Collaborative mental health support program for students celebrated

Article content

For two years, three local agencies have been working to give youngsters with significant mental health needs more support.

Article content

Article content

Recommended Videos

Article content

“The approach we’ve had really is innovative,” said Craig McKenzie with St. Clair Child and Youth Services.

“Sarnia-Lambton is probably further ahead than a lot of communities across the province,” he said.

Three classrooms of up to 10 students each, between Grades 7 and 12, exist in Sarnia-Lambton for students with complex mental health needs, said Angie Barrese, a Lambton Kent District School Board superintendent.

“When all other services and supports have been exhausted at their traditional home school is when we would consider placement at one of these specialized classes,” she said.

Teachers, educational assistants, applied behaviour analysis staff, social workers and other officials with the board, Sarnia-Lambton Rebound and St. Clair Child and Youth Services all work collaboratively to create a supportive learning environment, she said.

Article content

“These are our most vulnerable students that we’re supporting,” she said.

“These are students that are unable to attend a traditional school setting due to their significant mental health and illness.”

The aim is to help students manage emotions and build social skills and academic strategies so they can continue learning in the most appropriate environment, she said.

Traditionally, supports for students happened outside of the classroom, she said.

“This has been revamped so we are collaboratively working not only for the sole purpose of supporting students to graduate, but to ensure that their mental health and well-being . . . needs are being met daily in a safe setting, with the support of our lead community agencies,” she said.

Article content

That change happened in part because of input from youth and their families, she said.

One classroom is at Northern Collegiate and two are at Rebound, she said, noting the program includes funding from various provincial ministries.

The agencies have been working on the approach, and wanted to announce its success now, during Children’s Mental Health Week in Canada, McKenzie said.

“We recognize that some kids in the system, their needs go beyond what they can get in their home school,” he said. “It’s important to wrap those services around them and allow them to succeed.”

A similar partnership involves LKDSB and Linck Child Youth and Family Supports in Chatham-Kent, said Barrese, noting that partnership covers a single classroom at John McGregor secondary school.

That program is also evolving based on the Sarnia-Lambton program’s success, she said.

“We are replicating the work we’re doing in Sarnia-Lambton in the Chatham-Kent area,” though nothing like Rebound exists in Chatham-Kent, she said.

“I feel really confident that (Sarnia-Lambton is) a leading community in how we have broken down the barriers to bring services to students and their families.”

[email protected]

Article content