The Metro Addiction Assessment Referral Service at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health offers substance use assessment and referral services free of charge to anyone who lives in the City of Toronto.
MAARS serves as a front-door to the addictions system for residents from Toronto and can be referred anywhere in Ontario.
At MAARS we serve adults of all ages, backgrounds, orientations and cultures, and place special emphasis on reaching out to people who may have difficulty finding the right resources.
Assessment Process: MAARS provides a two-stage assessment process:
- Phase 1: The first part of the assessment (called Phase 1) involves coming to a session where clients will hear about what our service can offer and begin the assessment by filling out some questionnaires related to substance use.
This session runs every Tuesday at 9am and Thursday at 1pm. Please arrive 20 minutes early for paperwork. The session takes about 1 ½ hours. At the end of this session, clients can book an appointment for the second part (Phase 2) of the assessment.
Please call to register for Phase 1. Clients can usually attend the next scheduled session.
- Phase 2: This part of the assessment involves an individual session with one of our therapists. During this session, the client and therapist will explore the client’s substance use and the range of services and resources that are available. This session also takes about an hour.
Wait time for a Phase 2 appointment is usually 2-3 weeks after Phase 1.
Accessibility: Accommodations are available to clients who require interpretation services, or have any other barrier to attending Phase 1 and/or a two-stage assessment process. Please mention these needs when calling to book an appointment.
Bringing Support Persons: Clients are welcome to bring support persons (ex: friends; family; professionals) with them to any stage of the assessment process. Support persons may participate in the assessment at the discretion of the client, and resource sheets for friends & family are available upon request.
Booking: Please call 416-599-1448 to book your Phase 1 assessment, or for additional information.
*Please note: the MAARS line is being answered by the Access CAMH service. This is a centralized intake line that is being implemented in a staged approach for most CAMH outpatient services, which will provide increased live access and improved quality of support for people seeking information and service at CAMH. When calling, please state you are calling for a MAARS assessment.
Referral Required: No physician referral required: clients may self-refer.
Contact: (416) 599-1448
Location: CAMH Bell Gateway Building (BGB) 100 Stokes Street, Toronto, Ontario M6J 1H4 (closest intersection is Queen Street West and Ossington Avenue)