School Mental Health ASSIST

Équipe d’appui en santé mentale pour les écoles

Mental Health Leaders’ MeetingOctober 2, 2012

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Welcome!

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Key Messages to Take Away

1. This work is important.

2. You are critical to its’ success.

3. We are here to support you.

Together, we will shape the future of

school mental health in Ontario.

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This Work is Important

1 in 5 students – the need is greatEducators feel ill-prepared to deal with the

magnitude of the problem (Taking Mental Health to School, 2009)

Schools are an optimal place to promote student well-being, and to identify and support students who struggle with mental health and addictions - but resources and supports are required

The province is committed to working collaboratively across Ministries to support child and youth mental health in Ontario

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Our priorities for the next three years

Close Critical Service Gaps

• Increase availability of culturally appropriate services and serve more children and youth• in Aboriginal, remote and

underserved communities

• With complex mental health needs

• At the key transition point from secondary to post-secondary education

Identify & Intervene Early

• Provide tools and support to those in contact with children and youth so they can identify mental health issues sooner

• Provide resources for effective responses to mental health issues

• Build mental health literacy and local leadership

Fast Access to High Quality Services

• Build capacity in the community-based sector

• Reduce wait times• Meet community needs• Link education, child and

youth mental health, youth justice, health care, and the community

Support System Change• Support development of an effective and accountable service system for all Ontarians• Build on efforts that promote evidence-informed practice, collaboration, and efficiencies • Develop standards and tools to better measure outcomes for children and youth

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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.

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

TH

EM

ES

IND

ICATO

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 AND ADDICTIONS STRATEGY FIRST 3 YEARS

INIT

IATIV

ES

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

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Ministry of Education Commitments

Enhance the education curriculumDevelop a K-12 Resource Guide/WebsiteProvide support for professional learning in

mental health for all Ontario educatorsImplement School Mental Health ASSISTFund and support Mental Health Leaders in

school boards Support Working Together for Kids’ Mental

Health

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You are Critical to Success of the MHA Strategy

Research highlights the importance of leadership in effective school mental health

This leadership relies on key system mobilizers who create and sustain organizational conditions necessary for effective school mental health

The Ministry of Education has invested in you to serve this critical role

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We are here to support you

Leadership Modules◦Focus on implementation science and creating

conditions for effective school mental health

Mental Health Awareness & Literacy materials◦For system leaders◦For schools

Communication tools for use in your board

Ongoing implementation and coaching support via School Mental Health ASSIST

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Together, we will shape the future of school mental health in Ontario.

We will be consulting with you, questioning with you, struggling with you, walking with you…to find the best ways to help all of Ontario students.

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IntroductionsYour Name, Board/Organization, Role

◦MH Leaders and Superintendents, Cohort #1

What has been the best thing about the MH Leader Role? The Mental Health and Addictions Strategy?

◦MH Leaders and Superintendents, Cohort #2

What are you looking forward to the most? What are your hopes for the Mental Health and Addictions Strategy?

◦Other Guests

How do you fit? Best thing about the Strategy?

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Agenda Ordre du jour

Welcome and Greetings Mot de bienvenue

Introductions and Overview Présentations et aperçu de la session

School Mental Health ASSIST and the MH Leader Role

Aperçu de l’Équipe d’appui pour la santé mentale dans les écoles ASSIST

Challenges and Helpful Hints Défis et conseils pratiques

Lunch Déjeuner

Leadership Modules• Cohort 1 – Strategy Execution

•Cohort 2 – Implementation Science

Modules de leadership 1ère cohorte – l’exécution de votre stratégie en santé mentale2ème cohorte – la science de la mise en œuvre et le leadership

MH Capacity Building Resources Ressources

Closing and Next Steps Prochaines étapes et mot de la fin

School Mental Health ASSIST

Awareness, Strategy Selection & Implementation Support Team

Équipe d’appui en santé mentale pour les écoles

Interactive Overview

Interrupt!Ask Questions!

Jot down questions for the parking lot

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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 Continuum

What is Positive Mental Health?

It has something to

do with relationships

…

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For many children, it is not that simple…

Roughly one in five students in Canadian schools struggle with a mental health problem

that interferes with their day to day functioning.

