Project status as of May 13th, 2025
Many individuals who could benefit from mental health services aren’t accessing care. In Northwestern Ontario, the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) team at St Joseph’s Care Group saw an opportunity to change that. To enhance awareness of the program and support increased referrals, the team launched a targeted outreach
initiative. They refreshed promotional materials using plain language and culturally inclusive visuals, connected with communities through health fairs and radio ads, and partnered with schools, pharmacies, and community groups to spread the word. Early activities included mailout letters to residences located in the district of Thunder Bay and regional radio campaigns, both of which are successfully expanding awareness and laying the foundation for stronger referral pipelines.
“We knew people needed help, but they didn’t always know where to find it. This campaign is about making OSP more visible and more approachable.”
Project Highlights:
Problem/Opportunity Statement:
Referrals directly impact OSP performance indicators and funding. The program has the capacity to serve more individuals who would benefit from mental health care.
AIM Statement:
Increase the number of OSP new referrals screened to 142 per month up to March 2025, and an additional 10% per month for the fiscal year 2025/26.