New safe and confidential online tool helps support those use substances
OTTAWA, ONTARIO – February 24, 2022: Do you, or someone you know, use substances such as drugs or alcohol that may be impacting daily life? Breaking Free Online (BFO) is a new, safe and confidential online tool that can help support individuals looking to reduce or stop their use of substances.
“The pandemic accelerated efforts to leverage technology in order to create vital access points for individuals with mental health and substance use health needs,” Dr. Kim Corace, vice president of innovation and transformation, at The Royal, said. “The demand for mental health and substance use health care far outweighs the supply. Platforms such as Breaking Free Online are particularly important as they give individuals in need access to supports that may make all the difference. We are pleased to be a part of this initiative and proud to work alongside fellow experts and advocates in bringing this valuable resource to life.”
BFO is available to anyone 16 years and older. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, BFO is a completely confidential recovery support program that uses practical, self-guided courses, positive coping skills, and behaviour-change techniques.
COVID-19 has been a challenging time for many of us, and for some, it has increased the risk of using substances. Many factors make us more likely to drink alcohol or use drugs during a crisis and anxiety, isolation and stress have all been common during the pandemic.
Paola Nikodem, Education and Quality Lead for Addictions Services at HSN explains “It’s an evidence-based, online program that empowers people to achieve recovery from over 70 substances, including alcohol and opioids, which has been of particular concern here in our community. It allows people to use the tool in the way that best works for them.”
Regardless of someone’s level of substance use, Breaking Free Online may be able to help.
Anyone can register at www.breakingfreeonline.ca and have free access to programming and resources for two years. Access code is royalottawa21
More information on how the tool works can be found in this video. Visit www.breakingfreeonline.ca to access the new platform.
About The Royal
The Royal is one of Canada’s foremost mental health care, teaching and research hospitals. Its mandate is simple: to help more people living with mental illness into recovery faster. The Royal combines the delivery of specialized mental health care, advocacy, research and education to transform the lives of people living with complex and treatment-resistant mental illness. The Royal includes mental health centres in Ottawa and Brockville, community mental health services at Carlingwood Mall, and four satellite offices. The Royal’s Operational Stress Injury (OSI) Clinic treats Canadian Forces, veterans and RCMP, and is the only OSI clinic within a specialized academic mental health centre. The University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Research at The Royal brings together leading clinicians, scientists and technology to investigate the brain circuitry linked to depression, posttraumatic stress disorder and suicidal ideation. With the launch of the world’s leading-edge technology in molecular imaging targeted solely to mental health research, The Royal is becoming an innovative powerhouse — putting the nation’s capital at the forefront of unlocking the secrets of the brain — the last frontier. The Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health raises funds that support The Royal’s work. The Royal places a sharp focus on awareness building through the You Know Who I Am campaign and public education initiatives such as Conversations at The Royal and Is It Just Me? Conversations about Youth Mental Health. For more information, please visit theroyal.ca.
Media Contact
Katelyn Abernathy
katelyn.abernathy@theroyal.ca
+1 (613) 296-5764