Meaningfully addressing the needs of child and youth mental health across Canada
is a complex challenge.
Developing good mental health literacy
is a vital step.
Mental health literacy is a part of overall health literacy,
and has 4 interrelated components:
1. Developing the skills to obtain and maintain positive mental health
2. Increasing understanding of common disorders and their treatments
3. Reducing stigma towards mental illness; and,
4. Increasing our ability to get help when we need it.
While it's important for everyone to develop good mental health literacy,
it's especially important for youth.
Mentalhealthliteracy.org offers two, key freely available classroom resources
that can be embedded into every day classroom teaching and learning.
So, let's explore the Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide,
and the Elementary Mental Health Literacy Resource.
The Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide
is designed to be a classroom ready mental health literacy resource
to be taught by classroom teachers
in grades 7 - 12 classrooms
to improve youth mental health.
It has gone through two revisions to reflect
the most up to date scientific knowledge in youth mental health.
It has been extensively researched in many many high schools
in Canada and internationally through research designs such as
controlled studies,
longitudinal cohort studies; and,
implementation science evaluations.
The research has demonstrated substantial and significant
evidence that this mental health literacy resource
has improved knowledge,
reduced stigma; and,
it has enhanced help-seeking intentions and behaviours
including the utilization of the healthcare system amongst
students and teachers alike.
The Elementary Mental Health Literacy Resource
is a new mental health literacy resource for
grades 4 to 6 students.
Currently, we are working with more than
20 school districts,
engaging more than 2000 students in Alberta,
to pilot test its impact using the cross-sectional study design.
I would like to share about what we are doing in BC
around mental health literacy.
You know, it takes a concerted and
coordinated approach to build
student mental health literacy.
Teaching students, using current,
best evidence-based resources,
delivered by educators, who
themselves have a basic level of mental health literacy;
and, at the same time,
preparing new educators in teacher education programs.
It directly aligns with our district values because
we are working on building mental health literacy.
Teachers, EAs, bus drivers;
basically, if you are in our buildings in some context,
we are trying to build your mental health literacy,
to the point now where we are starting to step out into the community
and realize we need to get parents,
we need to get grandparents,
neighbours, coaches...
I know from implementing it,
I am seeing the benefits.
I think the benefits are going to continue to grow.
The most important benefit of
the Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide is that
it can be customized for each school to use,
while still being evidence-based.
It allows educators to explore the big ideas of mental health literacy
while also providing an opportunity to bring in
outside speakers and building current events that
relate to mental health and are relevant for students
by opening up conversations about mental health
in our community across cultures.
Edmonton Catholic schools have included mental health literacy resources
as an integral part of our mental health strategic plan because
we want to take a really comprehensive approach
that positively impacts our students,
our staff, our teachers,
and our parents.
We really do appreciate
their willingness and their flexibility
to work with us at the Division level
to tailor the resources and
build upon them in ways
that we can enhance the needs of
our school division to support
student mental health through
a common language and common vision.
The Mental Health Curriculum Guide
is really the only evidence-based, Canadian mental health literacy
resource that is designed specifically
for youth in our schools.
Really, the cornerstone is mental health literacy that
aims at reducing barriers to learning.
We are so fortunate and privileged to be able to
utilize evidence-based resources that are
quality; and, they really do
support what is happening in our schools.
Something I learned that I didn't know before
taking the mental health unit was
how different mental illnesses can be
for everyone.
It can help people notice the symptoms earlier
so that they can get help.
I think learning about mental health in school was important because
it educates you on what other people could be going through.
Something that stood out to me while taking
the mental health unit was
how much mental illnesses affected people around the world.
I think it's important to learn about
mental health in high school because
you can recognize if you need help.
I think learning about mental health in school is important because
learning about your brain when you are younger
will help you when you are older, because high school is a lot of pressure; and,
having good ways to cope with pressure
is a good thing.
Drawing on the evidence-based framework of
the Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide,
we created the Elementary Mental Health Literacy Resource.
This resource is developmentally informed
and character driven,
designed to engage younger audiences.
The elementary resource can be integrated
into multiple classroom environments;
including, in-person,
online, and hybrid instruction.
Let's hear from educators,
a caregiver, and
students, as they share
their experiences with the Elementary Mental Health Literacy Resource.
Elementary mental health literacy, I think meets a number of needs.
It's similar to the high school one.
It builds that foundation of literacy around mental health
knowing the differences between
depression and disappointment,
mental health problems and illnesses,
treatment options.
But, probably most importantly is
we are planting those seeds early.
So, rolling out the Elementary Resource
in the class has been really fun.
Their favourite activity was building the brain,
where they could identify some of the key components that
they already knew, but also
add to some of the ones that they didn't know.
They also really enjoyed learning about
the mental disorders and talking about
how they could relate based on their own
experiences with mental disorders themselves, or
people that they knew.
Having a mental health curriculum in schools is important to me
because as we all know, our mental health is
a significant part of our overall health.
In phys.ed and health classes at school,
our kids are currently learning the importance
of taking care of their bodies and their physical health;
so, it only makes sense that we extend that learning
to include the importance of taking care of their brains
and their mental health.
And, having the opportunity to learn
about mental health in elementary school
will set our kids up for success, as they discover
how to manage their mental health at a critical time in their development.
It's engaging and
relatable; and,
it will benefit our kids by teaching them
a common language so they know
how to talk about mental health.
It will teach them the habits
that will help them maintain good mental health,
what stress really is,
and how to manage it.
And, with all of this knowledge and understanding,
the stigma surrounding mental illness with decrease
as they learn that it's really about
brain health and getting help early on.
We all know that our teachers are the experts in
sharing knowledge and increasing understanding
in diverse subject areas;
competency and language literacy,
numeracy, and physical literacy are a
direct result of all the work done in classrooms.
So, we can expect that teaching students about
mental health in schools will result
in those same increases in literacy and understanding.
We can all play a part in
reducing stigma,
encouraging loved ones to get help when they need it
and supporting the healthy development of
our youth and our communities.
"Why do you think it's important to learn about mental health in elementary?"
"It's important to learn about mental health because
it's basically just all around us.
Everybody has it.....not one single person doesn't have it. We all do."
"Because you maybe will be able to teach it to other younger kids when you're older."
"It think that it's important for us to know what it feels like and
when we can get help for it."
"Mental Health Literacy!!!"
The Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide, and
the Elementary Mental Health Literacy Resource
don't stand alone.
They are supported by a range of professional development sessions
and evidence-based resources
that follow the learner through their educational journey,
supporting students to become a mental health literate generation.
So, if you are an educator or an educational leader,
looking to improve student and staff mental health outcomes,
come find us today at:
mentalhealthliteracy.org