Mr. Sachin Aggarwal reports

THINK RESEARCH IS A PROUD TECHNOLOGY PARTNER SUPPORTING ONTARIO MINISTRY OF HEALTH'S ONE STOP TALK/PARLONS MAINTENANT SERVICE FOR CHILD AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH

Think Research Corp. is a proud technology partner supporting the Ontario Ministry of Health's rollout of One Stop Talk/Parlons maintenant (OST/PM) service. Think's Digital Front Door solution is essential for helping the Ministry of Health to simplify navigation and increase availability of mental health services for children and youth throughout Ontario. OST/PM is a new virtual and confidential counselling service rolling out across the province. It provides children and youth (aged zero to 17 years) with immediate, low barrier access to free mental health support when needed. When a child or youth connects with One Stop Talk/Parlons maintenant through the One Stop Talk website, or 1-855-416-8255, they will be connected to a professional clinician for a virtual or telephone session of brief therapy.

After an initial trial following contract award last year, the rollout of this innovative pan-provincial initiative, financed by the Ministry of Health, addresses key challenges within the child and youth mental health sector, a priority area in Ontario's Roadmap to Wellness. It also supports the government's commitment to creating a more connected and comprehensive mental health and addictions system, ensuring that Ontarians receive the right level of service at the right time and in the right place.

How does it work?

Through the participation of a network of agencies across the province, OST/PM-designated therapists will provide on-line or telephone counselling sessions for children, youth and parents/ caregivers (with their child). A child or youth can connect with a registered therapist (via phone or on-line) for a brief single therapy session, and there is no limit to the number of times they can contact OST/PM.

The virtual sessions usually focus on a single issue and support the individual through the co-development of an action plan with an OST/PM therapist. If additional or continuing services are needed, an OST/PM service navigator is available to provide a warm hand off by sending a referral to more local services coordinating care closer to home.

OST/PM is available Monday to Friday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET and from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET on Saturdays.

Think's software services have been deployed to help maximize connectivity with OST/PM to ensure that children and youth in Ontario:

• Receive standardized counselling therapy from trained, experienced and registered clinicians located across the province;
• Have access to after-hours service, including Saturdays (increasing availability of in-the-moment intervention);
• Receive a personalized plan, co-developed and shared with the client;
• Self-select services at the right time and obtain support for a current concern/issue;
• Are provided with a warm hand-off and referral to additional services, if needed, within the same interaction.

Sachin Aggarwal, chief executive officer of Think Research, said: "We are incredibly proud to provide the Ministry of Health with our Digital Front Door solution to help standardize child and youth access to counselling from trained, experienced registered clinicians, regardless of where in the province, and how and when they connect. Think's data and software solutions are essential for health care delivery networks to remove constraints of access to a wide range of health services.

Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, said: "We know that children and youth have the highest mental health needs of any demographic, which is why we are so proud to be partnering with organizations like Strides to deliver the One Stop Talk program. Making sure that young people who are struggling have low barrier access to mental health care is critical to their growth into happy and healthy adults. Through programs like One Stop Talk, our government is building a mental health care system that is modern, compassionate, evidence-based and ensures that no one is left behind."

Kirsten Dougherty, CEO, ROCK Reach Out Centre for Kids, co-chair, One Stop Talk/Parlons maintenant, said: "One Stop Talk/Parlons maintenant provides children and youth with immediate access to mental health professionals in their moment of need, with no wait-lists. Young people can choose their preferred virtual engagement method and session time. They receive free single therapy sessions as often as needed, with equitable access, including interpreter services in 200-plus languages and ASL. This province-wide, responsive mental health service ensures timely help and seamless transfers to additional supports in the communities where they live as required."

Janet McCrimmon, president and CEO, Strides Toronto Host Site, One Stop Talk/Parlons maintenant, said: "Strides Toronto is delighted to be the host site for One Stop Talk/Parlons maintenant (OST/PM). We love collaborating with a growing number of sector partners to deliver this innovative service, where and when young people and parents need it. In addition to providing high-quality, on-demand counselling service, OST/PM provides a pathway into the infant, child and youth mental health system, making it easier than ever before to access services."

OST/PM quick facts:

• This transformational initiative is financed by the Ministry of Health.
• The program currently has a partnership with 20 different mental health agencies leveraging clinician capacity across the province.
• OST/PM has 80-plus registered therapists providing counselling.
• OST/PM primarily offers service in English and French and interpretation services are available (200-plus languages including ASL).

About Think Research Corp.

Think Research is an industry leader in delivering knowledge-based digital health software and data solutions. The company's evidence-based health care solutions support clinical decision-making, improve access to services, enable practitioners to gain better capabilities and knowledge, and help to standardize care to facilitate better health care outcomes. Think Research has gathered a significant amount of data by building its repository of knowledge through its digital solutions platform and group of companies. The company's focused mission is to become an essential platform that helps health care clinicians, institutions and networks to provide the best care and information.

Think licenses its solutions to over 16,000 facilities for over 326,000 primary care, acute care and long-term care doctors, nurses and pharmacists that rely on the content and data provided by Think to support their practices. Over three million patients and residents annually receive better care due to the essential data that Think produces, manages and delivers.

In addition, the company collects and manages pharmaceutical and clinical trial data via the BioPharma Services entity that Think acquired on Sept. 10, 2021. BioPharma Services is a leading provider of bioequivalence and phase 1 clinical research services to pharmaceutical companies globally. Think's other services include a network of digital-first primary care clinics and medical clinics that provide elective surgery.