• As   part   of   the   work   to   improve   graduation   rates   in   Sun   West
Division   (ESSP   A3),   the   issue   of   mental   health   was   viewed   by   the   A3   planning   committee   as   one   of   the   reasons   why   students   had   difficulty   graduating   from   high   school.
• Reflected   in   the   work   of   other   Division   Level   A3   committees
(see   model)   as   well   as   at   the   Provincial   level   in   related   works   such   as:
“The   Mental   Health   and   Addictions   Action   Plan   – 2014”
“Saskatchewan   Plan   for   Growth:    Vision   2020”
“Ministry   of   Education   Plan   for   2015/16”
“The   Comprehensive   School   Community   Health   Initiative   2013”.

‐
Improving   First
Nation   and
Metis   Student
Engagement   and
Graduation   Rate
Engagement
At   Grade   Level   in
Reading,   Writing   and   Math
Positive
Mental Health
Initiative
Graduation   Rates
Early   Years
Operational
Spending

• help   in   removing   stigma
• information   for   students
• counsellor   support
• open   conversation....

PMH   Committee   Members:
Miles   Bennett   (Athletic   Commissioner/Physical   Education   mentor)
Kyla   Christiansen   (Comprehensive   School   Community   Health   Consultant)
Kelsey   Connor   (teacher)
Deb   deCaux   (Principal)
Tracy   Dollansky   (Superintendent   of   Education)
Meaghan   Friedrick   (Vice   Principal)
Shelley   Hengen   (Superintendent   of   Education)
Deanne   McKenny   (Psychologist)
Sue   Mills   (Child   and   Youth   Counselor)
Shannon   Peardon   (Child   and   Youth   Counselor)
James   Walker   (Vice   Principal)

To   understand   and   improve   the   mental   health   of   students   and   staff,   eliminate    stigma,   enhance   student   engagement,   and   increase   graduation   rates.


Create   a   common   understanding   of   positive   mental   health   among   all   of   our   stakeholders   (students,   staff,   parents,   community)

Support   all   staff   in   becoming   more   responsive   to   mental   health   issues   by   reducing   stigma   and   increasing   awareness

Empower   students   in   becoming   cognizant   of   their   own   mental   health   and   advocates   for   their   own   well ‐ being

Create   and   share   mental   health   resources   with   all   stakeholders

Engage   the   community   in   mental   health   discussions

Build   collaborative   interagency   engagement   around   issues   of   positive   mental   health

The   Positive   Mental   Health   Framework (Joint   Consortium   for
School   Health,   2015)   provides   the   guideline   for   the   initiative:
• CSCH   is   internationally   recognized   for   supporting   student   success   while   addressing   school   community   health   in   a   planned,   integrated   and   holistic   way.
• Health,   education   and   other   sectors   work   together,   sharing   a   common   vision,   to   successfully   implement
CSCH.
• A   successful   CSCH   program   supports   student   success   and   motivates   the   whole   school   community   to   take   action.

Pillar   1:    Healthy   Physical   and   Social   Environment
Safe   and   healthy   physical   and   social   environments   include:
•   access   to   and   support   for   healthier   options;
•   a   welcoming,   caring   and   inclusive   environment;
•   healthy   relationships   among   and   between   staff,   students   and   community;
•   responsive   and   inclusive   leadership   of   staff,   students   and   community;
•   relationships   that   influence   and   are   influenced   by   families,   cultural   perspectives   and   the   community;
•   strategies   to   use   the   school   building   and   grounds,   materials,   equipment   and   the   routes   to   and   from   the   school   to   enhance   well ‐ being   of   staff,   students   and   community;   and
•   informal   role   modelling,   peer   support,   nurturing   families   and   safe   communities

Pillar   2:    High ‐ Quality   Teaching   and   Learning
High ‐ quality   teaching   and   learning   includes:
•   provincial   curricula   and   related   resources   that   are   developmentally   appropriate   and   culturally   responsive;
•   place ‐ based   learning   experiences   that   support   a   sense   of   personal   competency,   self ‐ efficacy   and   social   responsibility;   and
•   a   wide   range   of   opportunities   to   learn,   practice,   experience   and   demonstrate   understanding,   confidence,   and   motivation   for   a   healthy   and   balanced   life.

