Kids Help Phone (KHP) Presents the Next Chapter of Feel Out Loud — Canada’s Largest Youth Mental Health Movement

Seventy-five per cent of service users tell KHP something they’ve never told anyone before

TORONTO, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Kids Help Phone announces the next evolution of Canada’s largest youth mental health movement. Powered by new insights from more than 50 million real-time, real-language, geographically tagged data points and grounded in over three decades of trust, this next chapter invites people across Canada, especially adults, to rally behind young people by donating and amplifying the need for accessible, inclusive mental health support.

At the heart of this movement is one powerful truth: seventy-five per cent of service users tell KHP something they’ve never told anyone before.

“The next chapter of Feel Out Loud challenges the idea that Kids Help Phone is only for ‘serious problems’. For many young people, the word ‘help’ can feel overwhelming, intimidating, or even out of reach, especially when they’re struggling to make sense of everything happening around them,” says Katherine Hay, President & Co-CEO, Retired Designate, Kids Help Phone. “The evolving Feel Out Loud movement reflects the complex reality youth are facing today—eco-anxiety, economic stress, bullying, relationships, and more. It redefines what help means by capturing the full spectrum of emotions young people experience, including the ones that feel awkward, confusing, or difficult to express. It’s built on what youth have told us help looks like to them, and why it matters.”

Harnessing powerful new insights from KHP’s anonymized data, the Feel Out Loud movement brings youth voices to the forefront, proving that for many young people, help means everything. Since 2020, KHP has interacted with young people across Canada more than 22 million times. The demand continues to rise, especially among equity-deserving youth.

KHP understands that a young person’s world is shaped by their unique identity, their family and community, their digital universe and wherever they live in Canada. The next chapter of Feel Out Loud is powered by KHP’s unmatched data and guided by the real experiences of youth. The data reveals a deeply urgent need for more responsive, inclusive support:

Over the past four years, the number of youth aged 13 and under reaching out about suicide has more than doubled.
In 2024, Black youth accessed KHP’s services at nearly twice their proportion of the Canadian population — and Indigenous youth at twice their representation.
In the last six months, almost 20% of conversations have revolved around the economy or employment, demonstrating the negative impact that geopolitical and economic crises are having on the mental health of youth.
Between 2023-2024, KHP received 28% more conversations about sexual abuse from youth who mentioned sharing feelings with KHP that they’ve never shared before.
Last year, 49% of youth said that if they had not reached out to KHP, they would have ignored the issue or hoped it went away — which is a significant barrier to good mental health.

“In every message and call we receive, there’s a story of courage,” says Alisa Simon, Group Head and Executive Vice President, e-Mental Health Transformation and Clinical Services, Kids Help Phone. “We are witnessing a mental health crisis among youth in Canada, and yet we’re also seeing something powerful—young people turning to us when they feel like no one else will understand. Feel Out Loud gives voice to those experiences—and calls on all adults to help us meet this growing need.”

Feel Out Loud Creative

Powered by KHP data, the creative features thousands of new iterations of Kids Help Phone’s name, each expanding on the meaning of ‘help’ with unique feelings featured in contextual placements.

KHP is calling on all of Canada to ensure critical funds are raised for youth mental health. By supporting KHP, you can show young people there’s a place for them to Feel Out Loud and access mental health support whenever they need it most.

Join the movement. Help means everything. Donate now.

About Kids Help Phone

Kids Help Phone (KHP) is Canada’s only 24/7, free, confidential, and multilingual e-mental health solution. Whether through professional counselling, crisis response, or self-directed mental health resources, KHP has been a trusted space for youth for over 36 years. No matter the feeling or issue, big or small, KHP empowers young people to Feel Out Loud and access support whenever they need it most. KHP knows that young people and the issues they are facing are changing faster than ever. That’s why innovation is more than what we do – it’s who we are: a global leader in youth mental health that blends technology with empathy to better serve youth. KHP gratefully relies on the generosity of donors, volunteers, stakeholder partners, corporate partners and governments to unlock the hope young people need to thrive in their worlds. Join us at kidshelpphone.ca.

For more information, please contact:
Kids Phone Communications Team
media@kidshelpphone.ca

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/55f0cc8d-4e41-4da5-8407-eabc5a24080f

Feel Out Loud Creative

Powered by KHP data, the creative features thousands of new iterations of Kids Help Phone’s name, each expanding on the meaning of ‘help’ with unique feelings featured in contextual placements.

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