Durham Mental Health Services

What Durham Mental Health Services does

Durham Mental Health Services (DMHS) is a charitable not-for-profit agency founded in 1987 that delivers free, confidential community-based mental health services to residents of Durham Region, Ontario aged 16 and older. Operating under a volunteer Board of Directors and embedded within Lakeridge Health's Mental Health and Addictions Program, the agency runs an integrated portfolio that includes a Community Support Program, 24/7 Crisis C.A.L.L. Line and mobile crisis response, Distress Centre Durham, Family Support, Indigenous Mental Health Outreach, Justice Initiatives (Mental Health Court Support, Youth Court Support, Court Diversion, Release from Custody), Peer Support with lived-experience workers, a tiered Residential Program (high support at McKay House housing 15 residents, medium support across four locations, low support and a Rent Supplement Program), a Seniors Program serving designated Durham Region and Ajax Municipal Housing Corporation sites, and a Hospital to Home transition team co-delivered with the Canadian Mental Health Association.

DMHS's underlying technology is minimal and operational rather than productized: referrals flow through Epic EHR integration, online self-referral forms, healthcare provider e-referrals, and Central Connect phone intake (905-440-7534 / 1-833-392-7363). There is no proprietary platform, mobile app, or AI/ML layer described; the service is human-delivered clinical, peer, and crisis support across a distributed set of community sites.

The business model is that of a government-funded managed-services charity. Services are provided at no cost to clients, with revenue derived from Ontario public healthcare system funding channeled through Lakeridge Health, supplemented by partnerships with Ontario Shores for Mental Health Sciences (Forensic Transitional Case Management) and Canadian Mental Health Association (Hospital to Home). The go-to-market is community-led and referral-based via healthcare providers, self-referral, and hospital discharge channels, with no traditional sales or marketing motion and customers being the residents of Durham Region rather than paying enterprises.

Name

Durham Mental Health Services

Legal name

Durham Mental Health Services

Website

https://dmhs.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Durham Mental Health Services is a charitable not-for-profit agency founded in 1987, operating within Lakeridge Health, that delivers free, confidential community-based mental health services — including crisis, residential, peer, justice, Indigenous, seniors, and hospital-to-home programs — to Durham Region residents aged 16 and older.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (623220), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitals & Units (HLAFACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) & Mental Health Programs (BPADAIAK), Behavioral Health Care Management & Case Management (HLAEAHAE)

Keywords

• Community mental health services
• Crisis intervention support
• Residential mental health housing
• Peer support programs
• Seniors mental health care

Headquarters

HQ city

Whitby

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Services: As a charitable not-for-profit agency operating under the direction of a volunteer Board of Directors, DMHS provides free and confidential mental health services to residents of Durham Region. Revenue is derived from government/healthcare system funding rather than client fees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Durham Mental Health Services (DMHS) is a charitable not-for-profit agency providing free and confidential community-based mental health services to Durham Region residents aged 16 and older. Its core offering is a comprehensive portfolio of programs spanning crisis intervention, residential housing at multiple support levels, peer support, family caregiver support, Indigenous outreach, justice system navigation, seniors mental health care, and Hospital to Home transitions, delivered through an integrated program within the Lakeridge Health Mental Health and Addictions Program.

