the logo for carepoint health is blue and green with a sunburst .

Is OSP suitable for your clients?

Understand the program eligibility and benefits.

A yellow and green geometric shape on a white background

Ontario Structured Psychotherapy

The Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) program offers free, evidence-based, cognitive-behavioural therapy(CBT) services to adults (18+) in Ontario who experience depression or anxiety related concerns.

CarePoint Health is the OSP network lead organization (NLO) for the Brampton, Halton, Mississauga, and South Etobicoke region, and the only NLO that is a primary care organization.

In collaboration with our partners, we deliver mental health services and improve access to care.

The logo for queen square family health team
The logo for waypoint centre for mental health care
The pchs logo is leading with conviction and courage
The logo for the canadian mental health association
The logo for the canadian mental health association halton region branch
The logo for one-link connecting you to addictions and mental health services

Client Eligibility

Before making a referral, please review our client eligibility criteria.

Click through the tabs to view.


  • Adults (18+)
  • Living in Ontario
  • Depression and low mood
  • Generalized anxiety and worry
  • Health anxiety 
  • Obsessive-compulsive concerns 
  • Posttraumatic stress 
  • Social anxiety & performance fears
  • Unexpected panic attacks and agoraphobic fears 
  • Other anxiety and stress-related problems


  • Suicidality: Active suicidality and/or attempted suicide in past 6 months.
  • Experiencing significant symptoms: Mania, hypomania, or a psychotic disorder.
  • Risk of harm: Poses high risk of harm to self or others; requires treatment for deliberate bodily self-harm (e.g., cutting, burning, picking). 
  • Problematic substance use: Currently or in the past 3 months that would impact their ability to participate.
  • Severe/complex personality disorder: Would seriously impact their ability to actively participate in CBT. Please note: This program is not appropriate for clients for whom personality disorder is causing the most distress and impairment.
  • Severe eating disorder: Would seriously impact their ability to actively participate in CBT. Please note: This program is not appropriate for clients for whom an eating disorder is causing the most distress and impairment.
  • Moderate to severe impairment of cognitive function (e.g., dementia or acquired brain injury).
  • Moderate to severe impairment due to a developmental disability or learning disability.

  • Dialectic behavioural therapy (DBT)
  • Crisis or housing support
  • Chronic pain management
  • Financial support
  • Substance use counselling
  • Prescribing or managing medication
  • Relationship or family counselling
  • Unstructured talk therapy

A green and blue circle on a white background

Making a Referral

Healthcare professionals have two options for making a referral:

You can direct clients to self-refer by completing our online form

Ocean

You can submit an e-referral using your email or sign up for a free Ocean account.  

one-Link

You may refer Mississauga and Halton residents to one-Link for care coordination to a variety of addictions and mental health services, including OSP.

What happens after a referral is made

After a referral has been made, the client will receive an email with a link to schedule an assessment appointment and complete required information. Please advise them to check their email.  

During the assessment appointment, a trained therapist will work with the client to identify their main mental health concern and connect them to the OSP service that best fits their needs.

A week before the assessment, the client will receive some questionnaires. These questionnaires help us understand the client’s current mental health experiences. Clients must complete the questionnaires before the assessment. 

one female student and two male students laugh with joy on cool fall day

ABCT Conference: Increasing the Joy of Delivering CBT

November 14, 2023
Our journey in launching the OSP program was showcased in Seattle at the Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies’ Conference.
Close-up photo of a stethoscope, pen and patient's chart

AFHTO Conference: Lowering Barriers to Mental Health Care

October 17, 2023
Our team attended the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario’s (AFHTO) Annual Conference in Toronto, showcasing ways we’re reducing barriers to mental health services.
Crop unrecognizable man talking to female psychologist

Press Release: Ontario Expanding Mental Health Services

October 13, 2023
The Ontario government is now offering more mental health services in every region of the province through the expanded Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) program.

Need resources?

Digital OSP materials are available for download on our Resources page. Fill out our form to have printed materials delivered to your office.

Sign-up for our Newsletter

Join our mailing list

Program Updates

A blue and yellow circle on a white background
A blue and green circle on a white background.

Healthcare Professional FAQs

  • Is an OHIP card needed to make a referral to OSP?

    No. We ask for and collect Ontario Health card numbers, but we can provide services for those without a Health card number. Even if your client does not have an Ontario Health card, they must still be an adult (18+) and currently living in Ontario.

  • Does the individual being referred need to have a primary care practitioner (eg., family doctor or nurse practitioner)?

    No. Individuals referred to OSP do not need to have a primary care practitioner or family doctor to be referred to or receive OSP services. 

  • Are OSP services free?

    Yes. All OSP services are government-funded and are free to all individuals, regardless of their financial means or availability of workplace benefits/private health insurance.

  • Does the individual being referred need to be a Canadian citizen?

    No. OSP accepts referrals for any adult (aged 18+) who is currently living in Ontario. This includes international students who are living in Ontario at the time of treatment.

  • Can individuals who live outside of Brampton, Halton or Mississauga be referred?

    Yes. The OSP-BHM network primarily serves clients who are located in Brampton, Mississauga, Halton, and South Etobicoke but we also welcome referrals for individuals who may live outside of this region. 


    It is important to note, that while all services are available virtually, some services can also be provided in-person. In-person services for our OSP network are delivered through organizations that are located in Brampton, Mississauga and Halton.

  • Can I fax a referral?

    No. We are not able to receive referrals via fax. You can make a referral to one-Link via fax or you may submit an online referral via Ocean (search for ‘OSP’). 

  • What happens after a referral is submitted?

    1. After a referral has been made, the client will receive an email with a link to schedule an assessment appointment and complete required information. Please advise them to check their email. If an email address has not been provided, we will contact the client by phone to schedule the assessment and gather the required information. 


    2. One week before the assessment, the client will receive some questionnaires. These questionnaires help us understand the client’s current mental health experiences. Clients must complete the questionnaires before the assessment. 


    3. During the assessment appointment, a trained therapist will work with the client to identify their main mental health concern and connect them to the OSP service that best fits their needs. If OSP is not the best fit for the client, we will do our best to make recommendations for services outside of OSP. 

  • What is the wait time for services after an assessment appointment?

    Our wait times are variable and dependent on the number of referrals we receive at any given time. Generally, after the assessment appointment when the client is matched to a service, they can expect to start the program in 4-6 weeks.

  • Can my client receive service in another language?

    Yes. Interpretation is available for the intake assessment. In addition, some OSP services are offered in different languages. Please note your client’s language needs on the referral form. If your client has some English proficiency, they can also provide more information about their needs during the initial phone call with the intake screener.

  • Who do I contact to follow up on a referral?

    Please contact our intake team at: osp@carepointhealth.ca or 905-728-1308 (or toll-free 1-833-677-0174)

Share by: