If you or someone you care about is struggling with alcohol or drug use, help is available. You do not have to wait until the situation becomes a crisis before asking for support.

This page provides starting points for finding help in Prince Edward Island and elsewhere in Canada. Services and programs change over time, so wherever possible we direct you to the organization responsible for the service rather than to individual program pages that may later move or disappear.

If This Is an Emergency

If someone is unconscious, having difficulty breathing, experiencing a suspected overdose, or is otherwise in immediate danger:

Call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide or needs immediate suicide-crisis support:

Call or text 9-8-8.

Canada’s 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Getting Help in Prince Edward Island

Health PEI provides mental health, addiction and substance-use services for Islanders, including services for people concerned about the substance use of a family member or someone they care about.

Help Is Available 24 Hours a Day

For immediate assistance finding mental health or addiction services, call:

Mental Health and Addictions Phone Line
1-833-553-6983

This toll-free line is answered by trained mental-health professionals 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Finding PEI Programs and Services

For current information about available programs, locations and services, visit the Government of Prince Edward Island website:

Search the site for information about:

• Addiction and substance-use services — counselling, treatment and other supports for people affected by alcohol or drug use.
• Open Access Counselling — mental-health and addiction counselling that can be accessed without a referral.
• Withdrawal management — medically supported inpatient and outpatient withdrawal from alcohol or drugs.
• Opioid treatment — treatment and support for people with opioid-use disorders.
• Naloxone and overdose prevention — information about take-home naloxone kits and responding to opioid overdose.
• Harm-reduction services — including needle exchange, drug-checking services and other supports.
• Youth and family addiction services — assistance for young people and families affected by alcohol or drug use.

Programs, locations and hours can change. Using the Government of Prince Edward Island website will help you find the most current information available.

Finding Help Elsewhere in Canada

Health Canada provides information to help people find substance-use treatment, support and harm-reduction services across Canada.

Visit the Government of Canada website:

Search the site for information about:

• Getting help with substance use — including treatment and support services available nationally and through individual provinces and territories.
• Naloxone — information about naloxone, where it may be available and how it is used in response to an opioid overdose.
• Opioids — information about opioid use, risks, overdose prevention and available supports.
• Supervised consumption and overdose prevention services — information about harm-reduction services and how to locate them.
• Substance use and mental health — information and resources for people affected by substance use and related mental-health concerns.

Peer and Family Support Groups

Many people also find support through peer-led recovery groups. These groups do not replace professional treatment or emergency care, but they can provide ongoing support from people who have faced similar experiences.

For people struggling with alcohol or drug use:

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) — peer support for people who want help with a drinking problem.
• Narcotics Anonymous (NA) — peer support for people seeking recovery from addiction.

For family members and friends:

• Al-Anon Family Groups — support for people affected by someone else’s drinking.
• Nar-Anon Family Groups — support for family members and friends affected by someone else’s addiction.
• Alateen — part of Al-Anon, specifically for teenagers affected by someone else’s drinking.

Meetings may be available in person, online or by telephone, depending on the organization and location. Visit the organizations’ websites for current information, online resources and meeting locations.

If You Are Concerned About Someone Else

You do not need to know for certain that someone has an addiction before asking for advice.

Changes in behaviour, health, finances, relationships or drug use may give family members reason for concern. A health-care professional or addiction service can help you understand what support may be appropriate.

In Prince Edward Island, family members and friends can contact the Mental Health and Addictions Phone Line at 1-833-553-6983 for information about available services.

Elsewhere in Canada, your provincial or territorial health service can direct you to local addiction and mental-health resources.

Asking for Help Is a Starting Point

Addiction can affect individuals and families in very different ways. There is no single treatment or recovery path that is right for everyone.

Treatment may involve counselling, medical care, withdrawal management, medication, peer support, harm-reduction services or a combination of approaches.

What matters is making the first connection.

If you are unsure where to begin, contact a health-care professional or one of the services above and ask what help is available in your community.

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Keeping This Page Current

Health and addiction services, telephone numbers and websites can change. We periodically review the resources on this page, but if you discover information that is no longer current, please let us know.