Campus Peer Support Programs and Which Mental Health Apps Universities Actually Pay For
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 19, 2026 • Student Life, Canadian Universities & Colleges
Jack.org runs peer-led mental health programs on campuses across Canada, and many universities separately license apps like Togetherall and TAO, plus 24/7 counselling services such as MySSP or Empower Me, alongside their in-house counselling centre.
🎓 Peer support programs train students to have mental health conversations with other students, they do not replace clinical counselling.
📩 Licensed apps and services like Togetherall, TAO and MySSP give you access outside your campus counselling centre's hours.
Ontario students also have Good2Talk, a free government-funded post-secondary helpline separate from any single university's own service.
Availability differs by campus, since each university and student union licenses its own mix of tools.
⏱️ Use peer support and apps for everyday stress and connection, and go to your counselling centre or a crisis line for anything urgent.
Why this list matters
Counselling centre wait times push many students toward peer support and licensed apps first, and knowing what each option offers saves you from explaining your situation to the wrong service. This list covers what is common across Canadian campuses, though your specific school's mix depends on what its wellness office and student union license.
Peer support and apps compared with formal counselling
Peer support and mental health apps work well for early support, everyday stress, and staying connected between counselling appointments, since you access them without an appointment or a wait. Formal counselling through your campus centre or a covered off-campus therapist works for ongoing diagnosis, therapy for a specific condition, and any situation involving risk to yourself or someone else. Treat peer support and apps as a supplement that shortens the gap before or between counselling sessions, not a replacement for a clinician when your situation calls for one.
Peer support programs
Jack.org chapters and Jack Talks
Jack.org is a Canadian youth mental health charity that trains students to run Jack Chapters, student-led groups that organize peer conversations and events on campus. Its Jack Talks bring students together to talk openly about mental health, and its Be There certificate teaches students and staff how to support a friend who is struggling, without turning them into a counsellor.
Campus-run peer support centres
Many student unions and wellness offices run their own peer support centre or drop-in service, staffed by trained student volunteers rather than clinicians. These centres work well for a conversation, a referral, or company between classes, and they state clearly in their own intake materials that they are not equipped for a mental health crisis.
Good2Talk (Ontario)
Ontario post-secondary students have access to Good2Talk, a free, confidential helpline funded by the Government of Ontario, reachable by phone or text at any hour. It exists separately from any single university's counselling centre, so it stays available outside your school's office hours or during a break week.
Apps and services universities license
Togetherall
Togetherall is a clinically moderated online peer community where you post anonymously and get support from other members and trained professionals monitoring the platform around the clock. Universities license seats for their students, so check your counselling centre's website for your school's specific access code or sign-up link.
TAO (Therapy Assisted Online)
TAO offers short, self-guided modules on topics like anxiety, sleep and stress management, designed to work alongside or instead of in-person counselling for lower-intensity concerns. Several Canadian campuses license TAO through their counselling centre rather than offering it directly to the public.
MySSP / Keep.meSAFE
My Student Support Program, branded Keep.meSAFE for some student unions, gives you 24/7 phone and app-based counselling in multiple languages, aimed at closing the gap for students studying in a different time zone from their campus or who need support outside office hours. It usually comes through your student union's health and dental plan rather than the university itself, so confirm whether your union has opted in.
Empower Me and similar student union services
Several student unions bundle a 24/7 counselling and wellness support line, often branded Empower Me or similar, into the same health and dental plan that covers your prescriptions and dental visits. Check your union's health plan page for the specific provider name and access details, since this varies by union even within the same city.
National crisis lines still worth saving
If you need support beyond what your campus or student union offers, Talk Suicide Canada (1-833-456-4566) and the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline are free and available across the country, and your province's 211 service can point you to local mental health referrals.
Where CICMH fits in
The Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health (CICMH) is an Ontario government-funded hub that helps Ontario colleges and universities compare and adopt mental health resources, training and toolkits, rather than a service you access directly as a student. If your Ontario school references CICMH resources in its own wellness materials, that is where the underlying research and toolkits come from.
How to choose what helps
| What you need | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Someone to talk to about everyday stress | Peer support centre or a Jack Chapter event |
| Support outside your counselling centre's hours | Togetherall, TAO or your student union's 24/7 line |
| Ongoing clinical concerns | Your campus counselling centre or an off-campus therapist through your health plan |
| A crisis right now | Your local crisis line, campus security, or emergency services, not an app |
Confirm what your specific university and student union license before you rely on any single name here, since offerings change year to year and differ between campuses.
How to get access
Search your university's wellness or counselling centre website for the specific app names and access codes, since login usually needs your student email.
Check your student union's health and dental plan booklet for 24/7 counselling lines bundled into your coverage.
Ask your orientation leader or student services desk directly if you cannot find the list online, since some schools keep it on an intranet page.
Save your crisis line and campus security numbers separately from any app, since an app needs a working login and a crisis does not wait for one.
Revisit the list each September, since student unions renegotiate app licenses and helpline contracts between academic years.