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Newfoundland and Labrador Mental Health and Addictions App Library

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Key Details

Organisation Name

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

Location

St. John’s, NL, Canada
Canada

Website

eMHIC Member Status

Strategic Partner

At a Glance

Description

The first mental health and addictions app library in Canada, providing a collection of approved apps to support people in Newfoundland and Labrador

Implementation Status

Scaling implementation

Launched in June 2025 and widely used with over 10,500 page views, and 308 app downloads.

Target Population

Individuals

Search by topic, symptom, cost, assessment score & audience

Communities

Increased access to low-cost support

Professionals

Make informed resource suggestions to clients

Impact & Outcomes

June 2025 – January 2026
2,600+
Sessions
10,500+
Page views
308
App downloads
2,600+
Sessions
10,500+
Page views
308
App downloads
Newfoundland and Labrador has been recognized internationally as a leader when it comes to e-mental health. With the province’s new Mental Health and Addictions App Library, people across the province

Quote from the press release

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Interconnected Magazine

Now accepting submissions of interest for the upcoming issue.

Interconnected is the world’s only digital mental health magazine.

Want to be featured?

Email [email protected]

Read the 2025 edition here

Initiative Overview

The Current Gap

Mental health and well-being apps have become extremely popular globally over the last number of years, 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.

The NL Mental Health and Addictions App Library highlights apps that have undergone a rigorous assessment framework and are judged by experts to be safe, secure, effective, and research-based. It removes the guesswork for communities by identifying trusted apps available 24/7 across areas such as addictions, anxiety, mental well-being, panic, PTSD, stress, and suicide prevention. The Digital App Assessment Framework evaluates apps through over 450 questions across seven standards, including data and privacy, clinical evidence and safety, usability and accessibility, security and stability, cultural safety, social responsibility, equity, and data sovereignty. While not standalone treatments, these apps support mental health and well-being by helping individuals manage daily experiences and stressors.

Our Solution

The Newfoundland and Labrador Mental Health and Addictions App Library is the first of its kind in Canada. It is a collection of mental health and addictions apps that have been assessed for safety, quality, and effectiveness by the Organization for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA) in the United Kingdom and the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) to help support people in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Key Features

1

Expanded Access to Mental Health Support

Increases access to mental health and addictions support for individuals, communities, and professionals.

2

Advanced App Search and Filtering

Enables users to search apps by topic, symptom, cost, assessment score, and intended audience.

3

Apps for Personal and Care Support

Allows individuals to find apps for personal use or to support others.

4

Provider-Guided App Recommendations

Supports mental health providers to make informed and appropriate app recommendations to clients.

5

Affordable and Low-Cost App Access

Features many apps that are free or low cost, reducing financial barriers to care.

6

Anytime, Anywhere Access

Provides access to support at any time, wherever an internet connection is available.

Collaboration in Action

Main Collaborators

  • MHCC logo 1920
  • Collaborator Logos-ORCHA

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Key Learnings

A key challenge was navigating the rapidly expanding and largely unregulated digital mental health app landscape, with no consistent Canadian framework to assess safety, quality, and effectiveness. Ensuring public trust while introducing a new, evidence-based approach required careful alignment across government, national, and international partners.
The experience highlighted that informal or limited screening processes, even when well intentioned and inclusive of lived experience and professional input, are insufficient for evaluating complex digital health applications. A rigorous, standardised assessment framework is essential to ensure clinical safety, data protection, cultural safety, accessibility, and overall effectiveness.
The development and adoption of the Digital App Assessment Framework demonstrated the value of collaboration between people with lived experience, subject matter experts, clinicians, and system leaders. Applying a structured framework of over 450 questions across seven standards created a shared, transparent approach to app assessment, strengthening trust, consistency, and quality across jurisdictions.

Looking Ahead

Future plans may be shared at a later stage.
For current opportunities, please contact Niki Legge using the details below.
029-dpKUqVqbsSQ

Key Contact

Niki Legge
Director, Mental Health and Addictions
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

Email

[email protected]

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