the development, implementation, and evaluation of a mental health strategy

1University of Calgary Mental Health Strategy

ANDREW SZETO, PHD & DANIELLE STEWART-SMITH, DC MPH

HEALTHY MINDS HEALTH CAMPUSES ANNUAL SUMMIT 2017APRIL 4, 2017

Working toward well-being on post-secondary campuses: The development, implementation, and evaluation of a mental health strategy


• Andrew Szeto, PhD

• Director of the Campus Mental Health Strategy, Office of the Provost, UCalgary

• Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, UCalgary

• Principal Investigator, Mental Health Commission of Canada

• Danielle Stewart-Smith, DC MPH

• Coordinator, Health Campus Alberta

• Chiropractor in Private Practice


Objectives

• Present a case example of a post-secondary institution that has gone through the process of developing and implementing a Campus Mental Health Strategy

• Develop concrete actions towards developing, implementing, or evaluating a mental health strategy for their own campus


Overview

• UCalgary CMHS

• Development

• Implementation

• Facilitated Discussion/Group Work

• UCalgary CMHS

• Evaluation

• Facilitated Discussion/Group Work


DEVELOPMENT OF THE UCALGARY CMHS


• What is a campus mental health strategy?


Background and Rationale

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOkmuDsRa8w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOkmuDsRa8w


Faculty and Staff

• Top reasons employees access counselling services: stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.

• Top presenting reason employees access the Employee and Family Assistance Program: Mental Health.• 16% of employee sick leaves cases and 33% of employee

long-term disability cases due to mental illness.

• Mental illness leaves are 60% longer on average than other types of sick leaves.

Human Resources and Staff Wellness in May, 2015


Students: NCHA UCalgary

NCHA Mental Health Concern 2013 %

Felt things were hopeless 53.0

Felt overwhelmed by all you had to do 90.3

Felt exhausted (not from physical activity) 89.0

Felt very lonely 64.0

Felt very sad 67.2

Felt so depressed that it was difficult to function 36.7

Felt overwhelming anxiety 57.9

Felt overwhelming anger 42.1

Seriously considered suicide 8.2

Attempted suicide 0.8

2016 %

56.3

89.2

87.5

65

72.5

39

60.2

42.2

12

1.8


Mental Health Task Force

• An Ad Hoc Committee reporting to the Provost and Vice President (Academic) of the University of Calgary (Jan 2015)• Mandate: produce a mental health strategy for the

campus

• Steering Committee• Set the direction and guide the process

• Working Group• Produce the strategy content

• Subgroups: Lit review, gap analysis, environment scan


Steering Committee

• Dru Marshall, Co-Chair, Provost and Vice President (Academic)• Glenda MacQueen, Co-Chair, Cumming School of Medicine• Debbie Bruckner, SU Wellness Centre• Beverly Adams, Cumming School of Medicine • Gayla Rogers, Academic Leadership Academy• Marcia Buchholz, Human Resources• Andrew Estefan, Faculty of Nursing• Keith Dobson, Faculty of Arts• Susan Barker, Student Experience• Courtney McVie, Office of the Provost (Committee Support)


Working Group

•Debbie Bruckner, Chair Wellness Centre

•Jonah Ardiel Students’ Union

•John Baker Faculty Association

•Shawna Bava Wellness Centre

•Troy Brooks Student Experience (Conduct Manager)

•Katie Chapman Human Resources (Worklife and Well-Being)

•David Este Faculty of Social Work

•David Hodgins Faculty of Arts (Psychology)

•Ashley Humeniuk Student Experience (Mental Health)

•Monique Jericho Cumming School of Medicine/AHS (Psychiatrist)

•Natasha Kenny Teaching and Learning (Taylor Institute)

•Rhonda Pylychaty Human Resources

•Marc Simard Staff Wellness

•Andrew Szeto Faculty of Arts (Psychology)

•Jennifer Thannhauser Wellness Centre (Psychologist)

•Lianne Tomfohr Faculty of Arts (Psychology)

•Kristin von Ranson Faculty of Arts (Psychology)

•Carol Wert MaPS

•Danica MacDonald Graduate Students’ Association

•Marina Geronazzo University Relations

•Penny Werthner Faculty of Kinesiology

•Margaret Savard AUPE

•Danielle Tougas Student/Community Advisor, Residence Education Team

•Michael Zwiers Werklund School of Education (Counselling Psychology)

•Heather Smith-Watkins Office of the Provost (Committee Support)


Development Process

• Jan 2015 - Steering Committee started meeting

• Jan 2015 - Working Group started meeting

• May 2015 - Draft document created by

• Summer 2015 - Consultation with various groups

• Fall 2015 - Reviewed final draft

• Oct 2015 - General Faculties approval

• Dec 7th 2015 - Strategy launch


CMHS Framework

Individual level

Program level

Cultural/Institutional level

1. 2.

3.

4.5.

6.


28 Recommendations

• Sourced from identified gaps and opportunities

• Aligned with best practice

• Organization of recommendations

• Based on what we will:

• Expand

• Enhance

• Develop


STRATEGIC FOCUS AREA 1: Raising Awareness and Promoting Well-being

Recommendations

Expand what we offer

1.1 Mental health literacy programs should be expanded to include diverse, vulnerable, and at

risk populations.

1.2 Anti-stigma initiatives, including contact-based and online anti-stigma programs should be

expanded, utilizing internal and externally developed resources, such as peer support resources.

Enhance what we do

1.3 Develop a robust evaluation strategy to measure the long-term impact and sustainability of

the collective mental health and well-being initiatives.

Develop new initiatives for the campus community

1.4 Create a strategy to promote responsible alcohol use, accessing the experience of internal

and external community.