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In their words…

Change the View 2012

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Schools are an optimal setting in which 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

Schools Have a Unique Opportunity

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In Partnership with Community/Health

Universal Evidence-BasedMental Health Promotion, Social-Emotional Learning

Targeted Evidence-

Based Prevention

E-B ClinicalIntervention

Evidence-Based Clinical Intervention

Targeted Evidence-Based

Prevention

Universal E-B Mental Health

Promotion

Community/Health

School DistrictsIm

ple

menta

tion Fo

cus

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Background Reading on SMH Key Papers

◦ Out of the Shadows at Last, 2006◦ Kutash et al on School Based Mental Health, 2006◦ Taking Mental Health to School, 2009◦ IOM report on prevention/promotion, 2009◦ SBMHSA Consortium Synthesis, Scan, Survey◦ Intercamhs International Survey of Principals

Key Journals◦ Advances in School Mental Health (Editor, Weist)◦ School Mental Health (Editor, Evans)◦ School Psychology Quarterly

Key Sites◦ SMHP UCLA◦ SMH Maryland◦ CASEL◦ SAMHSA◦ MindMatters

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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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Leadership Structure Ontario Ministry of Education Lead

◦ Special Education Policy & Programs Branch

School Board Lead ◦ Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board

SMH ASSIST Core Team◦ Director, and 4+ P/T Implementation Coaches (3 Senior School Mental Health

Professionals, 1 Superintendent),.5 Research Associate

Cross-Sector Partners◦ Interministerial Staff Team◦ Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child & Youth

MH◦ Provincial Stakeholder Organizations

Evaluation and Implementation Consultation Team ◦ Drs. Michael Boyle, Bruce Ferguson, Tom Kratochwill, Robert Lucio, Ian

Manion, Doris McWhorter, Karen Milligan, Caroline Parkin, Joyce Sebian, Mark Weist

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Priorities

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

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Support to ALL Boards

Resources• Webinar series, other staff development materials

• Decision support tools• Templates• School Administrators’ Toolkit

Consultation

Workshops

Representation on provincial reference groups & committees

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Focus Boards

15 boards were Focus Boards in 2011-2012, another 15 announced for 2012-2013

Boards receive 1 FTE Mental Health Leader and SMH ASSIST support

Reciprocal relationship with SMH ASSIST◦ASSIST provides leadership & implementation

support

◦Focus Boards help with piloting resources that will be rolled out to all boards in time

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Focus BoardsAlgoma DSBAlgonquin and Lakeshore Catholic DSBCSD Catholiques Centre-SudCSD des écoles catholiques du Sud-OuestCSD du Nord-Est de l'OntarioDistrict School Board of NiagaraHamilton-Wentworth DSBHastings and Prince Edward DSBHuron-Superior Catholic DSBKeewatin-Patricia DSBKenora Catholic District School BoardPeel DSBSimcoe-Muskoka Catholic DSBToronto Catholic DSBTrillium Lakelands DSB

Selected for geographic, language, Catholic/Public representation, along a

continuum of School Mental Health capacity

CSD catholique des Grandes RivièresCSD du Grand Nord de l'OntarioGrand Erie DSBHalton DSBLakehead DSBLambton Kent DSBLondon District Catholic DSBNortheastern Catholic DSBOntario North East DSBOttawa Catholic DSBSimcoe County DSBThunder Bay Catholic DSBToronto DSBUpper Grand DSBYork Catholic DSB

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Introducing…Mental Health LeadersWhat is Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Strategy?Open Minds, Healthy Minds is a ten-year Strategy designed to enhance the mental health and well-being of citizens of Ontario. It includes contributions from ten government Ministries and offers a systematic and comprehensive approach to service delivery along the continuum of mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention / ongoing care. The first three years of the Strategy are devoted to children and youth mental health and addictions under the leadership of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

What are the Ministry of Education Commitments to the Strategy? Amend the education curriculumDevelop a K-12 Resource Guide/WebsiteProvide support for professional learning in mental health and addictions for all Ontario educatorsFund and support Mental Health Leaders in publicly funded school boards Support Working Together for Kids’ Mental HealthImplement School Mental Health ASSIST

For more information, contact:Sandy Palinski, ManagerSpecial Education Policy & Programs Branch Ministry of EducationTelephone: 416-327-8208E-Mail: Sandy.Palinski@ontario.ca

What is the Role of the Mental Health Leader? Mental Health Leaders are full-time senior mental health professionals with dedicated responsibility for :• conducting/updating board and school level resource mapping to determine areas of strength and need• providing leadership for the board mental health team• working with senior administration to develop and implement the board mental health & addictions strategy• collaborating with board and community professionals to promote clear and integrated access to services• coordinating systematic mental health literacy initiatives in the board• selecting and supporting evidence-based approaches to mental health promotion and prevention

How are the Mental Health Leaders positioned in School Boards?In most boards, Mental Health Leaders report to, or work closely with, Supervisory Officers with responsibility for student mental health and well-being. They also work alongside senior psychologists and social workers as part of a board mental health leadership team. Mental Health Leaders are a key point of contact for new professionals hired to support boards as part of the Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Strategy.

