Société québécoise de la schizophrénie et des psychoses apparentées

What Société québécoise de la schizophrénie et des psychoses apparentées does

Société québécoise de la schizophrénie et des psychoses apparentées (SQS) is a Montreal-based nonprofit founded in 1988 that operates as the reference organization for schizophrenia and related psychoses across the province of Quebec. The organization is co-located within the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal (IUSMM) and delivers a service portfolio including psychosocial support via peer helpers (pair·es aidant·es), family peer-aid lines, evening and virtual support groups (including voice hearers groups), creative and physical activities (art workshops, Tai chi, cooking, writing), professional training programs (Formation Intervention Psychose in 1-day and 2-day formats; Aider sans s'oublier I), crisis helplines, scholarships for students with schizophrenia, and a documentation centre.

The technology footprint is minimal and standard for a service nonprofit: a Yapla-hosted website for membership, donations, event registration, and online payments, alongside active social media profiles on Facebook, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram. The Refer-o-Scope screening tool is featured as a domain-specific referral resource. No proprietary software platform, API, or AI/ML capability is offered.

Revenue is generated through annual memberships ($15–$60 CAD across five tiers), donations (one-time and monthly, fully tax-deductible), paid professional training ($125–$375 CAD per program), pharmaceutical sponsorship (Otsuka, Lundbeck, AbbVie, Teva, HLS Therapeutics, Viatris), Bell Let's Talk grants, and institutional partnership support (CIUSSS-EMTL, IUSMM). The organization employs approximately 15–20 staff including a Director General, clinical coordinator, communications staff, psychosocial workers, peer helpers, and a philanthropy coordinator, operating on a community-led, event-driven, and direct-sale go-to-market model across Quebec.

Name

Société québécoise de la schizophrénie et des psychoses apparentées

Legal name

Société québécoise de la schizophrénie et des psychoses apparentées

Website

https://schizophrenie.qc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Société québécoise de la schizophrénie et des psychoses apparentées is a Montreal-based nonprofit founded in 1988 that delivers peer-aid support, family services, professional training, and community programs for people affected by schizophrenia and related psychoses across Quebec.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: SQS generates revenue through annual membership subscriptions at five tier levels: Familie ($40 CAD), Entourage/Ami ($30 CAD), Organisme ($60 CAD), Personne Atteinte ($15 CAD), and Professionnel ($35 CAD). Membership runs from July 8 to July 7 of the following year. These fees provide access to exclusive services, training discounts, and free event participation.
2. Donations and Fundraising: SQS collects donations via its website through one-time and monthly recurring options. Donation amounts offered include preset options ($10, $20, $25, $35, $40, $50, $100) and custom amounts. Special campaigns include in-memoriam donations and annual Christmas campaigns. Donations are 100% tax-deductible, non-refundable, and non-transferable.
3. Professional Training Programs: SQS offers paid training programs for mental health professionals and family members: 'Formation Intervention Psychose' (1-day: $200 member / $275 non-member; 2-day virtual: $300 member / $375 non-member) and 'Aider sans s'oublier I' family training ($125 member). These programs are delivered in-person or virtually and include cancellation refund policies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Société québécoise de la schizophrénie et des psychoses apparentées (SQS) is a Quebec-based non-profit organization that delivers psychosocial support, peer-aid services, educational training programs, therapeutic activities, and crisis hotlines for individuals affected by schizophrenia and related psychoses, as well as for their families and caregivers. It also operates an online member portal, a documentation centre, and a donation platform serving the province of Quebec.

