Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences is a public teaching hospital in Whitby, Ontario. It provides specialized assessment and treatment for people living with complex and serious mental illness through inpatient units, outpatient clinics, and community programs. Care is delivered by interprofessional teams using evidence-based practices, with a strong emphasis on recovery-oriented, person-centred care and family engagement.

Programs and who it serves

The hospital’s clinical portfolio spans general adult psychiatry, forensic mental health, geriatrics, and youth services. Typical offerings include comprehensive assessment, medication management, group and individual therapies, psychoeducation, and transition supports. Dedicated programs address persistent mood and anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, concurrent disorders, and cognitive changes in older adults. Admission and discharge processes are structured around hope, goal setting, therapeutic alliance, and continuity of care.

Teaching, research and partnerships

As a community teaching hospital affiliated with leading academic partners, Ontario Shores trains medical students, residents, and learners across disciplines. Research and quality improvement are embedded in care delivery, and the organization participates in regional collaborations to bring specialized services closer to where people live. Recognition from national accreditation bodies highlights performance in safe, effective care and workplace mental health.

Digital tools and access

Patients may be offered clinically vetted online tools as part of care plans (for example, structured psychotherapy and recovery platforms) alongside virtual or in-person visits. Referral pathways are centralized, with contact and intake coordinated through the main Whitby campus on Gordon Street. The hospital publishes public reporting on quality, accountability agreements, and energy use to support transparency.

Location and service area

Ontario Shores’ primary facility sits on the Lake Ontario shoreline in Whitby and serves the Greater Toronto Area and broader regions via outreach and partnerships. While services are provincial in scope, most in-person care occurs at or through the Whitby site and affiliated community clinics. Patients and families can connect by phone for referrals, scheduling, and program information.

Who will find it useful

Adults, families, and caregivers seeking specialized mental health services for complex conditions; clinicians requiring tertiary assessments; learners pursuing placements in psychiatry and allied health; and organizations looking for evidence-based partnerships in mental health system improvements.