Post on 01-Apr-2015
Making a Difference…An old man walked up a shore strewn with thousands of starfish, beached and dying after a storm. A young girl was picking them up and flinging them back into the ocean. "Why do you bother," the old man scoffed. "You're not saving enough to make a difference." The young girl picked up another starfish and sent it spinning back to the water.
"Made a difference to that one," she said.
Making a Difference: Supporting Student
Mental Health in Schools
Student Support Leadership Initiative Child and Youth Mental Health Information NetworkHWCDSB / HWDSB
December 2009
Up to 80% of children will not receive treatment for mental health difficulties
1 in 5 children has a mental health problem
depressionanxie
ty
ADHD
disruptive behavioreating disorders
But they are here, in our schools and classrooms…
Feelings of hopelessness, isolation, and lack of support can result in suicidal
behavior. 1 in 10 youth report having attempted suicide.
If we knew how, we could help. We could make a
difference.
There are many ways to Make a Difference
• Increasing educator mental health literacy is one important strategy for supporting student well-being
• An educator resource is one way to support mental health literacy in schools
Communities across Ontario, across Canada, are exploring many ways
to support educators as they try to promote positive mental health in schools.
Canadian Council on Learning, 2009
“Poor mental health in Canadian school children poses a significant risk to their
academic development and puts them at greater risk of dropping out of school,
substance abuse and suicide. Schools are well positioned to be at the vanguard of
public health strategies designed to prevent and detect mental health disorders among
young people.”
A barrier to learning: Mental health disorders among Canadian youth
• Mental Health Commission of Canada • Consortium Lead - Provincial Centre of
Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health at CHEO
• 38 members, reaching over 60 networks, 4 teams
Overall ObjectiveThrough a synthesis of the
literature, a scan of Canadian programs / services, and a national survey, the Consortium will develop
a broad framework and policy/practice recommendations
related to SBMHSU in Canada.Timeline: Spring 2009 - Winter 2011
SBMHSU Consortium
Scanning the Practice Landscape in School-Based Mental Health
Short, Ferguson, & Santor, 2009
http://www.onthepoint.ca/products/product_policypapers.htm
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Not Important
A Little Important
Somewhat Important
Very Important
Extremely Important
Importance of Mental Health to Achievement
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
not at all a little somewhat very extremely
Concern about Student Mental Health
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
not at all a little somewhat very extremely
Educator Preparedness
SBMH – Practices and Programs
• New area for most school districts
• Viewed as critical for moving forward
• Mostly at the stage of awareness-building in schools and boards (e.g., expert speakers, posters)
• Some boards are introducing educator mental health workshops, resources, student-based consultation services
Mental Health Literacy
Domain of Mental Health
Treatment
Domain of Student
Engagement and Mental Health
Promotion
Mental Health PromotionStudent Engagement Efforts
School/Class-wide social-emotional learning(Universal)
Preventionfor at-risk students
(Targeted)
Supportfor distressed students
(Clinical)
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
The Spectrum of SBMH in school boards
Domain of Mental Health
Treatment
Domain of Mental Health
Promotion
Clinical Interventionsfor students with mental
health problems
Tier 1
Tier 2
Targetedfor at risk children
and youth
Mental Health Promotion
Tier 3
We need our Community Partners!
Targeted
Targeted
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Tier 1
Tier 2Universal
Universal
Targeted
Clinical
Clinical
Schools
Community
Tier 3
, Getting our Acts Together2009
Making a Difference is a Team Effort
• Student Support Leadership Initiative Community Mental Health Organizations Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic DSB Hamilton-Wentworth DSB
• Child and Youth Mental Health Information
Network
Making a Difference (Hamilton) is a Team Effort
The Educator Mental Health Resource
• Is new• Is created from other Canadian guides• Has been developed by local mental
health professionals and educators• Is designed to help you to make a
difference for your students• Needs your input so that it truly meets
the needs of Ontario educators• Will be shared across the province after
the pilot
Together we can…
Thank you for participating in the Making a Difference Educator Mental Health Resource Pilot!