Product overview

Société québécoise de la schizophrénie et des psychoses apparentées (SQS) is a non-profit mental health organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of support services, educational programs, and therapeutic activities for people living with schizophrenia and related psychoses, as well as their families. The organization provides direct support services including psychosocial counseling, peer support, a documentation centre, and crisis hotlines. SQS operates educational programs such as Formation Intervention Psychose (2-day and 1-day training for professionals) and Aider sans s'oublier (family education). Therapeutic activities include support groups (Voice Hearers Group, Café-causerie, Virtual Support Group), creative workshops (Les Impatients art workshops, Writing for Pleasure), physical activities (Tai Chi, Walking Club), and cultural programs (Cinema Full Head, Museum outings). The organization also publishes newsletters and bulletins, manages a scholarship program (Je crois en moi), and maintains an online member portal and donation platform. SQS does not offer a technology product platform but rather provides service-based programs centered on mental health support and education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Support Services for People with Schizophrenia
• Documentation Centre
• Monthly Lectures
• Educational Programs for Families (L'entraide: La force des familles and Apprendre à se rapprocher sans agressivité)
• Formation Intervention Psychose (2-day training)
• Formation Brève Intervention Psychose (1-day training)
• Formation Aider sans s'oublier I Intensive training for family members of people living with schizophrenia, helping them acquire intervention strategies and reduce symptoms, distress, and relapses.
• Scholarship Program (Je crois en moi) Financial scholarships offered to students living with schizophrenia to support their education, funded through the Otsuka-Lundbeck Alliance.
• Les Impatients Art Workshops Weekly visual arts workshops led by a professional artist offered in partnership with CIUSSS-EMTL, Arborescence, and Les Impatients to support creative expression for members.
• Voice Hearers Group Support and sharing spaces for people who experience voices or other unusual sensory perceptions, facilitated by trained peer supporters.
• Café-causerie Discussion group for people living with schizophrenia to meet and exchange about the illness and recovery philosophy.
• Virtual Support Group Virtual peer support meetings for people living with schizophrenia to exchange about the illness from their homes.
• Cooking Workshops Cooking skill development workshops for people living with schizophrenia, teaching healthier eating habits and providing social interaction.
• Tai Chi Workshops Tai chi practice sessions combining physical activity with socializing, led by a peer supporter and Tai chi specialist.
• Cinema Full Head (Du cinéma plein la tête) Film viewing followed by round table discussions, allowing cultural enrichment while socializing with others affected by schizophrenia.
• Writing for Pleasure Workshop Therapeutic writing sessions designed to improve well-being through writing and inspiring exchanges with peers.
• Walking Club Group walking activities for people living with schizophrenia to create bonds and social connections.
• Crisis Hotline Services 24/7 crisis support hotline and listening line for peer supporters and family members at 1-800-349-9915, with general inquiries line at 514-251-4125.
• Member Portal Online member portal for authentication, event registration, membership management, and access to exclusive services for paying members.
• Donation Platform Online donation system with secure SSL payment processing through Desjardins, supporting awareness campaigns, monthly giving, and memorial donations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14,100 CAD raised during the 2025 Christmas campaign
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (EMTL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSQS collaborates with the CIUSSS-EMTL on multiple programs including the Les Impatients art workshops for mental health users, the ECHINOPS project (mixed intervention teams of police and mental health professionals), and various training and outreach initiatives. The SQS headquarters is co-located within the IUSMM, a CIUSSS-EMTL facility.
• ArborescencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArborescence is a 45-year-old family support organization for mental health in Quebec. SQS partners with Arborescence on the Les Impatients art workshop initiative. Arborescence provides information, referral, and support to families, and both organizations collaborate on outreach and mutual support programs.
• Les ImpatientscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Impatients offers weekly visual arts workshops led by professional artists for people living with mental health issues. SQS is a partner in these workshops, which are held at Centre communautaire Petite-Côte and serve CIUSSS-EMTL users and their families. Les Impatients operates 19 locations across 12 Quebec cities serving 850 people weekly.
• Association des médecins psychiatres du Québec (AMPQ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSQS participated in the 59th Annual Congress of the AMPQ (May 2026) in Trois-Rivières, maintaining a booth and having peer helpers present as speakers. This partnership helps SQS build relationships with psychiatrists and stay current with clinical advances.
• Université de MontréalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSQS peer aidant Julie Coulombe participated as a speaker at Beckfest 2026, a colloquium on cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis organized by Université de Montréal. The event was co-chaired by Dre Tania Lecomte and Martin Lepage.
