Collaboration in Support of Campus Mental Health

Submitted by Mary Gauthier, Project Manager, Planning & Special Projects, Student Success 

St. Lawrence College hosted the Centre for Innovation on Campus Mental Health's (CICMH) annual Eastern Regional Forum at the College's Kingston Campus on January 31, 2024. 

Approximately 20 delegates from SLC, other post-secondary institutions, and community organizations from Eastern Ontario were present, including University of Ottawa, Trent Durham Student Association, Loyalist College, Collège la Cité, Pathways to Education, Durham Rape Crisis Centre, Ontario Shores Centre, and Canadian Mental Health Association, Haliburton.

Participants engaged in this learning and networking event in support of mental health at post-secondary institutions, which featured a workshop on Loneliness & Connection. In an information sharing opportunity, SLC's Integrated Mental Health Strategy (IMHS) was showcased with the group. The presentation briefly covered the College's deliberate process in developing this pan-institutional initiative, highlighting some of the over-100 tactics aimed at promoting the mental health and wellness of both staff and students, and celebrated some accomplishments to-date. For more information about the IMHS, please don't hesitate to reach out at mentalhealthtogether@sl.on.ca.  

In addition to their collaboration-building forums and conferences, the CICMH creates and offers many resources that support mental health awareness and promotion at post-secondary campuses. They have webinars that cover many issues, for example, "Student Housing Insecurity," "Indigenizing Mental Health Care," and "Empowering Students to Overcome Climate Anxiety." Their toolkits include topics such as, "Thriving in the Classroom," "Student Athlete Mental Health," and "International Students." And info sheets such as "Learning Shock," "Rest and Sleep," and "Transitioning from Post-Secondary to the Workforce" can be easy tools to share. These resources are available here. 

We were thrilled to have hosted the CICMH’s Eastern Forum this year. As the event closed out, many participants agreed – it was so valuable to have taken the time out of all our busy schedules to engage in-person, not only to develop professionally with our partners, but to connect with them as well, as our peers. Collaboration supports mental health, period.