Mental Health Presentation STAFF MEETING FEBRUAY 1

Physical health vs. Mental health

A Few Statistics  20% (1 in 5) Canadians will experience a diagnosed mental illness  BUT 49% of Canadians believe they have suffered from depression or anxiety and have not been to the doctor  3.2 million Canadians ages are at risk for developing depression  With support 80% of people with depression can continue with their daily lives unaffected  Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Canadian youth  70% of mental health problems begin during childhood or adolescence Statistics from CMHA

Children’s Mental Health Ontario Project- Building a Better School Environment for Youth with Mental Health and Addiction Issues  In 2012 almost 300 youth across Ontario aged completed an on-line survey to gain statistics about mental health  64 youths participated in focus groups to discuss how schools could be more supportive  Change the view Video Contest resulted in 93 video submissions that were analyzed for the findings  Youth submitted poetry, artwork and papers outlining how schools could create a more supportive environment for youth experiencing mental health issues

Findings 1. Effective communication and respect including confidentiality between youth and those in leadership roles help youth feel more empowered  35% of the students felt most staff at their school had an understanding of youth mental health issues  Effective communication and respect including confidentiality between youth and school staff help students feel more empowered  Comments from the youth included feeling like there is a double standard when students are physically ill versus mentally ill with assignments/homework/tests and performance

Findings 2. Feelings of isolation serve to further alienate youth with mental illness  Only 18.4% of the youth said they talk to their peers about their mental health  Stigma was the number 1 barrier preventing students from seeking supports from mental health professionals 3. A lack of access to resources prevents students from receiving support  the youth asked for a space in school that is private and judgment free for when they are experiencing difficulties, anxiety episodes cannot be scheduled or predicted

Findings 4. Insufficient mental health education in school curriculum  the youth ranked the internet as the #1 source for mental health education, media #2 and schools #3 5. More mental health related professional development courses would benefit teachers and students  It would also be beneficial for teachers to know what resources are available in their school board and the community

What can we do? We can start with reducing the stigma.

And next we can listen to our students.

Linking Healthy Minds for a Positive Future-DDSB Strategic Plan  Building resiliency  Breaking down the stigma  Building Skills and knowledge  Engaging Parents/Guardians and Families  Working Collaboratively with Community partners