Pillar   3:    Family   and   Community   Engagement
Families   and   communities   are   engaged   when:
•   efforts   are   aligned   to   promote   student,   family,   staff   and   community   health   and   well ‐ being;
•   School   Community   Councils   and   First   Nations   Education   Authorities   are   involved   in   school   improvement   plans;
•   school   leadership   values   cooperation,   effective   interpersonal   communication   and   shared   decision   making;
•   schools,   families   and   communities   engage   in   on ‐ going   discussions   and   shared   efforts   to   promote   and   support   the   health   and   well ‐ being   of   staff,   students   and   community;   and
•   reciprocal   relationships   share   resources   and   services   within   the   school   and   community.

Pillar   4:    Effective   Policy
Effective   policy   development   is   characterized   by   incorporating:
•   protocols   for   collaboration   on   policy   development   and   related   protocols   and   practices   for   health   and   well ‐ being;
•   on ‐ going   evaluation   and   monitoring   of   needs   and   effectiveness   of   efforts   to   improve   well ‐ being;
•   promising   practices   that   enhance   health   and   well ‐ being;   and
•   clear   practices,   procedures,   protocols   and   regulations   regarding   health   and   safety   of   children   and   youth,   (e.g.,   nutrition,   anti ‐ bullying,   physical   activity,   pandemic   planning,   recycling,   air   quality).

• Administrators’   Survey ‐ school   needs
• Student   Survey
• Tell   Them   From   Me
• Staff   Survey
• Counsellor   Survey   (suicide   assessment   and   intervention,   anxiety,   depression,   cutting,   VTRA,   caseloads)

1. What   are   you   school’s   immediate   needs   with   regards   to   mental   health   support?
2. Please   share   what   steps   have   been   taken   in   your   building   to   promote   positive   mental   health   for   staff   and   students.
3. As   an   administrator,   what   do   you   need   in   order   to   promote   positive   mental   health   with   staff   and   students   in   your   school?
4. Additional   comments

Administrators   Discuss   4   Pillars
1 .
Healthy   Physical   and   Social   Environments
 Building   relationships   (teacher ‐ student;   school ‐ parents;   teacher ‐ teacher;   student ‐ student,   school ‐ community;   teacher ‐ admin)

Exploring   physical   set ‐ up   of   the   building
 Counselor   time

Promoting   physical   activity   in   the   school
 Importance   of   activities/events   to   build   community   in   the   school

Student   issues   (anxiety,   depression,   Attention   issues,   parent   mental   issues)

Positive   culture
2.
High   Quality   Teaching   and   Learning
 Teacher   training/education

Need   resources

Counselor   time
 other   programs   (Safe   Talk,   Aspire,   Dr.
Greene)
3.
Family   and   Community   Engagement

Supports   for   families

Counselor   time   (family)
 Considering   culture   (colony   schools;   religious   affiliations;   EAL   students,   etc.)

Interagency   involvement/partnerships
4.
Effective   Policy

Counselor   time
 Supporting   staff   mental   health   (LINC   mental   health   days)

1. What   does   mental   health   mean   to   you?
2. What   does   mental   illness   mean   to   you?
3. How   have   you   learned   about   mental   health?
4. Do   you   think   there   are   students   in   your   school   with   mental   health   concerns?
a) If   so,   how   are   they   treated   in   your   school   (by   staff,   by   students)?
b) Do   you   think   students   with   mental   health   concerns   feel   safe   in   your   school?
c) Do   you   think   students   with   mental   health   concerns   feel   safe   in   your   school?
d) How   would   these   students   get   help?
e) How   can   you   help   them?
5.
What   else   do   we   need   to   know?

