Mental Health in Ontario’s Post-Secondary Education System Policy Paper May 2012 By Tamara Popovic Research and Policy Analyst [email protected] The College Student Alliance 301-372 Richmond Street West Toronto, ON M5V 1X6 T: (416) 314-1212 About Our Organization: The College Student Alliance (CSA) is a member-driven advocacy organization that has been proudly serving Ontario’s college and college-university students since 1975. The CSA currently represents stu- dents from 16 colleges and 23 student associations with over 130,000 full-time student members throughout the province. Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................................... 1 WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH? ........................................................................................................................................... 2 YOUTH AND MENTAL HEALTH ....................................................................................................................................... 2 INCREASING PRESSURES ON COUNSELLING SERVICES .................................................................................................. 3 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ONTARIO .......................................................................................................................... 4 ROLE OF PSE IN MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION AND TREATMENT ............................................................................... 4 ONTARIO MENTAL HEALTH STAKEHOLDERS MAP ......................................................................................................... 7 WHAT ARE THE MOST FREQUENT ISSUES STUDENTS FACE? ........................................................................................ 9 FIGURE 1.1 MOST FREQUENTLY IDENTIFIED STUDENT HEALTH ISSUES/CHALLENGES ................................................. 9 FIGURE 1.2 SERVICES MOST FREQUENTLY USED TO ADDRESS STUDENTS’ HEALTH CONCERNS .................................. 9 FIGURE 1.3 THE MOST FREQUENT IMPACTS OF STUDENTS’ HEALTH-RELATED CONCERNS ......................................... 9 LACK OF ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ......................................................................................................... 10 ONTARIO STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (OSAP) AND MENTAL HEALTH .............................................................. 10 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................................................................. 12 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................................... 20 Executive Summary a mental health in PSE policy framework (jointly with stakeholders) and for (2) a greater ex- This document discusses what it means to be change of knowledge through collaboration and mentally healthy and how it relates to the post- the sharing of best practices. Another recom- secondary education (PSE) sphere in Ontario. It mendation (3) is increasing the levels of funding provides recommendations to improve the for institutions so that they can develop and recognition of mental health issues on campus maintain support services, and (4) a the devel- and to enhance support services. It explores opment of a mechanism that allows students to current youth trends and how the student ex- identify themselves as needing additional sup- perience in PSE can be used to set the founda- port in the early stage of their college career. tion for healthy lifestyle habits and choices as the role of PSE institutions during the students’ To further this, (5) institutions must have clearly time in post-secondary education is critical. The articulated confidentiality and disclosure poli- recommendations explore the options that in- cies, and (6) all stakeholders must ensure that stitutions, government, and stakeholders have students are able to access a coordinated sup- available to them to support students’ mental port system on campus or across the province health as they pursue higher education. with external agencies. In order for PSE institu- tions to support students in a more efficient The increasing pressures that counselling ser- way, (7) support and train staff and administra- vices have been experiencing in supporting tion on all levels to recognize, and appropriately more complex and frequent mental health is- deal with mental health and addiction issues as sues are investigated, as are recent develop- necessary. ments in Ontario’s PSE spheres as they relate to metal health. Included is a discussion of the role In terms of the measurement of success in men- of PSE in mental health promotion and treat- tal health support, (8) stakeholders must have a ment as well as a description of the recent shift clear statement of aims and outcomes for men- to a collaboration of counselling efforts. To help tal health initiatives with clear indications of readers understand the different policy actors how these will be achieved, measured, and involved, there is a map on page 7 of Ontario’s evaluated. With respect to the promotion of PSE mental health stakeholders. An overview of mental health, (9) the government, external what the most frequent issues are for students stakeholders, and institutions should promote a is provided as is a description of the issues that healthy lifestyle that includes the reduction of arise due to a lack of access to mental health alcohol, tobacco, and substance misuse. Indeed, services. (10) sector stakeholders must work together to raise awareness and de-stigmatize mental In the conclusion of this paper, there are 13 health and substance use issues across the recommendations to improve mental health province. and support in Ontario’s PSE sphere. These rec- ommendations can be easily implemented by Lastly, (11) governments, institutions, and government and sector stakeholders to improve stakeholders must make sure that students students’ mental health across campuses, and have access to support services for mental they are focused on bringing about more col- health, including the (12) reestablishment of the laboration among stakeholders and the promo- Ontario Special Bursary Program and (13) the tion of mental health. engagement of students in development and evaluation of mental health initiatives and ser- These 13 recommendations are made so that vices in their post-secondary education institu- there is more fairness, access and equity in the tion. PSE sphere. They call for (1) the development of 1 | P a g e What Is Mental Health? students is paramount for their overall health and that the promotion of mental Mental health refers to our cognitive and health is an effective way to improve the emotional well-being. According to the overall quality of the college students’ lives. World Health Organization (WHO), mental Promoting mental health is a reliable way to health is “a state of well-being in which the develop the potential of the students and individual realizes his or her own abilities, can help build a healthy atmosphere and can cope with the normal stresses of life, campus culture. Mental health difficulties can work productively and fruitfully, and is on campus can have the potential to disrupt able to make a contribution to his or her individual student performance, classes, community.” Mental health can also be de- and student activities and may lead to criti- fined as “…the capacity of each and all of us cal incidents that impact the campus com- to feel, think and act in ways that enhance munity. our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face. It is a positive sense of Youth and Mental Health emotional and spiritual well-being that re- spects the importance of culture, equity, The mental health of youth is as important social justice, interconnections and personal as their physical health. Those who suffer 1 dignity.” Mental illnesses, in contrast, are from mental health issues are also more characterized by alterations in thinking, likely to manifest both physical and mental mood or behaviour—or some combination health and problematic substance use. The thereof—associated with significant distress onset of most mental illnesses occurs dur- and impaired functioning. ing adolescence and young adulthood; more specifically the 15-25 is a natural age The symptoms of mental illness vary from range for the onset of mental disorders, a mild to severe, depending on the type of time when many young people are attend- mental illness, the individual, the family, ing college and university.3 The post- 2 and the socioeconomic environment. Men- secondary student population falls into the tal health is recognized as a major contribu- highest-risk age group for mental illness and tor to maximizing the benefit that students problematic substance use. Indeed, 18% of derive from their experiences at a college or youths aged 15–24 reported symptoms as- university, and the contribution that stu- sociated with mental health and addiction dents make to the community. issues, compared with 12% of 25–44- yearolds and 8% of 45–65-year-olds. The College Student Alliance (CSA) believes that the importance of mental health for Studies have shown that stress, sleep loss, and depression are commonplace in the student population. Excessive stress induces 1 Lakaski, Carl. 2008. “Mentally Healthy Communi- ties: An Exploration” Mentally Healthy