1 GOALS FOR THIS SESSION To provide a

1

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 School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 2 To introduce a new resource for School Administrators in Ontario

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 School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 3 • The Role of School Leaders in Supporting Student Mental Health and Well-Being

SECTION 1 School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 4 THE PROVINCIAL CONTEXT FOR SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH

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

OVERALL AIM School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 6 “ … 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. ”

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; School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 7 4. To provide timely, high quality, integrated, person -directed health and human services.

THE FIRST THREE YEARS 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 School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 8 3. Help for vulnerable children/youth with unique needs

THEMES OVERVIEW OF STARTING THE MENTAL HEALTH &HEALTH ADDICTIONS WITH CHILD AND YOUTH MENTAL OUR VISION: - FIRST 3 YEARS AN ONTARIO STRATEGY 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. Close critical service gaps for Identify and intervene in kids’ Provide fast access to high vulnerable kids, kids in key mental health needs early quality service transitions, and those in remote Professionals in community-based child and Kids and families will know where to go to youth mental health agencies and teachers communities get what they need and services will be will learn how to identify and respond to the mental health needs of kids. INDICATORS available to respond in a timely way. • Reduced child and youth suicides/suicide attempts • Educational progress (EQAO) • Fewer school suspensions and/or expulsions Kids will receive the type of specialized service they need and it will be culturally appropriate • Higher graduation rates • Decrease in severity of mental • More professionals trained to identify kids’ mental health needs • Decrease in inpatient admission health issues through treatment rates for child and youth mental health • Fewer hospital (ER) admissions and readmissions for child and youth mental health • Reduced Wait Times • Higher parent satisfaction in services received Pilot Family Support Navigator model Y 1 pilot Implement Working Together for Kids’ Mental Health Implement standardized tools for outcomes and needs assessment Enhance and expand Telepsychiatry model and services Provide support at key transition points Funding to increase supply of child and youth mental health professionals Increase Youth Mental Health Court Workers Amend education curriculum to cover mental health promotion and address stigma Develop K-12 resource guide for educators Hire new Aboriginal workers Implement Aboriginal Mental Health Worker Training Program Improve service coordination for high needs kids, youth and families Reduce wait times for service, revise service contracting, standards, and reporting Outcomes, indicators and development of scorecard Implement school mental health ASSIST program &mental health literacy provincially Provide designated mental health workers in schools Expand inpatient/outpatient services for child and youth eating disorders Hire Nurse Practitioners for eating disorders program Implement Mental Health Leaders in selected School Boards School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 9 Provide nurses in schools to support mental health services Create 18 service collaboratives Strategy Evaluation 9 INITIATIVES Improve public access to service information

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

SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH ASSIST School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 11 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 FOCUSES ON: 1. Organizational Conditions for Effective School Mental Health 2. Mental Health Capacity-Building for Educators School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 12 3. Implementation of Evidence. Based Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Programming

STRATEGY CASCADE • Organizational Conditions • Capacity Building Province • Evidence-Based Programming Board • Organizational Conditions • Capacity Building • Evidence-Based Programming School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 13 • Organizational Conditions • Capacity Building School • Evidence-Based Programming

SECTION 2 School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 14 BACKGROUND ON STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

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

School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 16 MENTAL HEALTH EXISTS ON A CONTINUUM

WHAT ARE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS? 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 17 Mental health problems are emotional, behavioural and brainrelated disturbances that interfere with development, personal relationships, and functioning.

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) School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 18 §Students appear withdrawn, lonely, anxious, depressed

MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS ARE COMMON School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 19 Roughly one in five students in Canadian schools struggle with a mental health problem that interferes with their day to day functioning.

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 wellbeing, isolation, despair, anger, heightened risk of suicide School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 20 There is a clear relationship between mental health problems and academic achievement

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 School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 21 Early identification and intervention improves prognosis

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 School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 22 health problems, • Misidentification of symptoms, • Adult lack of knowledge regarding where to seek help, • Lack of sufficient services to meet demand.

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 School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 23 Build pathways to care

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 25 § § § §

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 School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 26 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 School needs of vulnerable students, Administrators • Recognize early signs of mental health are ideally problems, positioned to • Select and facilitate appropriate student lead in enhancing supports, student mental • Help students and families access needed health. services.

SECTION 3 INTRODUCING… School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 28 LEADING MENTALLY HEALTHY SCHOOLS: A RESOURCE FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

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 2013 29 School Mental Health ASSIST is grateful for the high quality product that this working group produced!

DEVELOPMENT TIMELINES Dates Activity Summer 2012 Work Group drafts initial content. Activity 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 School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 30 Regional sessions are conducted to deepen understanding of the material

LEADING MENTALLY HEALTHY SCHOOLS TABLE OF CONTENTS A. Introduction B. Background on Student Mental Health and Well-Being C. Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy D. Strategies for Administrators Supporting Mental Health in Schools E. Tackling the Tough Issues in Schools

1. Think in Tiers 2. Set the Stage 3. Connect the Dots 4. Focus on the Positive 5. Bring People Along 6. Follow Familiar Planning Processes 7. Enable Implementation 8. Foster Collaboration School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 32 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 School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 33 • 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 School Mental Health ASSIST 2013 34 Boards may offer in-depth sessions for school administrators on each of the 8 strategies introduced, and on tackling the tough issues