1. RDSB’s 3-Year Mental Health Strategy Dr. Amber Perry, C.Psych. Chief Psychologist and Mental Health Lead

2. Strategy Overview Statement In the RDSB, we are committed to addressing the mental health needs of our students, as well as improving mental wellness for all students. In our Board’s Improvement Plan, under the Community Culture and Caring section, the following practices are delineated as priorities for Mental Health:

3. -Assist schools in promoting school based mental health models and interventions with the support from specialized support staff -Continue collaborative support model with community partners -Develop pathways to mental health in collaboration with community agencies -Design a tiered approach to mental health services for students -Provide capacity building with all staff

4. Rationale for School Based Mental Health -There is a clear relationship between student mental health problems and academic difficulties -MH  learning and learning  MH -Academic achievement, graduation rates - affected

5. Mental Health in Ontario students -Approx. 1 in 5 youth in Ontario struggles with their mental health -in any given year, in a class of 25-30, there may be 5- 7 students who struggle with behaviour & emotions to a degree that will interfere with their academic performance -the earlier we intervene, the better the trajectory -MH – some lifelong, intermittent, and/or situational -Cumulative effect – if no intervention  worsening symptoms

6. Tiered approach to Mental Health Specialized interventions, community care Support for those at-risk Whole school/all students Mental Health promotion programs Tier 3 Specialized Tier 2 Targeted Tier 1 Prevention

7. Tier 1: Prevention / Promotion Year 1: September 2014-2015 -SPARK program -Mind Up (self-regulation) – ELK classrooms -MH awareness training – Supporting Minds -MH toolkit, classroom strategies, MH newsletter -Positive approach – pilot -Resiliency initiative – initial phase -Respect in School -Elephant in the Room – anti-stigma campaign

8. Year 2: September 2015-2016 - Capacity building – MH teams in schools -Positive approach – up scale -Mind Up – enriching program -SPARK – enriching program Year 3: September 2016-2017 -Resiliency – data gathering for evaluation -Continued MH capacity building

9. Tiered approach to Mental Health Specialized interventions, community care Support for those at-risk Whole school/all students Mental Health promotion programs Tier 3 Specialized Tier 2 Targeted Tier 1 Prevention

10. Tier 2: Targeted Intervention Year 1: September 2014-2015 -MH RNs – 10 selected schools -Social Workers – selected schools -School-based MH program – selected schools -Community Mobilization Sudbury -Violent Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) -Trauma team -FRIENDS

11. Tier 2: Targeted Intervention Year 2: September 2015-2016 -Expand social work compliment -Continue all teams from Year 1 -FRIENDS – enrichment Year 3: September 2016-2017 -FRIENDS – enrichment -Goal is to build capacity by developing resources

12. Tiered approach to Mental Health Specialized interventions, community care Support for those at-risk Whole school/all students Mental Health promotion programs Tier 3 Specialized Tier 2 Targeted Tier 1 Prevention

13. Tier 3: Specialized services Year 1: September 2014-2015 -Tele-psychiatry services with the Hospital for Sick Children -Collaboration with community agencies (discharge from hospital) Years 2 and 3: September 2015-2017 - Program evaluation – tele-psychiatry