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Is OSP suitable for your clients?

Understand the program eligibility and benefits.

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.

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

Making a Referral

Healthcare professionals have two options for making a referral:

OCEAN

Search for ‘OSP’ and complete the referral form.

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 be sent an email with information about OSP and a link to schedule an appointment. Please advise them to check their email.

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

An intake screener will phone the client at their appointment time to gather information and schedule their assessment call. We may recommend other services if OSP isn't the right fit.

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

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

ABCT Conference: Increasing the Joy of Delivering CBT

14 Nov, 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

17 Oct, 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

13 Oct, 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.

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Program Updates

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?

    Please Note: We are working to launch a more efficient intake process and the information below reflects our current process which will change in early 2024.


    1. After a referral has been made, your client will be sent an email with information about OSP and a link to schedule an appointment. Please advise them to check their email!


    2. An intake screener will phone them at the appointment time to gather some more information. Usually, they will be scheduled for an assessment during this phone call. Sometimes, the intake screener may recommend other services that are better match for their needs.


    3. The assessment will be conducted by phone by a trained therapist. During the assessment, the client will be directed to the OSP service that best fits their needs. If OSP is not the best fit for them, recommendations will be made 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)

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