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Your language shouldn’t prevent you from accessing services.

If you live in BC, there are health care services available to you in many languages, including mental health and addictions supports. This article will give an overview of some that are related to mental health and substance use supports.

For many of the telephone services, you will need to say the English name of the language you need to the first operator you speak to. For example, say “French” instead of "français".

Province-wide Services

8-1-1

Telephone: 8-1-1
Languages: 130+

Call 8-1-1 to speak to a nurse, dietician or pharmacist on the phone. When you call, tell the operator what language you need service in, and they will connect you with an interpreter who speaks your language. 

8-1-1 can help with any medical issue that is not an emergency. If it’s an emergency, please call 9-1-1 instead. 9-1-1 is available in many languages. If you can, give any information about the emergency in English, then say the English name of the language you need.

Alcohol & Drug Referral Service

Telephone: 1-800-663-1441
Languages: Multiple

The Alcohol & Drug Referral Service can provide free, confidential advice about substance use and addictions to people in BC. If you are looking for withdrawal management (detox), counselling, treatment, resources or support groups, they can help. 

310 Mental Health Support

Telephone: 310-6789
Languages: 140+

Call 310-6789 (no area code) anywhere in BC for emotional support and mental health information. There are no wait times or busy signals. This line can’t help with emergencies like mental health crises—if you or someone near you is in crisis, please call 9-1-1 instead. 

1-800-SUICIDE

Telephone: 1-800-784-2433
Languages: 140+

This is a crisis line for people who are feeling suicidal or who are worried about someone else feeling suicidal. They can also provide emotional support and information about suicide.

Multicultural Mental Health

Website: Multicultural Mental Health
Languages: 20+

This website provides written resources and materials about mental health and wellness in more than 20 languages, as well as some links to multilingual services. Visit the website to learn more. 

Canadian Association of Mental Health

Website: Canadian Association of Mental Health
Languages: 25+

Find information about mental health, wellness and addictions in more than 25 languages. 

Services in the Lower Mainland

SUCCESS Foundation 

Website: SUCCESS Foundation
Languages: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Farsi-Dari, Ukrainian 

The Foundation offers emotional support to callers in five languages and connects them with useful community resources. Each language has its own phone line. Visit the webpage to find the right phone number. 

DiverseCITY

Telephone: 604-547-1202
Languages: Arabic, Hindi, Mandarin, Punjabi, Spanish and Urdu

DiverseCITY supports people and families with mental health and substance use concerns in six languages. Care is free, compassionate, culturally informed and confidential. You will need to fill out a form in English or call the office to set things up. 

Moving Forward

Website: Moving Forward
Languages: Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Mandarin, Cantonese and more

Moving Forward can connect you with free short-term counselling and low-cost long-term counselling in many languages. They provide support for mental health, wellness, substance use challenges, and recovery from trauma.  You will need to fill out an intake form in English.