goals for this session

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School Mental Health ASSIST2013 2

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

GOALS FOR THIS SESSION


SESSION OUTLINEProvincial 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

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THE PROVINCIAL CONTEXT FOR SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH

SECTION 1

School Mental Health ASSIST 2013

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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 Ontariohttp://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/mental/pdf/open_minds_healthy_minds_en.pdf



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.”

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OVERARCHING GOALS

1. To improve the mental health and well-being of all Ontarians;

2. To support the creation of healthy, resilient and inclusive communities;

3. To identify mental health and addiction problems early and intervene;

4. To provide timely, high quality, integrated, person-directed health and human services.



The Strategy focuses on children & youth in the first three years. There are three key targets:

1. Fast access to high-quality services

2. Early identification and support

3. Help for vulnerable children/youth with unique needs

THE FIRST THREE YEARS

School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 9

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.

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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 communitiesKids will receive the type of specialized service they need

and it will be culturally appropriate

THEM

ESIN

DIC

ATO

RS • 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

OVERVIEW OF THE MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS STRATEGY - FIRST 3 YEARS

INIT

IATI

VES

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


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

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION COMMITMENTS

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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.


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SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH ASSIST FOCUSES ON:

1. Organizational Conditions for Effective School Mental Health

2. Mental Health Capacity-Building for Educators

3. Implementation of Evidence-Based Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Programming



STRATEGY CASCADE

Province

• Organizational Conditions• Capacity Building• Evidence-Based Programming

Board


School


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BACKGROUND ON STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

SECTION 2


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


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MENTAL HEALTH EXISTS ON A CONTINUUM



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

WHAT ARE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS?


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

MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS INCLUDE A RANGE OF DIFFICULTIES

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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.



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

FACTS AND FIGURES

There is a clear relationship between mental health problems and academic achievement


Proven strategies and supports• Psychosocial and pharmacological treatments

are most common, and are often used togetherWhile many mental disorders are chronic, we can

help with copingEarly identification and intervention improves

prognosis

MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS ARE TREATABLE


Unfortunately, up to 80% of students with mental health needs will not access appropriate supportBarriers to such access include:

BARRIERS TO ACCESSING SERVICES

• 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.

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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



K-12 EDUCATOR GUIDEThe Ministry has created Supporting Minds: An Educators’ Guide to Promoting Student Mental Health and Well-BeingDesigned 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


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

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.

28School Mental Health ASSIST2013

INTRODUCING…LEADING MENTALLY HEALTHY SCHOOLS: A RESOURCE FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

SECTION 3


LEADING MENTALLY HEALTHY SCHOOLS

In spring 2012, School Mental Health ASSIST recognized the need for a resource to support School AdministratorsA 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!


DEVELOPMENT TIMELINESActivity

Dates ActivitySummer 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

LEADING MENTALLY HEALTHY SCHOOLSTABLE OF CONTENTS

A. IntroductionB. Background on Student Mental Health

and Well-BeingC. Ontario’s Mental Health and

Addictions StrategyD. Strategies for Administrators

Supporting Mental Health in SchoolsE. Tackling the Tough Issues in Schools


1. Think in Tiers2. Set the Stage3. Connect the Dots4. Focus on the Positive5. Bring People Along6. Follow Familiar Planning Processes7. Enable Implementation 8. Foster Collaboration

8 BROAD STRATEGIES


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


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

Documents

goals for this session