1. Understanding Mental Health in Schools

2. What is Mental Health?? Mental health refers to the maintenance of successful mental activity

3. What is Mental Health?? This includes maintaining productive daily activities and maintaining fulfilling relationships with others

4. What is Mental Health?? It also includes maintaining the abilities to adapt to change and to cope with stresses

5. Today we know that Mental Disorders are Brain Disorders

6. Therefore, Mental illness can occur when the brain (or part of the brain) is not working well or is working in the wrong way.

7. Many of the mental disorders begin at the exact time that youth are in or entering Jr. High, High School or University

8. What impact do you think this has on students?

9. Mental health problems may lead to: School drop outs Difficulties in learning Behavioural difficulties Difficulties in performance More absenteeism School failure

10. So schools can be a great location for mental health promotion, early identification and intervention.

11. What is needed to create mental health integration in schools?? Surprisingly little

12. We need policies and plan that recognize integration of mental health into educational institutions What is needed to create mental health integration in schools??

13. In addition, mental health needs of teachers may be similar to those faced by students

14. “On-site” mental health models can also provide teacher support

15. After all, a more effective teacher, means more effective teaching, and more effective learners

16. Schools are also great locations for combating stigma associated with mental illness

17. Stigma is the polite word for discrimination It pervades our entire social structure Integrating mental health education in schools may help destigmatize mental illness

18. Your Assignment Complete the following…it may be done in PowerPoint form.  List what are the most common mental illnesses? Give short description.  List treatments and strategies for mental health problems.  Do you think our schools recognize these illnesses or do they ignore them?

19. Resource: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154543.php