Find the Right Digital Support for Your Mental Health Journey
We’ve handpicked the best and safest health apps to help you maintain your health and wellbeing.
How health apps support and empower your wellbeing
Mental health and well-being apps are very popular globally, with over 250,000 available in Canada, and millions spent on app purchases each year. However, until recently, there was no mechanism in place in Canada to ensure the quality, authentication, effectiveness or safety of such apps.
Whether you’re navigating challenges with mental health, managing stress, or seeking support for substance use, finding the right digital tools can make all the difference. Each app we feature has been independently assessed, ensuring they meet the highest standards for safety, effectiveness, and user experience.
Accessible support anytime
Digital health apps provide 24/7 access to tools and resources, ensuring support is available whenever you need it, no matter where you are in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Personalized well-being tools
Tailored features like mood tracking, mindfulness exercises, and substance use management help you take control of your mental health journey in ways that fit your lifestyle.
Complementing Professional Care
These apps complement traditional healthcare by offering immediate assistance and guiding users toward local services and support networks within Newfoundland and Labrador.
Further Information
Bridge the gapp is a way to connect with guidance and support for mental health and addictions in Newfoundland and Labrador. Take a look at our website for more information.
Frequently asked questions
How is the Newfoundland and Labrador Mental Health App library organized?
You can explore the apps by category or browse the full range of apps that are available.
Who assesses the apps?
The apps in this library are assessed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the Organization for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA), or both.
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) is a Canadian not-for-profit and charitable organization that delivers real and meaningful change through initiatives that support people in their communities. Their research and policy work also addresses gaps in Canada’s mental health services to provide better outcomes for all.
ORCHA is based in the United Kingdom and is one of the leading providers of health and care app evaluations and reviews in the world.
Why are app assessments important?
There are over 250,000 mental health and well-being apps available in Canada; with such a high number, how do people know which app to choose? App assessments can help; they show that an app has been judged by experts to be safe, secure, effective, and based on research.
How is the ORCHA Baseline Review carried out and scored?
The ORCHA Baseline Review (OBR) includes over 270 criteria in three main areas:
Data Privacy and Security: Checks how the data is managed, shared, stored, protected, and deleted.
Clinical Quality Assurance: Checks that the app is safe, created by experts, and that its claims are true when it comes to its benefits.
Usability and Accessibility: Checks how easy the app is to use for different populations with different needs.
How is the MHCC Assessment carried out and scored?
The MHCC Assessment is an in-depth process. Apps are tested and studied so they can be judged on criteria that measures if they are safe, secure, high quality, and effective. If the apps meet MHCC’s minimum score, they pass the assessment.
The MHCC assessment helps make sure Canadians have access to reliable mental health information that is safe, easy to use, and based on research.
What is the difference between OBR vs MHCC Assessment vs MHCC Enhanced Review?
The ORCHA Baseline Review (OBR) is a global health app evaluation system; that is to say, most of its criteria is the same as the criteria used in app assessments around the world.
When a mental health app scores 70% or higher in the OBR, it continues to the MHCC Assessment that is described above. Apps that score below 70% don’t pass the OBR and don’t continue on to have an MHCC Assessment.
The MHCC Assessment includes additional criteria that is more specific to Canada.
What is the relationship between ORCHA, MHCC and Newfoundland and Labrador?
In partnership with ORCHA, the Mental Health Commission of Canada developed an assessment framework which builds upon ORCHA’s Baseline Review and assesses whether a mental health and wellbeing app meets Canadian standards for quality and safety. Newfoundland & Labrador teamed up with the Mental Health Commission of Canada to build this app library – the first of its kind in Canada.
Are you in urgent need of help & assistance?
Medical Emergency? Call 911. Mental Health and Addictions Crisis? Call 811
