Wellness Services creates provincial mental health promising practices toolkit

MRU has demonstrated a commitment to improving student mental health. Through grant funding from the Ministry of Advanced Education, MRU’s Wellness Services team has created a provincial mental health promising practices toolkit. Tools for Success: Models of Exemplary Student Mental Health Initiatives at Alberta Post-Secondary Institutions highlights 11 case studies of exemplary mental health initiatives from various post-secondary institutions across the province.

“The toolkit is meant to inform and facilitate the implementation and evaluation of promising mental health initiatives at post-secondary institutions, regardless of institution size, type, or location. This is an important mechanism for promoting sharing of information and post-secondary mental health practices” says Rachelle McGrath, director of Wellness Services.

Chelsea Bodoe, the health promotion evaluation specialist who worked on the content for the toolkit with colleges and universities from across the province notes that “inside, users will find information on the rationale, implementation, evaluation, challenges and future aspirations for each case study.” Case studies include an emphasis on institutional leadership; equity, diversity, and inclusion; mobilizing local community; shared responsibility and collaboration; access and evidence-informed practice.

The toolkit was released on the Healthy Campus Alberta website and has been disseminated provincially and nationally.