1. Mental Health Liaison Nurses in Halton Schools

2. Halton Region Health Department
Mission Statement:
Together with the Halton Community, the Health Department works to achieve the best possible health for all.
In support of this we are committed to:
Provide professional service based on changing community needs, best practice, current research and evaluation.
Develop and deliver high quality programs and services that are accessible, relevant, timely and cost effective.
Strengthen individual and community supports to reduce or eliminate health risk.
Promote and support local & global healthy public policy.
Assist or partner with individuals and groups to develop and use their community resources.
Respect diversity, promote and practice inclusion.
Advocate for vulnerable individuals and groups.
April-22-19

3. History – MHLN in Halton Schools
High School
1970s in response to identified need
1 MHLN → 3.6 MHLN currently
Senior Elementary
2002 in Burlington
2005 in Oakville
2008 in North Halton
April-22-19

4. MHLN Role With Youth
To identify, early on, youth who present with mental health problems and / or psychiatric symptoms.
To link youth to appropriate resources.
To prevent worsening of the youth’s condition through counselling, monitoring, and linking with appropriate resources.
April-22-19

5. MHLN Role With Other Stakeholders
To provide accessible consultation to school staff, families, students, and community members.
To provide clinical back up and clinical consultation to Youth Net/TAMI groups and facilitators.
To work with the school community and community at large on mental health issues.
April-22-19

6. Youth Presentation Student issues identified were categorized as:
behavioural (aggression, anger management, stealing, lying, manipulation, school avoidance, defiance);
mood related (depression, anxiety, distorted thinking);
motivational (school performance);
social (lack of social skills, poor peer relationships, low self esteem) and
family issues (stress, mental illness, addictions, family breakdown, custody, abuse, early trauma).
April-22-19

7. The Basics Secondary School Elementary School
3.6 FTE allocated across the secondary schools in Halton
Youth Net program clinical support
Elementary School
3.0 FTE allocated to Burlington, Oakville, North Halton elementary schools
Focus on grades 6 – 8
Collaboration with ROCK Walk In clinics and anxiety group
April-22-19

8. How Does This Work – High Schools
6 – 7 schools assigned/MHLN
Independent of the school teams
Attend SRT for related discussions
Accept referrals from SRT, student services, youth, parents, physicians, other agencies, hospital
Participate in Threat Risk Assessment Team
April-22-19

9. High Schools See youth on school site or off site for 6 – 8 sessions
Parent consent is not required but always encouraged
Consent to share info with school is encouraged
Confidentiality is respected within boundaries
April-22-19

10. Elementary School 2 models: Referral process for non-assigned schools
BAT team membership
Assigned schools
Referral process for non-assigned schools
Parent consent is required – school facilitate signed consent
April-22-19

11. Who are the MHLN's? Public Health Nurses
Additional education or experience working in adult or child/youth psychiatry
Youth and systems friendly
Flexible
Relationship based approach
April-22-19

12. How do we really work? Receive referral Access collateral information
Meet with student – establish relationship
Perform MSE
Decide with student approach we will take
Work with: counseling, education, CBT
Advocate
Refer
Crisis assessment and intervention
April-22-19

13. Statistics Counseling sessions 1:1 - 1550 to 1600
Consultations with parents to 350
Consultations with professionals to 450
SRT attendance – 80 meetings
average annual prior to intro of MHLN for North Elementary
April-22-19

14. Key Success Factors Relationships School personnel Board personnel
Youth
Families
School PHNs
Other key supports for youth
Other agencies
April-22-19

15. Key Success Factors Communication Collaboration Flexibility Respect
Willingness to have the tough dialogues
Collaboration
Flexibility
Problem solving in an ‘out of the box’ kind of way
Respect
For people
For youth
For systems and their requirements
April-22-19

16. Questions?
Contact information:
Michele Singleton
Telephone:
April-22-19