Main   areas   of   interest   for   us:
• Mental   Health
• levels   of   anxiety
• levels   of   depression
• levels   of   positive   self ‐ esteem
• Safety   at   School
• Other
• advocacy   at   school
• advocacy   out   of   school
• positive   relationships   with   leaders
• plans   to   graduate

1.
What   are   you   school’s   immediate   needs   with   regards   to   mental   health   support?
2.
Please   share   what   steps   have   been   taken   in   your   building   to   promote   positive   mental   health   for   staff   and   students.
3.
As   a   staff   member,   what   do   you   need   in   order   to   promote   positive   mental   health   with   staff   and   students   in   your   school?
4.
Additional   comments
High School
K-12 School
Middle Level School
Elementary School
Colony School
IndEP School

Try   to   imagine   a   ladder   with   steps   numbered   from   0   at   the   bottom   and   10   at   the   top.
The   top   of   the   ladder   represents   your   best   possible   state   of   mental   health/well ‐ being   and   the   bottom   represents   the   worst   possible   state   of   mental   health/well ‐ being.
Participants   rank   on   a   0 ‐ 10   likert   scale.

Flourishing   Ladder   Level
Cantril’s   Flourishing   Ladder   Staff   Results
Support   Staff Teachers Level   Totals %
3
4
5
0
1
2
8
9
6
7
10
Tot
%
1 ‐ 4
Suffering
5 ‐ 6
Struggling
7 ‐ 10
Thriving
Total 66 260 326 100 100

(Diener   et   al.,   2009)
The   Flourishing   Scale   (Diener   et   al.,   2009)   is   a   brief
8 ‐ item   summary   measure   of   the   respondent’s   self ‐ perceived   success   in   areas   such   as   relationships,   self ‐ esteem,   purpose,   and   optimism.
The   scale   provides   a   single   psychological   well ‐ being   score   from   the   respondent’s   point   of   view.

• I   lead   a   purposeful   and   meaningful   life.
• My   social   relationships   are   supportive   and   rewarding.
• I   am   engaged   and   interested   in   my   daily   activities.
• I   actively   contribute   to   the   happiness   and   well ‐ being   of   others.
• I   am   competent   and   capable   in   the   activities   that   are   important   to   me.
• I   am   a   good   person   and   live   a   good   life.
• I   am   optimistic   about   my   future.
• People   respect   me.

• Suicide   risk   assessments
• Students   with   diagnosed   mental   health   disorder
• Students   not   yet   diagnosed
• VTRA

August   2015
Fall   2015
March   2016
PMH   Timeline:    Supporting   Staff
Date Activity/Event
Dr.
Lynn   Miller   (UBC)    (Division ‐ wide
PD   day   keynote and   breakout   sessions)
PMH   First   Aid
(1   school)
PMH   Moodle   roll ‐ out   (resources)
Fall   2016
2016 ‐ 2017
Dr.
Stanley   Kutcher
(train ‐ the ‐ trainer)   www.teenmentalhealth.org
PMH   First   Aid   (6   schools)
PMH   Presentations

• Meaghan   Friedrick,   VP   Kindersley   Composite   School
• Sue   Mills   (School   Counselor) http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.ca/

Mental   Health   First   Aid   (MHFA)   is   the   help   provided   to   a   person   developing   a   mental   health   problem   or   experiencing   a   mental   health   crisis.
Just   as   physical   first   aid   is   administered   to   an   injured   person   before   medical   treatment   can   be   obtained,   MHFA   is   given   until   appropriate   treatment   is   found   or   until   the   crisis   is   resolved.
The   MHFA   Canada   program   aims   to   improve   mental   health   literacy,   and   provide   the   skills   and   knowledge   to   help   people   better   manage   potential   or   developing   mental   health   problems   in   themselves,   a   family   member,   a   friend   or   a   colleague.

The   program   does   not   teach   people   how   to   be   therapists   but   it   does   teach   people   how   to:
• Recognize   the   signs   and   symptoms   of   mental   health   problems.
• Provide   initial   help.
• Guide   a   person   towards   appropriate   professional   help.

MHFA   shares   the   same   overall   purpose   as   traditional   first   aid.
It   aims   to:
• Preserve   life   where   a   person   may   be   a   danger   to   themselves   or   others.
• Provide   help   to   prevent   the   mental   health   problem   from   developing   into   a   more   serious   state.
• Promote   the   recovery   of   good   mental   health.
• Provide   comfort   to   a   person   experiencing   a   mental   health   problem.


