Child and Youth Mental Health Strategy
Students living with mental health challenges are getting a boost in support thanks to a new strategy that helps educators enhance mental health literacy, identify signs of mental health, and ultimately reduce barriers to learning.
Essential components of the Child and Youth Mental Health Strategy for the two school boards include a communication campaign and the selection of 15 Champion Schools – 10 in Grand Erie District School Board and 5 in Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board.
Champion School Supports:
- Mental health literacy training for all educators in each school to raise their knowledge base and skill level, as well as influence attitudes related to mental health
- Educational resources such as the Making a Difference Guide and an awareness video which has been produced by the School-Based Mental Health & Substance Abuse Consortium
- Mentorship opportunities jointly offered by school board professional staff and representatives from Haldimand-Norfolk REACH and Woodview Mental Health and Autism Services to support educators when students show signs of distress
Champion Schools in Grand Erie District School Board include:
- Branlyn Community School
- Central Public School
- Graham Bell-Victoria Public School
- Hagersville Elementary School
- Hagersville Secondary School
- King George School
- North Ward School
- Pauline Johnson Collegiate-Vocational School
- Valley Heights Secondary School
- West Lynn Public School
Student Support Leadership Initiative (SSLI)
Child and Youth Mental Health Strategy is facilitated by the Student Support Leadership Initiative (SSLI), a joint enterprise of the Ontario Ministries of Education, Children and Youth Services and Health and Long-Term Care.
Members of the SSLI include:
- Grand Erie District School Board
- Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board
- Addiction and community mental health services
- Municipal services such as Parks and Recreation Departments and Public Health
- Family Health Teams
- Partners from the Six Nations of the Grand River and Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation community.
Additional Information: