2. goals for this session
To provide a provincial context for school mental health To encourage a shared understanding of the role of schools in supporting student mental health & well-being To introduce a new resource for School Administrators in Ontario
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

3. Session outline Provincial Context
Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy
School Mental Health ASSIST
Student Mental Health and Well-Being
Student Mental Health and Well-Being Basics
The Role of Schools
Introducing Leading Mentally Healthy Schools: A Resource for School Administrators
The Role of School Leaders in Supporting Student Mental Health and Well-Being
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

4. The provincial context for school mental health
Section 1
The provincial context for school mental health
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

5. Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy
Open Minds, Healthy Minds is the comprehensive, 10-year strategy designed to address mental health and addictions needs in Ontario
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

6. Overall Aim
“ … to reduce the burden of mental illness and addictions by ensuring that all Ontarians have timely access to an integrated system of excellent, coordinated and efficient promotion, prevention, early intervention, community support and treatment programs.”
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

7. Overarching Goals
To improve the mental health and well-being of all Ontarians;
To support the creation of healthy, resilient and inclusive communities;
To identify mental health and addiction problems early and intervene;
To provide timely, high quality, integrated, person-directed health and human services.
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

8. The First Three Years
The Strategy focuses on children & youth in the first three years. There are three key targets:
Fast access to high-quality services
Early identification and support
Help for vulnerable children/youth with unique needs
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

9. OVERVIEW OF THE MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS STRATEGY - FIRST 3 YEARS
Starting with Child and Youth Mental Health Our Vision: An Ontario in which children and youth mental health is recognized as a key determinant of overall health and well-being, and where children and youth reach their full potential.
Provide fast access to high quality service
Kids and families will know where to go to get what they need and services will be available to respond in a timely way.
Identify and intervene in kids’ mental health needs early
Professionals in community-based child and youth mental health agencies and teachers will learn how to identify and respond to the mental health needs of kids.
Close critical service gaps for vulnerable kids, kids in key transitions, and those in remote communities
Kids will receive the type of specialized service they need and it will be culturally appropriate
THEMES
INDICATORS
Reduced child and youth suicides/suicide attempts
Educational progress (EQAO)
Fewer school suspensions and/or expulsions
Decrease in severity of mental health issues through treatment
Decrease in inpatient admission rates for child and youth mental health
Higher graduation rates
More professionals trained to identify kids’ mental health needs
Higher parent satisfaction in services received
Fewer hospital (ER) admissions and readmissions for child and youth mental health
Reduced Wait Times
Provide designated mental health workers in schools
Implement Working Together for Kids’ Mental Health
Hire Nurse Practitioners for eating disorders program
Improve service coordination for high needs kids, youth and families
Implement standardized tools for outcomes and needs assessment
Amend education curriculum to cover mental health promotion and address stigma
Develop K-12 resource guide for educators
Implement school mental health ASSIST program &mental health literacy provincially
Enhance and expand Telepsychiatry model and services
Provide support at key transition points
Hire new Aboriginal workers Implement Aboriginal Mental Health Worker Training Program
Create 18 service collaboratives
Expand inpatient/outpatient services for child and youth eating disorders
Reduce wait times for service, revise service contracting, standards, and reporting
Funding to increase supply of child and youth mental health professionals
Improve public access to service information
Pilot Family Support Navigator model
Y1 pilot
Increase Youth Mental Health Court Workers
Provide nurses in schools to support mental health services
Implement Mental Health Leaders in selected School Boards
Outcomes, indicators and development of scorecard
Strategy Evaluation
INITIATIVES 9
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

10. Ministry of Education Commitments
To enhance the K to 12 Curriculum to more strongly feature student mental health
To develop an Educator Guide to help educators to recognize and support students with mental health and addictions needs
To hire Mental Health Leaders to support board mental health and addictions strategy development and implementation
To provide implementation support via School Mental Health ASSIST
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

11. School Mental Health ASSIST is a provincial implementation support team designed to help Ontario school boards to promote student mental health and well-being, through leadership, practical resources and systematic research-based approaches to school mental health.
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

12. School Mental Health ASSIST Focuses On:
Organizational Conditions for Effective School Mental Health
Mental Health Capacity-Building for Educators
Implementation of Evidence- Based Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Programming
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

13. Strategy Cascade Province Board School Organizational Conditions
Capacity Building
Evidence-Based Programming
Board
School
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

14. Background on student mental health and well-being
Section 2
Background on student mental health and well-being
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

15. Mental Health is…
“A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”
World Health Organization
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

16. Mental Health Exists on a Continuum
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

17. What are mental health problems?
Mental health problems are emotional, behavioural and brain- related disturbances that interfere with development, personal relationships, and functioning. Disturbances that are severe and persistent enough to cause significant symptoms, distress, and impairment in one or more areas of daily life are termed mental health disorders/mental illness
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

18. Mental Health Problems include a Range of Difficulties
Mental health problems are characterized by different signs and symptoms, and present in various forms
Some mental health problems manifest outwardly (externalizing)
Students appear aggressive, impulsive, coercive, non-compliant
Some mental health problems manifest inwardly (internalizing)
Students appear withdrawn, lonely, anxious, depressed
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