Mental   health   problems   are   common,   especially   depression,   anxiety   and   misuse   of   alcohol   and   other   drugs.
One   person   in   three   will   experience   some   form   of   problem   with   their   mental   health   at   some   point   in   their   life.

There   is   a   stigma   associated   with   mental   health   problems.
This   may   hinder   people   from   seeking   help.
People   are   often   ashamed   to   discuss   mental   health   problems   with   family,   friends   and   work   colleagues.
They   may   also   be   reluctant   to   seek   professional   help   for   such   problems   because   of   their   concerns   about   what   others   will   think   of   them.

Many   people   are   not   well   informed.
Understanding   how   to   recognize   mental   health   problems   and   what   effective   treatments   are   available   is   not   widespread.
With   greater   community   awareness,   people   will   be   able   to   recognize   their   own   or   others'   problems   and   feel   more   comfortable   about   seeking   professional   assistance.


Professional   help   is   not   always   on   hand.
Family   doctors,   counsellors,   psychologists   and   psychiatrists   can   all   assist   people   with   mental   health   problems.
However,   just   as   with   accidents   and   other   medical   emergencies,   such   assistance   is   not   always   available   when   a   problem   first   arises.
This   is   when   members   of   the   public   can   offer   immediate   aid   and   support   the   person   until   they   get   appropriate   professional   help.

People   may   lack   the   insight   to   realize   they   need   help   or   that   help   is   available.
Some   mental   health   problems   cloud   clear   thinking   and   good   decision ‐ making.
A   person   experiencing   such   problems   may   not   realize   that   they   need   help   or   that   effective   help   is   available   for   them.
They   may   be   in   such   a   state   of   distress   and   not   able   to   think   clearly   about   what   they   should   do.

Members   of   the   general   public   often   do   not   know   how   to   respond.
In   a   mental   health   crisis   situation,   the   helper’s   actions   may   determine   how   quickly   the   person   with   the   problem   gets   help   and/or   recovers.
In   Mental   Health   First   Aid   Canada,   they   learn   an   approach   to   help   them   to   be   calm   and   confident   and   to   respond   in   an   appropriate   way   to   give   the   best   help.

Topic   One:   Mental   Health   and   Mental   Health   Problems
Topic   Two:   Substance   Related   Disorders
Topic   Three:   Mood   Disorders
Topic   Four:   Deliberate   Self   Injury
Topic   Five:   Anxiety   Disorders
Topic   Six:   Eating   Disorders
Topic   Seven:   Psychotic   Disorders

To   date  ‐ all   staff   in   one   school   have   been   trained
We   are   also   hoping   to   do   Spring   and   Fall   session   call ‐ outs   to   all   interested   staff   in   the   division
We   currently   have   2   trainers   in   the   division   for   Adults
Who   Interact   With   Youth   version   of   Mental   Health   First
Aid.

Participant   Workbook   for   Getting   Youth   Engagement   started   and   well   planned   in   your   schools/organizations http://www.jcsh
‐ cces.ca/ye ‐ book/
Adult   Allies   Resource   Book   from   JCSH http://www.jcsh
‐ cces.ca/ye ‐ book/resources/AlliesAction.pdf
JCSH   Healthy   Schools   Planner   http://www.healthyschoolplanner.uwaterloo.ca/?page=102

SWSD   Career   Fair
May   5,   2016
Group   sessions
Brett   Francis   facilitate   group   sessions
(PMH   in   the   workplace)

• SCCs
• SWSD   Career   Fair
• May   5,   2016   evening   session
• Brett   Francis   facilitate   group   sessions
(talking   to   your   children   about   Mental
Health;   identification   and   providing   support)

• Schools
• Parents
• SCC
Poster/leaflet

• Mental   Health   First   Aid   training
• Staff   mental   health   support
• Kutcher   training   in   the   fall
Invitation   to   join   us…..
shelley.hengen@sunwestsd.ca
tracy.dollansky@sunwestsd.ca