MENTAL HEALTH ON CAMPUS

Understanding Mental Health on Campus:

0 What is Mental Health?

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) describes mental illness as, “…characterized by alterations in thinking, mood or behaviour (or a combination), and impaired functioning over an extended period of time. The symptoms vary from mild to severe depending on the type, the individual, the family and socio-economic environment”.

Mental health being a disease of the mind is much like a disease of the body, no one chooses the disease but with appropriate awareness, early detection, and treatment recovery is possible. (CMHA 2013)

Recognizing the Challenges:

0 It is important to promote positive mental health throughout the college rather than solely focusing on those individuals identified as having mental health problems; this ensures an effort in creating a sense of belonging for all students.

0 This can be accomplished by school programming. Specific programs designed to promote Mental Health and social skills include: Skills training, role playing, positive feedback, modeling and self-reflection.

Mental Health Issues May lead to:

Students leaving post-secondary institutions due to difficulties in learning, behaviour, and performance

Developing strategies within post-secondary institutions and implementing polices and services will engage the student body to become informed about the prevalence of mental health.

Aboriginal Students:

0 First Nations, Inuit and Métis students face unique mental health challenge including the lack of investment in mental health services.

0 By the time they reach age 25, approximately 20 percent of Canadian children and youth will have developed a mental illness. To prevent serious mental health problems in the future early intervention and detection is essential.

Risk Assessment:One in four young adults between the ages of 18-24 has a diagnosable mental illness.

More than 25 percent of college students have been diagnosed or treated by a professional for a mental health condition within the past year.

More than 45 percent of young adults who stopped attending college because of mental health reasons did not request accommodations.

Students experiencing a better understanding of how to address their mental health issues are more able to engage in their community and society.   

According to six Ontario post-secondary institutions data was collected and is summarized below:

0 Approximately 4% of students have a psychiatric condition0 Approximately 15% of students have been treated by a

professional for one or more mental health problems0 38% of students suffer from stress0 26% Suffer from sleep disturbances0 26% Suffer from anxiety0 Approximately 53% of students indicated they felt

overwhelmed by anxiety0 Approximately 36% felt so depressed they found it difficult

to function

According to the Council of Ontario Colleges and Universities, Focus on Mental Health 2012 article the following statistics reflect the severity of this issue among young students:

0 Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among young people0 Youth suicide is five to seven times higher among aboriginal

youth0 Less than 24 percent of young people suffering from a mental

illness receive help0 70 percent of adults with a mental health issue experience their

first symptoms at the age of 18

Training and Support for faculty and staff

0 Mental Health First Aid Training0 ASIST suicide intervention training0 Mental Health EDU- Identifying Students in Distress0 Ontario College Counsellors- Trained to facilitate

Safetalk: Suicide awareness and intervention at each college

LINKS FOR EDUCATORS:

0 Canadian Mental Health Association- http://www.cmha.ca/

0 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health- http://www.camh.ca/en/hospital/Pages/home.aspx

Resources:0 Resources:0 Changing Directions Changing Lives-The Mental Health Strategy for Canada.0 School-based Mental Health and Substance Abuse: A review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-

Analyses0 Mental Health and well-being in post-secondary education settings, June 20110 Canadian Mental Health Association 2013