An Introduction to the New National Standard Webinar

Hosted by Healthy Minds | Healthy Campus, this webinar provides an introduction to the new National Standard of Canada for Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students. The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), in collaboration with CSA Group (a global leader in standards development), has championed the development of the National Standard of Canada for Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students.  This voluntary Standard is the first of its kind in the world; it builds on the exceptional work of Canada’s post-secondary institutions and seeks to inspire further actions through principle-led approaches.  The MHCC has also designed a Starter Kit to support post-secondary institutions as they begin aligning with the Standard, as well as a Self-Assessment Tool so they can understand their strengths, gaps and opportunities for action.

During this session, attendees were introduced to the Standard, and learned about the available tools and resources to support their alignment with it (available through CORE, on the CSA Community). This was followed by an engaging discussion aimed at giving members the space to connect and think-through important considerations related to implementation, and how the work they are already doing meets the guidelines of the Standard.

Webinar Recording

Resources:

Access your copy of the Standard
Download the Starter Kit
Download the Customizable Buy-in Slide Deck
Join the CORE (Centre for Outreach, Resources, and Engagement) community
Learn about the Bell Let’s Talk Post-Secondary Fund to support implementation of the Standard

Presenters:

Sandra Koppert, Director, Mental Health Advancement at the Mental Health Commission of Canada, has extensive experience in strategic planning, outreach and promotion, and stakeholder relations within the national non-profit health sector. For more than six years at MHCC, Sandra has developed strategies and led projects to promote awareness and facilitate action for psychological health and safety in workplaces across Canada. Sandra is now overseeing MHCC’s leadership in the development and promotion of a National Standard of Psychological Health and Safety for Post-Secondary Students.

Amy Fogarty, Manager, Programs and Priorities at the Mental Health Commission of Canada, oversees several key initiatives including the National Standard for Canada on Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students, as well as work related to child and youth, justice and chronic diseases. Amy’s passion for workplace wellness and mental health led her to the Commission in 2016, where she spent several years promoting training programs including The Working Mind, The Inquiring Mind and Mental Health First Aid.

Guest Speakers

Dr. Andrew Szeto is currently the Director of the Campus Mental Health Strategy at the University of Calgary responsible for ​guiding the implementation of the 28 recommendations within ​the strategy.  He is also a Principal Investigator at the Mental ​Health Commission of Canada and an Associate Professor in ​the Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary.  Dr. Szeto’s research involves the development, implementation, and evaluation of mental illness stigma reduction and mental health promotion programs for various audiences across Canada.  He has also published academic articles on various topics related to mental health and the stigma of mental illness. ​

Daniel Major is a 4th year Cellular & Molecular Biology major/ Mathematics minor and aspiring changemaker at Mount Royal University. He is a passionate mental health advocate and has the privilege to represent students on the Technical Committee developing the national standard for post-secondary student mental health and well-being.

Related:

CSA Z2003:20 Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students Standard

Building Supportive, Safe, and Inclusive Post-Secondary Environments Workshop (CACUSS Workshop Series)

The New National Standard & Self-Assessment Tool Webinar (Best Practices Network)