How to See a Psychiatrist in Ontario: Referral, Waits and Free Help While You Wait

Yes. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor, and the Government of Ontario insures physicians' medically necessary services. Assessment, diagnosis, medication management and psychotherapy from a psychiatrist are all OHIP-insured, so you are not billed. This is what separates a psychiatrist from a psychologist or a registered psychotherapist, whose private-practice services OHIP does not cover. See the difference between a psychiatrist, psychologist and psychotherapist.

The Schedule of Benefits defines a consultation as an assessment that follows a written request from a referring physician or nurse practitioner. If the written request is missing, the amount payable is reduced to a lesser assessment fee. That billing rule is why most psychiatrists' offices will not book an appointment without a referral.

The written request does not have to come from a family doctor. Another physician, a walk-in clinic doctor or a nurse practitioner can make it. The Schedule does not state that a patient cannot be seen without a referral, so if your situation is unusual, ask the psychiatrist's office directly.

You can still get a referral. Health Care Connect, run by the Government of Ontario, helps find a family doctor or nurse practitioner who is accepting patients; it needs a valid Ontario health card number. A walk-in clinic physician or a nurse practitioner can also assess you and refer you.

We cover the routes that need no family doctor, and what each one says about health cards, in therapy without a family doctor in Ontario.

There is no single province-wide figure, and we do not publish an estimate we cannot source. Waits for a psychiatrist vary by region, by how urgent the referral is, and by whether it is for a one-time assessment or ongoing care, and can be long.

Ask the clinician who refers you what to expect in your area, and treat the free routes below as something to start now rather than instead of the referral. If your safety is at risk, do not wait: call or text 9-8-8 at any hour, or call 9-1-1.

• Ontario Structured Psychotherapy. Free, publicly funded cognitive behavioural therapy for adults with depression or anxiety-related concerns. Self-referral, no health card or family doctor needed.
• BounceBack. Free guided self-help with telephone coaching, from age 15.
• Health811. Call 811 at any hour to speak with a registered nurse and get directed to care.
• ConnexOntario. A free, confidential service that helps you find mental health, addiction and problem-gambling services; no referral, appointment or health card needed.
• 9-8-8. Call or text 9-8-8 at any hour for suicide crisis support.

For all of these side by side, see the main free therapy routes in Ontario.

A psychiatrist is the right route when you need a diagnosis, medication, or care for a complex or severe condition. If what you mainly want is talk therapy, two routes are often faster and are also covered or free: a family doctor or other physician who provides psychotherapy (insured by OHIP, no referral to your own doctor), and Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (free, self-referral). A psychiatrist can also refer you into these programs.