Online tutoring helps mental health outpatients in classroom

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A pilot program that links young students experiencing mental health issues with virtual tutoring is showing early success.  

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The program, a partnership between the Brant Community Healthcare System and the Brantford-based JonAyves Learning Club, could be the first of its kind in the province.  

“To date, we are not aware of any other hospital system in Ontario partnering in such a niche program,” said Michael Marini, manager of communications and public affairs at BCHS. 

Over the summer, students in Grades 6 to 12 participated in 40  virtual sessions lasting 20- to 30-minutes with JonAyves instructors twice a week for a month, focused on language and math skills. 

All the students displayed academic progress and increased engagement, said Marini. They showed up for the sessions, had reduced anxiety, and improved engagement. 

One Grade 6 student returned to the classroom after more than 90 days away from school. A Grade 10 student rebuilt confidence in math after leaving mid-semester. 

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“For some, educational goals were getting in the way of their recovery,” said Kristin Toushan-Blinkhorn, clinical manager of the outpatient mental health, SADV, social work, complex care integrated program at Brant Community Healthcare System. “For them, school created more anxiety.” 

She said program participants are struggling with varied mental health issues that could have been brought on by some kind of trauma or abuse – a major life event or excessive bullying, she said. They could have unstable relationships that have diminished their confidence and self-esteem. 

Since its launch in early 2024, BCHS’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic has seen a continuous increase in referrals and community need. The program saw 214 children and youth during the 2024-2025 fiscal year, with 88 of those patients going through additional counselling services for follow-ups. 

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The clinic filled a void in the community. Prior to its creation, families had to travel to McMaster and other hospitals to access child mental health services. 

BCHS’s partnership with JonAyves began with an impromptu conversation between the company’s founder, Maxwell Roach, and BCHS CEO Bonnie Camm at a mayor’s breakfast event. Camm saw potential for the program to serve a need. 

Roach said their curriculum provides children attainable goals and an enjoyable learning environment. Many of the one-on-one instructors are university students who are relatable to the participants.  

Roach said the basis of the program stems from the belief that children of all ages are ready for advanced concepts. Key, he said, are the “short-batched” 20- and 30-minute sessions designed for kids who have grown up with YouTube shorts and Instagram.

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Toushan-Blinkhorn said the online approach is important for those living with mental health issues, some of whom find it difficult to leave their homes.  

“It’s sometimes hard even to get them to the hospital for appointments,” she said. 

Focusing on a single task per session – the four times tables or one aspect of trigonometry, for example, sets students up for success, building their confidence. 

“The program has been so beneficial to the entire family,” said Toushan-Blinkhorn. “It has exceeded what I expected and there is so much more opportunity.” 

Participants who could benefit from the program are identified and referred by the adolescent mental health team at BCHS. Plans are underway to continue the partnership. 

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