UofT rolls out MySSP for all students
Content warning: mentions of suicide.
When it comes to mental health support, the University of Toronto doesn’t exactly have the best track record. However, after three deaths by suicide on the St. George campus in the last two years alone, students are finally saying enough is enough, and demanding that the university do better.
In 2019, UofT responded with a new online resource: MySSP. Short for “My Student Support System,” MySSP is a mobile app and call-in service for immediate 24/7 online student support. Licensed counsellors are available to help students with a range of problems—both academic and personal. The main features of the app are its explore page, which displays tweets and articles on student success and wellness from UofT Student Life, as well as its text and call service.
Introduced to the UofT community in March 2019, MySSP was originally available solely to international students. However, due to its reported success, the service became available to all students in September 2019. Part of the reason why MySSP was so successful for international students was its ability to break the language barrier: it offers call-in support for 35 languages, and text-based chat support in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and Korean. Students who are unable to speak English well can face unique challenges, such as cultural and linguistic disconnection with their peers, on top of the pressure to adjust to life in a foreign country. This can cause distress, leading to feelings of isolation and depression.
Due to the sheer number of students who attend UofT, as well as the elevated demand for mental health resources in a stressful environment, UofT Health and Wellness services have been increasingly unable to accommodate students’ needs in an efficient manner. This may be why MySSP is being advertised by the University as an alternative to traditional psychiatric services.
MySSP is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The service can also be accessed by calling 1-(844)-451-9700. To acquire support from outside of North America, call 001-(416)-380-6578.
If you or someone you know is in distress, you can call:
Canada Suicide Prevention Service phone available 24/7 at 1-833-456-4566
Good 2 Talk Student Helpline at 1-866-925-5454
Ontario Mental Health Helpline at 1-866-531-2600
Gerstein Centre Crisis Line at 416-929-5200
U of T Health & Wellness Centre at 416-978-8030
