Canadian Mental Health Association, Hamilton

What Canadian Mental Health Association, Hamilton does

Canadian Mental Health Association, Hamilton (CMHA Hamilton) is a registered non-profit community mental health agency serving adults with serious mental illness in the Hamilton metropolitan area, including Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, Glanbrook, and Stoney Creek. Founded as part of the national CMHA network (originally established 1918), it holds a French Language Service designation and provides services in both English and French. Its core portfolio consists of three programs: BounceBack®, a free provincial skill-building program for individuals experiencing low mood, stress, or anxiety; One-at-a-Time Counselling (OAAT), a same-day, evidence-based, solution-focused counselling service launched in 2025; and Recovery College, an education-based mental health and addiction recovery program launched October 1, 2025, adapted from a UK community model and co-designed with People with Lived and Living Experience.

CMHA Hamilton is funded primarily through three institutional sources — the Ontario Ministry of Health, the City of Hamilton, and United Way Golden Horseshoe — with supplementary support from Bell Let's Talk and donations. The organization operates from a single office at 131 John Street South in Hamilton and is integrated into a regional crisis-response network that includes ConnexOntario, COAST Hamilton, and the 9-8-8 Canada Suicide Crisis Hotline. Governance is provided by a volunteer Board of Directors (2026/2027 slate includes President Erin Sullivan, Past President Chris Phillips, Treasurer Matt Miedus, Secretary Sue Phipps, and additional members). The organization employs 51-100 staff and does not publicly disclose revenue.

The business model is a publicly-funded non-profit managed-services structure: revenue is contract-based with provincial and municipal health authorities rather than transactional with individual clients. Service delivery is community-led, with open-access and referral-based pathways, and crisis services are coordinated through formalized partnerships rather than proprietary technology platforms.

Name

Canadian Mental Health Association, Hamilton

Legal name

Canadian Mental Health Association, Hamilton

Website

https://cmhahamilton.ca/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Canadian Mental Health Association, Hamilton provides services to adults with serious mental illness.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers (HLAFACAI)

Keywords

• Community mental health
• Mental health counseling
• Recovery programs
• Crisis support services
• Mental health education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamilton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: CMHA Hamilton is primarily funded through government sources including the Ontario Ministry of Health and municipal funding from the City of Hamilton.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

CMHA Hamilton is a non-profit community mental health agency that provides recovery-focused programs and services to adults with serious mental illness and their families in the Hamilton region. Its portfolio centers on three core offerings: BounceBack (a free skill-building program), One-at-a-Time Counselling (same-day solution-focused sessions), and Recovery College (education-based courses on mental health and addiction recovery co-designed with people with lived and living experience). Services are delivered in English and French through community-based, open-access channels.

Product overview

CMHA Hamilton is a non-profit community mental health agency providing recovery-focused programs and services to adults with serious mental illness and their families. The organization operates as a single unified service provider rather than a platform-based architecture. The portfolio includes three primary offerings: BounceBack® (a free provincial mental health skills program), One-at-a-Time Counselling (OAAT) providing same-day solution-focused sessions, and Recovery College delivering education-based courses on mental health and addiction recovery. Services are available in both English and French, with additional crisis support resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BounceBack® A free program from the Canadian Mental Health Association that helps individuals build skills to improve their mental health. It is targeted at people feeling low, stressed, or anxious, and is delivered as a provincial skill-building offering without cost to participants.
• One-at-a-Time Counselling (OAAT) Same-day supportive counselling service providing problem-solving assistance with the intention of resolving issues in one session. It uses an evidence-based, client-centred approach as part of a flexible, open-access system offering formal and informal services to adults in the Hamilton region.
• Recovery College Education-based approach to mental health and addiction recovery, focused on helping people recognize and develop their own resiliency. Offers interactive, online, and in-person learning opportunities including courses, webinars, workshops, and events, with curriculum co-produced by People With Lived & Living Experience and subject professionals.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supportive.

• COAST Hamilton (Crisis Outreach and Support Team)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for suicide crisis support services. COAST Hamilton provides crisis response alongside the national 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Hotline for individuals in crisis.
• Canadian Mental Health Association NationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational parent organization providing brand, standards, program frameworks (including BounceBack), and network support across all provincial and territorial branches.
• ConnexOntariosupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partnership for mental health, gambling, and drug and alcohol helpline services. Connects individuals to local CMHA services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CMHA Toronto Branch: Another urban Ontario CMHA branch delivering the same BounceBack, counselling, and recovery-oriented programs to adults with serious mental illness. Operates as a direct sibling under the national CMHA network with overlapping funding sources and program portfolio.
• CMHA Halton Region Branch: Adjacent regional CMHA branch in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area delivering community mental health services funded through the Ontario Ministry of Health. Closest geographic comparable given size and proximity to Hamilton.
• CMHA Peel Dufferin Branch: Regional CMHA branch serving Peel and Dufferin with similar Ontario Ministry of Health funding model and adult mental health service portfolio. Comparable in scale and mandate to CMHA Hamilton.
• CMHA Waterloo Wellington Branch: Southwestern Ontario CMHA branch delivering outpatient mental health services under the same provincial funding framework. Comparable size and service mix focused on adults with serious mental illness.

Others

• Canadian Mental Health Association (National): Parent organization that provides brand, program frameworks (BounceBack), and national advocacy. Not a direct competitor but the umbrella entity that governs CMHA Hamilton's standards and program licensing.
• ConnexOntario: Provincial helpline and referral service for mental health, gambling, and substance use. Functions as a referral partner rather than a direct provider, but is critical to CMHA Hamilton's client acquisition funnel.

Broad incumbents

• St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton: Major Hamilton-area hospital network with a specialty mental health and addictions program. Provides inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services that overlap with CMHA Hamilton's recovery-focused community services, often under shared provincial funding.
• Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences: Ontario specialty mental health hospital providing assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation services. Operates at a larger institutional scale than CMHA Hamilton but serves overlapping populations referred from community mental health agencies.
• Homewood Health: National private mental health and addictions provider operating treatment centres, employee assistance programs, and outpatient services. Comparable in behavioural health scope but funded through private insurance and employer contracts rather than provincial grants.

Regional players

• COAST Hamilton (Crisis Outreach and Support Team): Hamilton-specific crisis outreach service for individuals with mental health and addiction issues. Operates as a peer partner in crisis response rather than a competitor, often co-managing acute cases with CMHA Hamilton.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CMHAHamilton

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian Mental Health Association, Hamilton