Kids Help Phone said it has seen a 25-percent increase in overnight demand in the NWT between January 1 to June 30, 2026 compared to the same period last year.
“Kids Help Phone is sounding the alarm on a record surge in overnight demand for youth mental health support across Canada ahead of the back-to school season,” a news release issued by the organization said.
Kids Help Phone is a free 24-hour mental health service that youth can access by calling 1-800-668-868 or texting 686868.
Nationally, the organization said it has experienced a 24-percent increase in the number of text messages it received from young people seeking mental health support overnight as of June 30.
Yukon saw the greatest increase in demand for overnight mental health support at 64 percent compared to 2025, the organization said, while demand in Nunavut increased by 17 percent.
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The organization said it has seen an 183-percent increase in texting demand during daytime hours, between 8pm and 8am Eastern Time, nationwide.
It said the statistics highlight “growing pressures for mental health resources that are open 24/7, day and night, from coast to coast to coast.”
“While the increased demand is deeply concerning, it also tells us something hopeful about the state of youth mental health as young people are finding the courage to feel out loud and tell us what they need,” said Rebecca Shields, president and chief executive officer of Kids Help Phone, in the news release.
The news release said last year, between August 24 and September 14, there was a 10-per cent increase in texting demand. It said youth use the service to discuss anxiety and stress, relationship challenges, and depression.
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To meet the demand, Kids Help Phone said it is hiring additional “frontline clinical roles.”
The Kids Help Phone Foundation, started in 2026, is launching a fundraising appeal to support the hiring of overnight staff, particularly in BC and Atlantic Canada, and expanding French-language capacity.
The foundation said the J&W Murphy Foundation will match donations to KidsHelpPhone.ca/Urgent between August 10 and September 11 up to $250,000.