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The Journey Ahead

Understand the Big PictureUnderstand your RoleUnderstand AlignmentUnderstand your District and Community

◦Board Scan, Resource MappingAssess Needs, Strengths, PrioritiesCreate a Board MH Strategy

◦Organizational Conditions ◦Professional Learning◦Mental Health Promotion/Prevention Programming

Implement your Strategy

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Understanding the Big Picture

Provincial Level (e.g., interministry coordination, SMH ASSIST)

Board Level (e.g., MH Strategy, coordinated mental health literacy training, menu of evidence-based strategies) School Level (e.g.,

enhanced staff understanding of students with behavioral problems and helpful strategies, more accurate identification and referral, more caring adults)

Student Level (e.g., enhanced sense of belonging, more help-seeking, stronger coping skills)

Better mental health and academic outcomes

Working Impact Model

Focused Mental Health

Leadership, Capacity, &

Implementation Support

Enhanced Student

Perceptions about School Climate (presence of caring adults, sense of belonging, safety)

Enhanced Staff Sense of Competence

and Well-Being

(knowledge re: mental health & sources of

help, use of effective strategies, coping

skills)

Enhanced Student Mental

Health and Well-Being

System Coordination

+Mental Health

Awareness

Enhanced District

Conditions

Enhanced MH Capacity

Enhanced MH Implementation

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Understanding Your RoleMental Health Leaders are senior mental health

professionals with full-time dedicated responsibility: ◦providing leadership for the board mental health team◦conducting/updating board and school level resource mapping

to determine areas of strength and need◦working with senior administration to develop, execute and

monitor the board mental health & addictions strategy◦collaborating with board/community professionals to

consolidate processes to promote clear and integrated access to services

◦coordinating systematic mental health literacy initiatives◦selecting and supporting evidence-based approaches to

mental health promotion and prevention

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Understanding Role AlignmentMental Health Leader complements:

◦Supervisory Officer responsible for SMH◦Chief Social Worker, Chief Psychologist◦Social Work, Psychology Staff◦Other professionals who provide support (e.g.,

CYWs, Student Success, Guidance)◦Community Mental Health Professionals

Mental Health Leader also needs to define role relative to new professionals that are part of the MHA Strategy (MCYS workers in schools, MOHLTC nurses)

LNS SS_Lto18

LNS SS_Lto18 Positive

School Climate

Positive School

Climate

Learning for All

Learning for All

Leadership Strategy

Leadership Strategy

Growing Success

Growing Success

Student Voice Student Voice

Parent Engagement

Parent Engagement

Accepting and Safe Schools

Strategies

Accepting and Safe Schools

Strategies

Aboriginal Education

Strategy

Aboriginal Education

Strategy

Equity and Inclusive

Education Strategy

Equity and Inclusive

Education Strategy

BIP for Student Achievement

BIP for Student Achievement

K-12 School Effectiveness Framework

K-12 School Effectiveness Framework

Healthy Schools

Healthy Schools

Mental Health& Addictions

Strategy Connections

Amend the education curriculum

Implement School Mental Health ASSIST

Develop a K-12 Resource

Guide /Website

Fund and support

Mental Health Leaders in

school boards

Provide support for professional

learning in mental health for educators

Initiative Alignment

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Understanding your District and Community

Board Scan◦On-line surface scan that provides current

status with respect to organizational conditions, professional learning, & MH programming

◦Fall and Spring each year

Resource Mapping◦Deeper exploration of the existing strengths,

needs and resources in your board and community

◦System and School Level◦Survey, interviews, meeting

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Strategy Development

Assess Needs, Strengths, Priorities◦What are we doing well?◦What is missing?◦What are our priorities for the coming year?

