OTN and partners evaluate digital mental health solution

An OTN-led pilot project is evaluating the impact of an online support community – Big White Wall (BWW) – for people feeling anxious or depressed, or having trouble coping with other mental health-related issues.

The pilot will include about 1,000 patients ages 16 and up, with Big White Wall complementing the mental health care they are receiving or waiting to receive. The pilot, funded by Canada Health Infoway and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, will be carried out via the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores), Lakeridge Health and Women’s College Hospital.

BWW – bigwhitewall.com – provides a round-the-clock online peer support community where members can share experiences and express themselves in words and images, helping participants feel less socially isolated. There is also a library of articles, tips and support courses including cognitive behaviour therapy accessible online. Trained counsellors are available 24/7 to offer support and keep the community safe. Members can access the safe community anonymously via computer, tablet or smartphone.

“We’re hoping to see  this resource help people more confidently manage their challenges and be less likely to require crisis support, inpatient care or intensive face-to-face counselling,” says OTN CEO Dr. Ed Brown. “We believe technology-assisted self-management can improve access to care, particularly for those on wait lists, while improving quality of life for patients.”

Big White Wall originates in the United Kingdom and also operates in the U.S. and New Zealand. This is the first time it will be available in Canada. The goal of the pilot is to see decreases in: levels of anxiety, levels of depression, number of calls to mental health crisis lines, emergency department visits for mental health-related issues and inpatient admissions to hospital related to mental health issues. The program also aims to improve the ability of participants to manage symptoms over the course of the pilot project.

The Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV) Health will evaluate the results of the pilot, which will run until March 2017.

To read more about other innovative virtual care projects OTN has on the go, please visit otn.ca/innovation