Product overview

Durham Mental Health Services (DMHS) is a charitable not-for-profit mental health agency operating since 1987, providing free and confidential community-based mental health services throughout Durham Region. The organization offers an integrated portfolio of programs including Community Support, Crisis Services (24/7 crisis line, mobile response, crisis beds, mental health safe beds), Distress Centre Durham, Family Support, Indigenous Mental Health Outreach, Justice Initiatives (court support, diversion, release from custody), Peer Support, Residential Programs at multiple support levels (high/medium/low), Seniors Program, and Hospital to Home transition services. Services are person-centred, free, and confidential for Durham Region residents 16 years and older.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Support Program Community-based support program assisting individuals aged 16+ with mental health problems to live successfully in Durham Region; provides individualized support and advocacy including assistance with daily living, housing, financial needs, life skills development, supportive counseling, crisis prevention, and mental health system navigation.
• Crisis Services Range of crisis supports for individuals aged 16+ experiencing a personal or situational crisis, including 24/7 Crisis C.A.L.L. Line telephone support, a Monday-Friday mobile crisis team providing face-to-face community visits, short-term Crisis Beds, and Mental Health Safe Beds for justice-involved individuals.
• Distress Centre Durham 24/7 emotional support help line providing crisis management, suicide risk assessment, community resource referrals, and emergency intervention through trained volunteer responders for Durham Region residents.
• Family Support Program Services for family caregivers of adults with mental health issues including individual support meetings, peer support groups, empowerment workshops, education nights, and suicide survivors groups to reduce caregiver stress and build crisis management and boundary-setting skills.
• Indigenous Mental Health Outreach Support and community service navigation for self-identified First Nation, Metis, and Inuit members, providing holistic healing that promotes spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well-being grounded in traditional values and beliefs.
• Justice Initiatives Programs redirecting Durham Region residents with mental health problems from the criminal justice system, including Mental Health Court Support, Youth Mental Health Court Support, Court Diversion, and Release from Custody transition support.
• Peer Support Practical and emotional support from team members with lived experience of mental health or substance use concerns, including psychosocial groups, wellness recovery action planning, and social community connections for Durham Region residents.
• Residential Programs Housing options at three support levels for Durham Region residents with mental health concerns: High Support at McKay House (15 residents with 24-hour staffing), Medium Support at Scott/Skene/Sims/Ballantyne, Low Support at Smith/Barlow, plus a Rent Supplement Program for independent community living.
• Seniors Program Wrap-around holistic care for seniors aged 55+ living in designated Durham Region Non-Profit Housing Corporation and Ajax Municipal Housing Corporation sites, delivered by a multi-disciplinary team providing activities of daily living support, homemaking, mental health and addictions support, case management, and coordination with long-term care homes.
• Hospital to Home Integrated team supporting Lakeridge Health inpatient units and Emergency Department to ensure timely availability and accessibility of community mental health supports, facilitating transition from inpatient to outpatient care by linking individuals to community supports prior to discharge.
• Forensic Transitional Case Management Specialized program, delivered in partnership with Ontario Shores for Mental Health Sciences, that assists forensic inpatient clients to make a successful transition from a secure forensic hospital bed to the community.

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ontario Shores for Mental Health SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Ontario Shores for Mental Health Sciences for the Forensic Transitional Case Management program, which assists forensic inpatient clients to make a successful transition from a secure forensic hospital bed to the community.
• Lakeridge HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDMHS operates as part of the Lakeridge Health Mental Health and Addictions Program. Integrated team includes Lakeridge Health (including Pinewood and Durham Mental Health Services) and Canadian Mental Health Association for the Hospital to Home team supporting inpatient units and Emergency Department.
• Canadian Mental Health AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Canadian Mental Health Association as part of the integrated Hospital to Home team supporting timely availability and accessibility of community mental health supports for inpatients transitioning to community.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Kids Help Phone: National Canadian 24/7 e-mental-health service providing crisis support, counseling, and information for youth — overlaps with DMHS's transitional aged youth (16-24) and crisis line services.
• Wayside House of Hamilton: Ontario charitable non-profit providing supportive housing and community mental health programs, including residential and outreach services. Comparable as a similar-sized regional community-based mental health agency model to DMHS.
• Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences: Ontario-based specialty mental health hospital providing forensic services and community transition programming. Ontario Shores is a formal DMHS partner for the Forensic Transitional Case Management program, operating a closely adjacent model to DMHS's residential and community support services.
• ConnexOntario: Ontario-wide mental health, addictions, and problem gambling information/referral service. Operates a similar centralized access function to DMHS's Central Connect intake and information/referral role within Durham.
• 211 Ontario: Province-wide free helpline and online directory for community, social, health, and government services including mental health. Comparable to DMHS's information/referral function and crisis line services as a free public-access navigation resource.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): CMHA operates local branches across Ontario delivering community-based mental health support, crisis services, housing, and peer support — directly comparable to DMHS's service portfolio. CMHA is explicitly a formal partner of DMHS in the Hospital-to-Home integrated team.
• Distress Centres Ontario: Provincial association of distress/crisis line centres providing 24/7 emotional support and crisis intervention — directly comparable to DMHS's Distress Centre Durham and Crisis C.A.L.L. Line.

Broad incumbents

• Mental Health Commission of Canada: National policy and standards body for mental health in Canada. Adjacent to DMHS's operations — not a direct service competitor but shapes funding policy and frameworks that determine DMHS's operating environment.
• Lakeridge Health: DMHS's parent organization and the regional acute-care hospital network within which DMHS operates. Comparable as a broad incumbent providing the full continuum of mental health, addictions, and acute care across Durham Region.

Emerging players

• MindBeacon / CloudMD: Canadian digital mental health platform delivering iCBT and virtual counseling covered by insurance. Represents an emerging technology-enabled alternative to in-person community mental health services like DMHS's counseling programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lakeridgehealth
• YouTubeyoutube.com/lakeridgehealth?_mid_=1722
• Facebookfacebook.com/lakeridgehealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/durham-mental-health-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/lakeridge.health

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Durham Mental Health Services