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Mental Health & Well Being

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Download Action and Implementation PlanClick Here

Priority

Goals

SMJH-ON Focus Area(s)

Priority 1: Communication and Shared Language

Goal #1: Mental Health and Addictions Strategy – Revise
and Implement

Goal #2: Prioritizing Wellness into Daily practice for students
by staff

Goal #3: Multi-Tiered System of Supports -Enhance and Build
Capacity

  • centre disproportionately impacted students
  • enhance mental health literacy and engagement
  • create opportunities for student engagement
  • strengthen system and school staff knowledge
  • support school mental health professionals
  • prioritize leadership across service continuum

Priority 2: Professional Learning and Training

Goal #1: Professional Learning

Goal #2: Mental Health Literacy

Goal #3: Evidence-informed Interventions and Standardized
Measurement

  • centre disproportionately impacted students
  • enhance mental health literacy and engagement
  • strengthen system and school staff knowledge
  • support school mental health professionals
  • prioritize leadership across service continuum

Priority 3: Standard Process

Goal #1: Update to Suicide Prevention and Life Promotion
Protocol

Goal #2: Support a multi-tiered system of support

Goal #3: Embedding Social-Emotional Learning and skills into
classroom culture

  • centre disproportionately impacted students
  • enhance mental health literacy and engagement
  • create opportunities for student engagement
  • strengthen system and school staff knowledge
  • support school mental health professionals
  • prioritize leadership across service continuum

Priority 4: Meaningful Collaboration

Goal #1: Family Engagement

Goal #2: Collaboration with Community Partners

Goal #3: Encourage student voice within the school
community

  • centre disproportionately impacted students
  • enhance mental health literacy and engagement
  • create opportunities for student engagement
  • strengthen system and school staff knowledge
  • support school mental health professionals
  • prioritize leadership across service continuum

Download 2025 – 2026 Mental Health and Addictions Summary – Click Here

Download Board Mental Health and Additions 3 Year Strategy – Click Here

Introduction

This year’s Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan builds on our ongoing commitment to creating safe, inclusive, and identity-affirming school environments that support student mental well-being. In alignment with School Mental Health Ontario (SMH-ON) and PPM 169, our plan emphasizes equity, collaboration, and culturally responsive practices in our schools.

Key Priorities

Communication and Shared Language

Standardized Processes

  • Promote common understanding of mental health
    supports using culturally responsive language.
  • Embed wellness into everyday school practices,
    spaces, and interactions.
  • Use the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
    framework to guide service access.
  • Consistent use of suicide prevention protocols
    (e.g., SCRAM, Columbia Scale).
  • Embed social-emotional learning (SEL) into
    classroom culture.
  • Engage in joint local planning to align services and
    supports using the Right Time, Right Care
    framework.

Professional Learning & Training

Meaningful Collaboration

  • Ongoing staff training in suicide prevention,
    identity-affirming care, and trauma-informed
    approaches.
  • Strengthen mental health literacy among staff,
    students, and families.
  • Integrate evidence-based tools (e.g., BRISC, CBTIA,
    EMHware, Greenspace) into service delivery
    plans.
  • Deepen partnerships with Elders, Knowledge
    Keepers, and community organizations.
  • Expand family and student engagement through
    cultural events and co-designed initiatives.
  • Encourage student leadership in mental health
    promotion.

Implementation Highlights

  • Our work is guided by evidence-informed resources, including those from SMH-ON and the Indigenous
    Wellness Framework.
  • All efforts are grounded in identity, culture, and land-based learning.
  • Monitoring and feedback loops ensure continuous improvement and community alignment.

Our Commitment

We remain dedicated to a whole-school, culturally grounded approach to mental health and well-being. By fostering strong relationships and shared responsibility, we aim to ensure all students feel safe, supported, and able to thrive.