• RACOR en santé mentalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSQS is an active member of the RACOR en santé mentale network, participating in collective events including the 2nd edition of Les Grands Rendez-vous en santé mentale, the Festival du film Au Contraire, and the Semaine Art et santé mentale. RACOR amplifies SQS's reach through its network of mental health organizations.
• Centre d'apprentissage Santé et Rétablissement (CASR)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough its partnership with CASR, SQS offers its members free access to Recovery College-style training programs valued at $235 each. CASR's peer-led educational model aligns with SQS's recovery philosophy. SQS distributes promotional codes for free access to CASR's catalog of mental health trainings.
• Station pour la santé mentale étudiante (Station SME)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSQS collaborated with the Station SME (an Initiative sur la santé mentale étudiante en enseignement supérieur — ISMÉ — platform) to publish information on psychotic disorders on the Station SME website. SQS's youth outreach agent contributed content for this resource.
• Réseau canadien de la recherche sur la schizophrénie et la psychoseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSQS's Director General Denis Tremblay and peer aidant Julie Coulombe attended the 4th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Schizophrenia Research Network (led by Dre Tania Lecomte). SQS contributes experiential knowledge to research discussions and builds connections with researchers across Canada.
• Chaire Eli Lilly Canada de recherche en schizophrénieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSQS promotes and participates in events organized by the Chaire Eli Lilly Canada de recherche en schizophrénie at IUSMM, including its 20th anniversary celebration. This partnership connects SQS with cutting-edge schizophrenia research in Quebec.
• Université McGill / Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives (HBHL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSQS participated in the HBHL symposium 'Combler l'écart: recherche en neurosciences axée sur les patient·es' organized by McGill University's Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives initiative, connecting with neuroscience researchers.
• Institut national de psychiatrie légale Philippe-PinelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPinel participated in the 45th anniversary celebration of Arborescence alongside SQS, indicating an ongoing collaborative relationship in the mental health sector in Quebec.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Schizophrenia Society of Canada: National federation that SQS is effectively affiliated with as a provincial member. Provides national advocacy, research coordination, and shared resources for schizophrenia-specific support organizations across Canada.
• Schizophrenia Society of Ontario: Ontario's provincial peer organization offering similar peer support, family education, and advocacy for people with schizophrenia. Most direct functional equivalent to SQS in a neighboring province.
• British Columbia Schizophrenia Society: BC's provincial schizophrenia organization delivering peer support, family programs, and education similar to SQS, including a dedicated early-psychosis intervention focus comparable to SQS's youth outreach.
• Arborescence: 45-year-old Quebec family support organization for mental health and an explicit SQS partner on Les Impatients art workshops and family outreach. Closely comparable mission for family/caregiver segment, with which SQS actively co-delivers programming.
• Les Impatients: Quebec nonprofit running visual arts workshops for people with mental health challenges across 19 locations in 12 cities. Direct operational partner with SQS on weekly Montreal art workshops serving CIUSSS-EMTL clients.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) – Quebec Division: National/Quebec division of Canada's largest community mental health organization. Broader portfolio across all mental illnesses, but overlapping peer-support and family-education programming competes for the same donor and member base in Quebec.
• AMI-Quebec (Action on Mental Illness): Montreal-based nonprofit supporting families of people with mental illness. Operates adjacent family education and peer-support programs in the same Quebec geography, often overlapping with SQS's family-entourage segment.
• REVIVRE (Quebec Anxiety, Depressive and Bipolar Disorder Association): Quebec peer-support and education organization for mood disorders. Shares SQS's peer-aid model and family support approach but focuses on anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder rather than psychosis.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Largest US grassroots mental health organization with disease-specific programming analogous to SQS, including Family-to-Family education and peer-to-peer support models that closely mirror SQS's offerings.
• Mental Health America (MHA): US community-based nonprofit addressing all mental health conditions through screening (analogous to SQS's Refer-o-Scope tool), peer support, and public education. Operates at significantly larger scale but with overlapping functional model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SQSchizophrenie
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SQSchizophrenie1
• Facebookfacebook.com/SQSchizophrenie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sqschizophrenie
• Instagraminstagram.com/sqsschizophrenie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Société québécoise de la schizophrénie et des psychoses apparentées