Student Mental Health Action Plan
We all have a part to play in building a thriving community where mental health and wellness come first.
The ¶®É«µÛ is committed to fostering a supportive environment for student mental health. The Student Mental Health Action Plan is a framework for collaborative action across the U of A’s campuses to foster a university culture where mental health and academic success go hand-in-hand.
The action plan is all about how we can do that in the most purposeful, innovative and evidence-based ways. This plan is a living document and will continue to evolve as the mental health needs of our students develop over time. Its focus on shared accountability highlights how every member of our university community plays a vital role in supporting student mental health and wellbeing.
The action plan is informed by what we heard in the National Standard of Canada for Mental Health and Well-being for Post-Secondary Students Engagement Sessions Insights.
Pillars of the Action Plan
Learn more about our progress on the actions identified in the Student Mental Health Action Plan:
1. Supportive, safe and inclusive post secondary environment
Fostering inclusive and supportive learning, working and social environments
2. Mental health literacy, education and stigma reduction
Promoting mental health education and stigma reduction
3. Accessibility
Supporting accessible student services and learning environments
4. Early intervention
Proactively identifying and addressing mental health concerns in their early stages
5. Mental health supports
Enhancing access to mental health services
6. Crisis management and postvention
Offering a broad spectrum of services for crisis prevention and management
Take Action: How you can help
Students
- Share your perspective: Participate in surveys and feedback sessions about student experiences and university services. Join student advisory committees and advocate for meaningful changes that make our campuses more accessible and inclusive for everyone.
- Explore your options: Familiarize yourself with the services offered by the Academic Success Centre’s Accommodations & Accessibility office. Keep yourself updated on new accessibility resources and services being added to U of A campuses.
- Break the silence: Normalize conversations about mental health with your peers. Help reduce stigma by seeking support and encouraging others to get the help they need.
- Build mental health skills: Explore the mental health workshops for students provided by Community Wellness. Share your student group's mental health training opportunities and events with the community (e.g., through the U of A Events or website).
- Practice self-care strategies: Discover the self-guided resources available to support your mental health, like Welltrack Boost and Counselling & Clinical Services’ resource library.
Instructors
- Champion accessibility and inclusivity: Work with the Accommodations & Accessibility services to provide flexible academic accommodations for students. Familiarize yourself with universal design principles and reach out to support services, such as the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), for consultations on inclusive teaching practices. Stay updated on university policies, including the Accommodation Policy, and actively promote academic accommodation services to students who may benefit from them.
- Integrate wellness moments into your teaching: Make resources visible by including information in your course syllabi. Promote self-care tools like Welltrack Boost during stressful times of the academic year, like midterms and finals. Join the Wellness in the Classroom Support for Instructors Program to learn practical strategies.
- Break the silence: Normalize conversations about mental health with your peers. Help reduce stigma by seeking support and encouraging others to get the help they need.
- Know the student crisis resources: Share 24-hour crisis resources with students. Get trained in suicide prevention to support students and colleagues in crisis. If you notice someone who may be at risk, check in with them, or contact Helping Individuals at Risk if you don’t know where to start.
- Build mental health skills: Get training through Community Wellness and Human Resources, Health, Safety, and Environment. Check out Bright Breaks to support your wellness at work.
Staff
- Prioritize training in intercultural competencies and trauma-informed care: Help raise awareness of services, especially mental health and accessibility services, among international, French-speaking and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of colour) students.
- Adapt services to accommodate diverse student needs: Look for opportunities to create more welcoming environments for students with diverse needs, including language barriers, neurodivergence and differing abilities.
- Reduce barriers to access: Offer drop-in hours for mental health services during peak demand, create low-barrier online booking options and collaborate with other campuses like Augustana and Campus Saint-Jean.
- Break the silence: Normalize conversations about mental health with your peers. Help reduce stigma by seeking support and encouraging others to get the help they need.
- Know the student crisis resources: Share 24-hour crisis resources with students and colleagues. Get trained in suicide prevention to support people in crisis. If you notice someone who may be at risk, check in with them, or contact Helping Individuals at Risk if you don’t know where to start.
- Build mental health skills: Get training through Community Wellness and Human Resources, Health, Safety, and Environment. Share mental health training opportunities and events with the university community (e.g., through the U of A Events website). Check out Bright Breaks to support your wellness at work.