community health resource list

access the resource list here!

please note, colour in mind is not affiliated with the resources on this list. our intention is to provide options for continued access and to promote the choice and autonomy in our community. please continue to do your due diligence in accessing these services.

accessing culturally responsive care in toronto: a living resource for women and gender diverse people of colour.

navigating health, wellness, and mental health care can be overwhelming, especially when you are trying to find spaces that feel safe, affirming, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive. for women and gender diverse people of colour, these barriers are often intensified by systemic racism, financial constraints, language barriers, stigma, and a lack of representation in mainstream healthcare systems. this resource was created to make that journey easier.

we have curated a living directory of health, wellness, mental health, and community-based supports across toronto that center accessibility, cultural safety, and community care. this document brings together publicly funded clinics, culturally responsive organizations, grassroots collectives, crisis supports, harm reduction services, and therapy directories, all in one place. it is designed to support people across a wide range of identities, needs, and lived experiences.

the care resources explained

at the core of this resource is the belief that care should not be a privilege. it should be accessible, affirming, and rooted in dignity. whether you are looking for primary healthcare, sexual and reproductive health services, mental health counselling, crisis support, housing help, youth programming, or culturally grounded healing, this directory exists to help you find pathways to support.

the sections of the care resource

the first section highlights community health centres and public clinics that offer low-cost or free healthcare services. organizations such as access alliance, parkdale queen west community health centre, anishnawbe health toronto, black creek community health centre, and taibu community health centre provide primary care, mental health supports, community programming, and wellness services. these centres often operate through publicly funded models, meaning services are free or covered through ohip, making them critical access points for communities facing financial barriers.

this section also includes sexual and reproductive health services such as hassle free clinic, planned parenthood toronto, toronto public health sexual health clinics, and women’s college hospital. these organizations offer sti testing, contraception education, gender-affirming care, abortion services, and youth-friendly health programming. having access to sexual health care that is non-judgmental, trauma-informed, and inclusive is essential for bodily autonomy and safety.

mental health and crisis supports form another vital layer of this resource. organizations like cmha toronto, distress centres of greater toronto, gerstein crisis centre, assaulted women’s helpline, and talk4healing provide crisis intervention, emotional support, safety planning, and culturally grounded counselling. these services are lifelines during moments of acute distress and can offer both immediate and longer-term pathways toward healing.

housing and shelter supports are also included, recognizing that wellness cannot exist without safety and stability. organizations such as nisa homes, the redwood, covenant house toronto, eva’s initiatives, and native women’s resource centre of toronto provide shelter, transitional housing, advocacy, and trauma-informed care for women, youth, and gender diverse people facing housing insecurity or violence.

another sections of this document focuses on bipoc-led and culturally responsive therapy providers and collectives. these include women’s health in women’s hands, across boundaries, hong fook mental health association, punjabi community health services, indus community services, canadian centre for victims of torture, and black mental health matters canada. these organizations understand the cultural, racial, intergenerational, and systemic realities that shape mental health for communities of colour. they offer counselling, group therapy, settlement supports, and wellness programming rooted in anti-oppressive frameworks.

directories

we also include directories such as therapy for black girls, healing in colour, inclusive therapists, and rainbow health ontario, which allow individuals to search for affirming therapists based on identity, modality, and lived experience. these platforms are essential tools for finding practitioners who reflect your values and understand your context.

the final section uplifts grassroots organizations, collectives, and community clinics that offer deeply relational and trauma-informed care. organizations like sistering, maggie’s toronto sex workers action project, butterfly asian and migrant sex workers network, black women in motion, canadian women of colour leadership network, rexdale women’s centre, south asian women’s centre, opportunity for advancement, and toronto rape crisis centre provide everything from harm reduction supplies and crisis counselling to healing circles, youth mentorship, leadership development, cultural programming, and peer support.

these grassroots spaces often hold the deepest knowledge about what communities truly need. they prioritize trust, safety, cultural relevance, and collective healing. many also operate with limited funding, making it even more important to amplify their work and support their sustainability.

this directory is not meant to be static. it is a living resource that will continue to grow, evolve, and adapt based on community feedback and emerging needs. our goal is to build a connected ecosystem of care that reflects the diversity, complexity, and resilience of women and gender diverse people of colour across toronto.

by sharing this resource, we hope to reduce isolation, increase access, and affirm that you deserve care that sees you fully. whether you are seeking immediate crisis support, long-term therapy, community connection, or holistic wellness, this directory exists to remind you that support is available and that you are not alone.

you can explore the full resource here: link to resource

we encourage you to bookmark it, share it widely, and return to it whenever you or someone you love needs support. care becomes more powerful when it is collective.