Crisis Services
Crisis Services is a team of dedicated Mental Health Professionals committed to supporting individuals in our community experiencing a crisis.
Crisis Intervention is designed to be brief and short-term in nature.
Our team offers safe, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive care to individuals during a crisis. This service aims to provide multidisciplinary assessments of the client’s needs and, when possible, provide care or support intervention during a crisis.
Our team can also facilitate referrals to community service providers across the Algoma District. Therapeutic intervention and service referrals will be provided as necessary.
Services Across Algoma
Crisis Services also provides support across the Algoma District, including virtual and Mobile Crisis services in Wawa and Mobile Crisis services in Elliot Lake. Services and availability vary by location and time of day. For support or information, call the 24-hour Crisis Line below.
Hours of Operation
7 days a week, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.
24-hour Crisis Line: (705) 759-3398
Toll-Free: 1 (800) 721-0077
If you’re unsure which supports may best meet your needs, contact Crisis Services. Our team can help you identify appropriate services and supports for you or your loved one.
Need Support Now?
If you or someone you care for is experiencing a mental health crisis and needs support, there are options available.
In-Person Support
You can access crisis support by presenting to the Sault Area Hospital Emergency Department.
An Emergency Department nurse will assess your immediate needs, complete the registration process and connect you with a Crisis Worker for further support.
24/7 Telephone Support
Crisis Worker support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for people of all ages.
Call 705-759-3398 or toll-free at 1-800-721-0077.
Follow-up support sessions may also be offered through in-office appointments, based on your needs and circumstances.
Hospital-Based Crisis Services
Crisis Services is a team of Registered Social Workers and Registered Nurses with expertise in mental health care who provide support to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Support is available in person or by telephone, with services focused on crisis assessment, intervention and connection to appropriate community resources.
In-person support
Present to the Sault Area Hospital Emergency Department, where you will be assessed and connected with a Crisis Worker as appropriate.
Available 7 days a week.
8:00 a.m. to midnight.
Telephone support
Call 705-759-3398 or 1-800-721-0077 for crisis support or information about available services.
Available 7 days a week.
24 hours a day.
Mobile Crisis Support Services
The Mobile Crisis Team provides community-based crisis support for individuals experiencing a lower-risk mental health crisis who are willing to meet with the team in a community setting.
The team provides assessment, support and intervention based on the individual’s needs. Meetings can take place in mutually agreed-upon locations, such as a person’s home or a coffee shop. The team attends in plain clothes and an unmarked vehicle.
The Mobile Crisis Team is appropriate for individuals who are willing to engage with the team in the community. The team is unable to apprehend individuals or bring them to hospital.
Mobile Crisis Team Availability
Available daily in Sault Ste. Marie, Wawa and Elliot Lake.
10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
To request the service, call Crisis Services.
A Crisis Worker will determine whether the service is available and appropriate based on the individual’s needs.
Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT)
The Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT) provides community-based crisis support for individuals experiencing a severe mental health crisis who may need to come to hospital for their safety or the safety of others.
The team consists of a Sault Area Hospital Crisis Worker and a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service. Both team members have expertise in mental health and crisis response.
The team provides crisis assessment and intervention in the community. When there are significant safety concerns, an individual may be apprehended under Ontario’s Mental Health Act and brought to hospital for an Emergency Physician Assessment. MCRRT is appropriate for individuals who may have immediate safety concerns and may be unwilling or unable to come to hospital on their own.
Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team Availability
Available daily.
12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
To request the team, call the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service non-emergency line at 705-949-6300.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Encourage your loved one to contact Crisis Services at 705-759-3398 or 1-800-721-0077 (toll-free). A skilled Crisis Worker can provide support, help them work through the challenges they are facing and connect them with appropriate resources.
If your loved one is unwilling to speak with someone, or you are concerned about an immediate risk to their safety, call Sault Ste. Marie Police Services at 705-949-6300 and request a wellness check.
No, you are welcome to remain anonymous.
However, if you choose to give your information, this helps our Crisis Services Team provide better care, as it reduces you having to re-tell your story every time you call and helps our team best meet your needs.
Calling Crisis Services is confidential. Information you share is protected and will not be shared with your employer.
There are some limits to confidentiality. Our team has a duty to take action if there is a serious concern that someone may be at risk of harming themselves or others, or if we believe a child may be at risk of harm.
If you are concerned about an immediate safety risk, call Sault Ste. Marie Police Services at 705-949-6300 to report your concern. A wellness check can then be arranged through the Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT) or local police.
If you are experiencing a crisis and feel that it is an emergency, do not wait to seek help. Go to the Emergency Department or call 911.
Crisis Services are available from 8:00 a.m. to midnight.
Call Crisis Services at 705-759-3398 or 1-800-721-0077 (toll-free). A Crisis Worker can assess your situation and determine whether you meet the criteria for a visit from the Mobile Crisis Rapid Response (MCR) Team.
Crisis Services are available throughout the Algoma District, including Sault Ste. Marie, Wawa, Elliot Lake and surrounding communities. If you are unsure whether your location is within our service area, please call Crisis Services to confirm.
Supports and Resources
9-8-8 is Canada’s national suicide crisis helpline, available by phone and text, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When you call or text 9-8-8, you will be connected with a trained responder from a network of local, provincial, territorial and national crisis services across Canada.
Women In Crisis (Algoma) Inc. provides free temporary emergency shelter and support services 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for women who have or are experiencing abuse and violence.
Are you feeling lonely, isolated, anxious, depressed or in need of a friendly ear. Chat online, text or call a Warm Line peer support worker.
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only national, 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, multilingual and confidential support to help all young people Feel Out Loud.
Men & is a Canadian initiative focused on men’s mental, relational and social health. It is designed to make it easier for men to find support, connect with others, and access community resources without feeling judged or stigmatized.
Indigenous crisis line offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous people across Canada- free 24/7.
A free and culturally safe helpline for Aboriginal women and their families living in Northern Ontario (from the Manitoba border to the Muskoka’s.