Create a Board MH Strategy◦Organizational Conditions (leadership team,

protocols, etc.)◦Professional Learning (cascaded PD)◦Mental Health Promotion/Prevention

Programming (select, enhance, sustain)Implement!

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Support for Mental Health Leaders

Leadership Modules◦ Insiders’ Guide to School Boards

◦ Implementation Science

◦ Leadership and Change (on-line PACE modules)

◦ Facilitation Skills

◦ Collaboration Skills

◦ Resource Mapping and Building a MH Strategy

◦ Evidence-Based Practice in School MH

Implementation Coach

On-Line Community of Practice

Resources/Templates for Recommended Protocols

e-SMH Library

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Fixsen, D. L., Naoom, S. F., Blase, K. A., Friedman, R. M. & Wallace, F. (2005). Implementation Research: A Synthesis of the Literature. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, The National Implementation Research Network (FMHI Publication #231).

Download all or part of the monograph at:http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~nirn/resources/detail.cfm?resourceID=31  

Implementation Research: A Synthesis of the Literature

Implementation Science

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Key Messages to Take Away

School Mental Health ASSIST…

1. Is here to support you.

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Learning Together

Discussion GroupResourcese-SMH Library

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When might we turn to YOU?

List 1-3 areas in which you have developed some particular knowledge / expertise related to school mental health

Like, •Developing district infrastructure or protocols•Working with community partners•Supporting families in rural/remote communities•Working with immigrant and refugee children•Helping students with behavioral disorders•Implementing evidence-based programs•Working with FNMI communities•Mental Health Literacy for Educators•Suicide prevention….

Include your

name!

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Contact ASSIST

Kathy Short, Ph.D., C.Psych.Director, School Mental Health ASSISTKathy.Short@hwdsb.on.ca905-527-5092, x2634

Challenges and Helpful Hints

Cohort # 1Mental Health Leaders

For Bringing a Mental Health and Addictions Strategy to Life in your Board

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Key Themes

positioning the role, working within school boards, creating/enhancing a leadership team, resource mapping, communicating about ASSIST, working with the community, managing distractionscoordinating professional learning, dealing with existing programs and products, selecting evidence-based programming, developing a MH Strategy, managing crises.

Coordinating Professional Learning

Cohort # 1Mental Health Leaders

Resources to Support Mental Health Awareness, Literacy, and Expertise

The Mental Health Capacity-Building Continuum

Mental Health Awareness

Mental HealthLiteracy

Mental Health Expertise

Basic mental health information, tailored for different school board

audiences

Deeper working knowledge for those who have a direct role in supporting student mental health (creating

mentally healthy schools & classrooms, recognizing early signs of difficulty)

Skills and knowledge for SMH professionals to

effectively provide evidence-based

promotion, prevention, and intervention

ALL SOME FEW

Capacity Building is not an event! It is an iterative deepening of knowledge that is embedded in school board life. It takes time.

Resources should be tailored for different education audiences

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Mental Health Awareness

For All (MH Awareness Webinar)

For Senior Leaders (MH District Conditions Webinar)

For School Leaders (MH School Conditions Webinar)

For Educators (MH Classroom Conditions Webinar)

◦Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health - MH Awareness Workshop

For Special Services (e.g., Student Success, Guidance, Special Education)

For ParentsFor Youth

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Mental Health LiteracyFor School Leaders (School Leaders’ Guide)

For Educators (Educator Guide)

Special Modules Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth

Mental Health – Bullying, Suicide, Engagement, Stigma, Anxiety, Cross-Cultural Caring - SMH ASSIST will create school versions of these

SMH ASSIST modules (e.g., Creating a Mentally Healthy Classroom (HWDSB), Social Emotional Learning in the Classroom, Supporting the Disruptive/Impulsive/Sad Student)

Other Resources (e.g., Suicide Postvention Protocol)

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Mental Health Expertise

For Mental Health ProfessionalsPartnering with experts in the field

◦Substance Use (Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse)

◦Non-Suicidal Self-Harm (McGill)

Other topics??

Closing and Next StepsAnd Thank You!

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Next Steps – Cohort #2

Connect with ASSIST Implementation Team to schedule an individual meeting and begin the needs assessment process (SO and MH Leader)

Visit the SMH websiteComplete the on-line implementation

modules and other key readingsReview the Board Scan and Resource

Mapping materials

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A visit to the Parking Lot

Burning Questions and Comments…

Please complete the evaluation form

Thank you!