Kids spend the majority of their time at school. Whether it is elementary school, high school or any level of post-secondary, the awareness of, and availability of, mental health support systems is far too hidden.

I could be wrong here, but I think if we each asked our children where they could go in their school for information on mental health, many of them wouldn’t have any idea. Is this because the information isn’t available at school? Is it because of the stigma attached to looking for it? Or could it be that the information just isn’t promoted in schools?

At Kinark we understand the importance of immersing ourselves in our local schools to help the children and youth who need us. Whether it’s a one-on-one session or a group session, we have a real passion for our work and want to make ourselves as available as we can in as many schools as possible.

Unfortunately, for some students support is not promoted and the youth who need help are completely unaware of the support systems that are available in their schools or where they can go outside of school for help.

School boards and mental health organizations need to do more to offer students every outlet possible to not only support, but educate students about mental health.  At Kinark, the Student Support Leadership Initiative (SSLI) program is active in some of the areas we serve. This group brings together mental health organizations and school boards in a collaborative effort to provide greater information and access.

I recently spoke about both The Jack Project and the Ontario Shores Adolescent Mental Health Literacy Program. These are two like-minded initiatives that are starting to bring mental health resources and conversations into schools.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, children and youth spend the majority of their time at school so it seems obvious to me that this is where we need to provide mental health support and ensure it is widely promoted. These projects are helpful steps toward creating an inclusive environment in schools where students feel supported and comfortable to bring issues to the forefront.

However, these initiatives are not enough. As a society we need to create a culture where we demand synergy between social services and the school systems for the greater good of our young people.

We all need to do more to help students navigate their way through school with  healthy minds.

I’d love to hear some of your ideas on how we can get schools more involved in mental health education and support. Please share with me.