1.5 Develop a centralized website to provide efficient and effective access to mental health

information for students, faculty, and staff. Incorporate on-campus champions in programming,

planning and marketing initiatives.


STRATEGIC FOCUS AREA 2: Developing Personal Resilience and Self-Management

Recommendations


2.1 Increase availability of programming and training for students, faculty, and staff to build

personal resilience and wellness and to promote academic and professional success.

2.2 Expand available resources and programming for parents/families of students.

2.3 Increase engagement in a full range of holistic health promoting activities.

Enhance what we do

2.4 Enhance support during critical transition times for all members of the campus

community.


2.5 Develop a for-credit resiliency and wellness course.


STRATEGIC FOCUS AREA 3: Enhancing Early Identification and Response

Recommendations


3.1 Increase educational programming to enable students, faculty, and staff to identify signs of

mental distress in both self and others. Ensure programming and on-line resources are easily

accessible to families.

Enhance what we do

3.2 Support the implementation and expansion of an early alert program for students who are

academically at risk.

3.3 Enhance and promote a student case management strategy to ensure needs of individuals are

being met and concerns are monitored.


3.4 Establish supportive response mechanisms to check-in with students, faculty, or staff in cases

of concern or unreported absences.

3.5 Adopt and promote web-based self-screening programs for students, staff and faculty.


STRATEGIC FOCUS AREA 4: Providing Direct Service and Support

Recommendations


4.1 Work with external partner organizations to expand support in faculties, alternate locations,

and through various modalities and hours of services including the provision of 24-hour access to

mental health resources on campus and within the community.

4.2 Strengthen targeted mental health supports for vulnerable populations or at risk subgroups,

considering specific mental health issues at key transition points.

Enhance what we do

4.3 Optimize referral protocols in counselling and case management systems.

4.4 Enhance training in crisis management for managers and campus leaders.


4.5 Develop inter-cultural competence in mental health promotion and in service delivery,

working with internal and external partners.


STRATEGIC FOCUS AREA 5: Aligning Institutional Policies, Processes, and Procedures

Recommendations


5.1 Promote integrated response options and supportive change management processes

including expanded consultation and feedback mechanisms for new processes.

Enhance what we do

5.2 Promote broad-based training and provide guidance on compliance with policy and

legislative requirements.


5.3 Develop a process to ensure that relevant campus policies and processes are supportive

of mental health.

5.4 Create a committee responsible for implementation of the Mental Health Strategy, and

report outcomes at least annually.


STRATEGIC FOCUS AREA 6: Creating and Sustaining a Supportive Campus Environment

Recommendations


6.1 Expand conditions for meaningful participation in the campus community by promoting

mentorship and peer support programs, building community inside and outside the

classroom/workplace, and providing spaces to build connections.

Enhance what we do

6.2 Ensure that design standards are in place when creating informal and formal learning and

working spaces to consider the impact of the built environment on mental health.

6.3 Promote teaching and learning practices that integrate inclusive curriculum and

pedagogy and that include concepts of mental health and wellness.


6.4 Ensure psychological health and safety is recognized by adopting the Standard for

Psychological Health and Safety on campus.


IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UCALGARY CMHS


Since Strategy Launch

• May 2016 – Mental Health Strategy Implementation Advisory Committee created

• June 2016 – MHSIAC first meeting• July 1st 2016 – Director started• Summer 2016 – Consultation with various

stakeholders; ongoing implementation• August 17th 2016 – MHSIAC recommendation

prioritization• September 23rd 2016 – subcommittees created


MHSIAC Members

• Debbie Bruckner (Co-Chair)

• Marcia Buchholz (Co-Chair)

• Beverly L. Adams

• Katie Chapman

• Keith Dobson

• Ann Laverty

• Jodie Jeworski

• Erin Kaipainen

• Natasha Kenny

• Patrick Ma

• Anna Manko

• Rhonda Pylychaty

• Ricky Ramdhaney

• Brian Sembo

• Marc Simard

• Kathy Steinhauer

• Andrew Szeto

• Wendy Thatcher


Subcommittees

• Evaluation

• Programs

• Teaching and Learning

• Communications

• Budget/Grant review

• Future subcommittees as needed


• lots of programing development and expansion (e.g., TIM, TWM) (various)• developing new mindfulness programing for staff/faculty (2.1, 2.3)

• 24 hr access for students (4.1)• new EAP provider (Homewood) offering expanded counselling access (4.1)• Crisis management training (4.4)

• policy review through mental health lens (university level) (5.3)• repurposing existing spaces and changing design standards to

acknowledge its impact on mental health…consulting with campus planning and university architect (6.1, 6.2)

• subcommittee on T&L looking at curriculum and pedagogy (6.3) • the Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the workplace (6.4)

Strategy Implementation Highlights


Keys to Success

• Development

• Opportunity/Environment

• Champions

• Implementation

• Champions

• Values (e.g., Collaborate, Inclusive, Equity)


Challenges

• Top-down vs Bottom-up

• Engagement


Discussion

• Consider your campus development…

• Who are your champions?

• Can you identify opportunities to step into?

• How does the environment (campus, community and provincial) set the stage for development?


Discussion

• Consider the principle of implementation…

• What values are currently embedded within your campus community (inclusivity, collaboration, equity)?


EVALUATION OF THE UCALGARY CMHS


Evaluation of the CMHS

• Evaluation Subcommittee

• Works closely with Programs subcommittee

• Evaluate the CMHS at 4 levels

• Program

• Recommendation

• University

• Process


Research Partnerships

• Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning

• Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education (Hotchkiss Brain Institute)


Discussion

• Consider evaluation…

• How can evaluation be integrated into your campus journey?


ucalgary.ca/mentalhealth

• Questions or comments?