19. Mental Health Problems are Common
Roughly one in five students in Canadian schools struggle with a mental health problem that interferes with their day to day functioning.
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

20. Facts and Figures
Causes – Multiply determined (biological, life experiences, individual factors, early trauma) Onset - In 70% of cases, the onset of problems begins before age 18; with 50% of cases starting before 14 Comorbidity – If have one disorder, other problems are also likely (45% have > 1 mental health problem) Impact – Disturbances to academic progress, social well- being, isolation, despair, anger, heightened risk of suicide
There is a clear relationship between mental health problems and academic achievement
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

21. Mental Health Problems are Treatable
Proven strategies and supports
Psychosocial and pharmacological treatments are most common, and are often used together
While many mental disorders are chronic, we can help with coping
Early identification and intervention improves prognosis
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

22. Barriers to Accessing Services
Unfortunately, up to 80% of students with mental health needs will not access appropriate support Barriers to such access include:
Stigma associated with mental health problems,
Misidentification of symptoms,
Adult lack of knowledge regarding where to seek help,
Lack of sufficient services to meet demand.
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

23. Schools Have a Unique Opportunity
Schools are an optimal setting to:
Reduce stigma
Promote positive mental health
Build student social-emotional learning skills
Prevent mental health problems in high risk groups
Identify students in need
Build pathways to care
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

24. Ways to Help…
It is important to note that there is no expectation that educators become therapists, or that school boards duplicate the work of community mental health providers.
Rather, educators can play a supporting role by:
Creating caring schools and classrooms
Building social/emotional learning skills
Helping to identify students in need
Many boards employ school mental health professionals (social workers, psychological consultants) who provide assessment and support for individual students in need, and help families to access additional treatment, when necessary.
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

25. K-12 Educator guide
The Ministry has created Supporting Minds: An Educators’ Guide to Promoting Student Mental Health and Well-Being Designed to help educators to provide mentally healthy classroom environments, and to recognize when students are struggling with common mental health problems at school:
Anxiety Problems
Mood Problems
Attention and Hyperactivity / Impulsivity
Behaviour Problems
Eating and Weight-Related Problems
Substance Use Problems
Gambling
Self-Harm and Suicide
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

26. The School administrator’s Role
School Administrators need to create the conditions to promote the mental health and well-being of all students In addition to setting the tone for a positive and welcoming school climate, this includes creating structures and processes that allow for appropriate skill development for all students, and early identification and support for those in need This includes attention to staff mental health capacity building and personal well-being
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

27. With professional learning and support, school administrators can:
Help staff create mentally healthy classrooms,
Create a school climate sensitive to the needs of vulnerable students,
Recognize early signs of mental health problems,
Select and facilitate appropriate student supports,
Help students and families access needed services.
School Administrators are ideally positioned to lead in enhancing student mental health.

28. Section 3
Introducing… Leading Mentally Healthy Schools: A Resource for School Administrators
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

29. Leading Mentally Healthy schools
In spring 2012, School Mental Health ASSIST recognized the need for a resource to support School Administrators
A School Administrators Working Group was convened with the help of the:
Minister’s Principal Reference Group
Ontario Principal Associations
Chief Psychologist and Social Work Associations
This Working Group suggested the development of a “one stop” electronic resource for school administrators
School Mental Health ASSIST is grateful for the high quality product that this working group produced!
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

30. Development Timelines
Dates
Activity
Summer 2012
Work Group drafts initial content
Fall 2012
Content is formatted into an e-pub
SMH ASSIST conducts a review and prepares a pilot version of the resource
Spring 2013
Principals from 25 English and 5 French boards review the draft resource and provide suggestions for change
Summer 2013
Feedback is incorporated into final version of resource
Fall 2013
Leading Mentally Healthy Schools is released to all 72 Ontario school boards
Regional sessions are conducted to deepen understanding of the material
Activity
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

31. Leading Mentally Healthy Schools Table of contents
Introduction
Background on Student Mental Health and Well-Being
Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy
Strategies for Administrators Supporting Mental Health in Schools
Tackling the Tough Issues in Schools

32. 8 Broad Strategies Think in Tiers Set the Stage Connect the Dots
Focus on the Positive
Bring People Along
Follow Familiar Planning Processes
Enable Implementation
Foster Collaboration
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

33. Tackling the tough issues
School Support for Some and Few
Dealing with Mental Health Crises
Managing Transitions
Working with Parents when Mental Health Problems Arise
Meaningful Student Engagement
Talking with Students about Mental Health
Self-Care Ideas
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

34. Next steps…
Boards are invited to review Leading Mentally Healthy Schools Board Mental Health Teams will be invited to regional sessions to more deeply explore the School Administrator and Educator Guides Boards may offer in-depth sessions for school administrators on each of the 8 strategies introduced, and on tackling the tough issues
School Mental Health ASSIST 2013