Health Resources for Schools
Mental Health Promotion
Contact Us
For additional information
Email [email protected]
At Hamilton Public Health Services, mental health promotion focuses on the mental well-being of our community. Mental well-being is the capacity of people to feel, think, and act in ways that enhance their ability to enjoy life and deal with challenges. Children and youth who feel good about life enjoy happiness and satisfaction. When they function well in life, children and youth find purpose, enjoy positive relationships, and have a sense of belonging.
As our Indigenous partners have long affirmed, promoting a sense of hope, purpose, meaning and belonging is essential to forming one’s sense of well-being from a holistic and balanced perspective (Assembly of First Nations and Health Canada, 2015).
When children and youth feel good about life, they experience happiness and satisfaction. When they function well in life, children and youth find purpose, enjoy positive relationships, and have a sense of belonging.
Resources for
mental health promotion
- Use the lesson plans and resources from the Psychology Foundation of Canada to promote positive social-emotional development and effective stress management.
- Use the Pan-Canadian Joint Consortium Positive Mental Health Toolkit to promote school health practices and perspectives within the school environment.
- School Mental Health Ontario for steps and strategies for promoting student mental health and well-being
- Supporting Minds: Strategies at a Glance: Ideas to Support and Bolster Students Mental Health Problems in the Classroom
- On My Way: A guide to support middle years child development (ages 6- 12 years)
- Stepping Stones: A guide to support youth development (ages 12 – 25 years)
- Assess your School: Assess how well your school is addressing mental well-being. Create a plan with actions and policies to improve the mental well-being of students and staff.
- Set up formal ways for students to be heard on decision-making bodies for schools, organizations and the community.
- Advocate for physical activity in schools and other recreational opportunities for youth.
- Refer to the Food Access Guide for programs and services in Hamilton.
- Connect students with culturally relevant social support networks.
- Promote the mental well-being for Educators.
- Advocate for policies that positively influence the school climate.
- School Mental Health Ontario Assess Your School and Make a Plan
- Check out school-wide, classroom and student activities from Ideas for Action (Mental Health) from Ophea (French language available).
- Provide opportunities for students to share their perspectives and solutions for community issues through media and arts projects.
- Work with students to host events and activities for their peers.
- Participate in Mental Health Week (May) with school announcements, student –led activities to promote positive mental health
- Ensure that students feel safe and comfortable in common spaces at your school. Work with students to assess and make improvements to common spaces.
- Use the Reflection Tool for Educators to assess your classroom, identify strengths and opportunities for improvements.
- Promote ways that parents can support their child’s mental well-being using school newsletters and website
- Inform youth of the community agencies and services available. Download and print the Youth Services Guide:
- Coordinate activities with:
- Additional available community services:
- COAST- Crisis Outreach and Support Team
- St. Joseph’s Healthcare COAST Youth program in Hamilton serves children, youth and their families or caregivers who have mental health concerns and are in crisis. Call COAST at 905-972-8338.
- Contact Hamilton for Children’s and Developmental Services
- Contact Hamilton is an entry point to services for children and youth with emotional, behavioural or developmental concerns and adults with developmental disabilities.
- CAMH – the Centre for Addition and Mental Health
- CAMH provides resources for teachers to promote positive mental health.
- Kids Help Phone
- Kids Help Phone provides information for children, youth and helping adults. Call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868.
- Community Education Service (CES)
- Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre provides information on educational courses and skills training workshops on a variety of topics, including parenting, child development and child and youth mental health concerns.
Ressources du service de santé publique en français
Certains renseignements et certaines ressources du Service de santé publique présentés sur cette page Web pourraient être disponibles en français. Communiquez avec l’infirmière affectée à votre école ou envoyez au courriel à [email protected] pour en savoir plus long sur les ressources et les services offerts en français.
Date modified
September 13, 2023