An Investigation on the Value of Integrating Mental Health Supports

in Education to Build Capacity for Change

ABSTRACT
Current statistics in Ontario show that one in five students suffer from mental health issues
(Canada, 2012). Mental health disorders cause significant distress, impairing students
functioning at school, at home and in the community (Childrens Mental Health Ontario, 2014).
Research has shown that prevention and early intervention strategies targeting students are
beneficial and cost-effective and that these strategies reduce the need for more costly, intensive
interventions. (Canada, 2012; Childrens Mental Health Ontario, 2014; Ontario Ministry of
Education, 2013). In response to recent Ontario Ministry mental health initiatives (Ontario
Ministry of Education, 2006; 2011; 2013), the Peel District School Board, in Ontario, Canada,
launched an interprofessional, mental health and behaviour program called Intensive Support
(IS). The primary goal of this support service is to build capacity for preventative and early
intervention knowledge and programming about mental health within school staff. Since schools
play an important role in the prevention and early intervention of students mental health needs
(Durlak & Wells, 2011), this case study is an investigation of how the IS program contributes to
building organizational capacity within schools. The intent of this study is to allow school staff
the opportunity to dialogue, through semi-structured interviews, about what specific strategies
and collaborative learning supports school staff value most about the IS program. This study
will examine the experiences staff feel about their engagement with the IS program; what
specific supports for learning staff identify and value as contributing most to increasing their
capacity for change; and how can the IS program supports be enhanced. Additionally, the study
will contribute to the body of literature that exists on how external teams can contribute
effectively to building capacity within schools.