Kids Help Phone launches data insights platform

Kids Help Phone Insights shares up-to-date information about the state of youth mental health in Canada today.

TORONTO, ON (October 8, 2020) – Kids Help Phone has launched a first-of-its-kind data platform sharing up-to-date information about how young people across Canada are interacting with its services – providing unprecedented insight into the state of youth mental health in Canada today.

Called Kids Help Phone Insights, the platform is available at KidsHelpPhone.ca/Insights.

Made possible with support from Canada Health Infoway, Kids Help Phone Insights offers an in-depth look into the topics and themes young people are reaching out about through the organization’s phone and text services. Data can be broken down by province and territory, providing a comprehensive look at the challenges youth are facing from coast to coast to coast. The platform is available in both English and French.

The goal of Kids Help Phone Insights is two-fold: to remind young people that they are never alone by helping them to see the concerns shared by youth nationwide, and to help guide services, programs, policies and systems to ensure strong, responsive and evidence-based supports for the young people of Canada.

“Everything we do at Kids Help Phone is driven by data,” says Katherine Hay, President and CEO of Kids Help Phone. “As Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health solution for young people, we are constantly evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of youth based on our data insights. But we also know that sharing this information widely will create even greater impact for the landscape of youth mental health in Canada. Kids Help Phone Insights represents a new frontier for data-driven youth mental health services in our country, and we are deeply grateful to Canada Health Infoway for helping to make this historic project possible.”

“We are excited to partner with Kids Help Phone on this innovative data platform,” says Michael Green, President and CEO of Canada Health Infoway. “The platform will be a tremendous help to young Canadians who need to know they are not alone and that others across the country are voicing similar issues. It will also provide evidence-based insights that will drive development of essential youth mental health programs and services.”

Protecting the privacy and trust of young people is Kids Help Phone’s number one priority. All information shared on Kids Help Phone Insights is aggregated and anonymous, and a number of protocols have been put into place to protect service users’ privacy.