Project 460469

BACKGROUND: The people who provide mental health and substance use health services play a critical role in supporting Canadians. How these providers are regulated varies significantly across Canada, and there are differences in the standards applied by regulators between provinces. Because many of these services can now be provided virtually (online), providers may be 'seeing' clients in different provinces or territories from where they are registered to practice. It is vital that the standards be more uniform across Canada to support these providers in their work. PURPOSE: This study will provide better information about how virtual mental health and substance use health services are regulated in Canada by comparing the policy landscape across Canada for these health providers. We will examine what factors support modern regulatory frameworks and identify leading practices to create more uniform standards across Canada. These results will support equitable access to virtual mental health and substance use health services for all Canadians. APPROACH: We will summarize information that has been previously published about regulating virtual mental health and substance use health services and gather information on how this is currently done in each Canadian province and territory. We will also interview experts to learn more about how regulatory standards impact providers in Canada. Once all this information is gathered, we will engage with leaders and decision-makers to build a shared action plan for the next steps.