

We are appreciative of the funding provided by the Government of Nova Scotia through ACCESS Atlantic. This is a collaboration between the four Atlantic Provinces and Canada Health Infoway, a not-for-profit organization funded by Health Canada. The goal of ACCESS Atlantic is to improve access to digital health services and transform the way health care is delivered. 

This short video will take you on a quick tour of the website’s most unique and helpful features. As we gather feedback and analytics on the site, we will continue to look for opportunities to enhance the content and find new ways to expand how we respond to the needs of individuals, families, and communities.

We welcome your help in spreading the word. Please update any links to our existing site with MHAhelpNS.ca and share this memo regarding the new website with those in your network who may find it useful. 

We look forward to creating new and improved ways to meet the mental health and addictions needs of Nova Scotians.

Kind Regards,  

Sam and Andrew

Sam Hodder

Senior Director, NSHA’s Mental Health and Addictions Program

Dr. Andrew Harris

Senior Medical Director, NSHA’s Mental Health and Addictions Program