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Part of Strategies, initiatives and plans

Improving post-secondary mental health

We're working with post-secondary institutions to promote positive mental health and ensure supports are accessible when students need them.

Overview

Student mental well-being is linked to academic achievement, learning, retention and future success.

We’re taking steps to ensure post-secondary institutions are better equipped to promote positive mental health and well-being and provide supports when students need them.

Advisory panel

An expert advisory panel developed recommendations for a long-term approach to post-secondary mental health funding and support.

The panel included post-secondary students, faculty, staff, Alberta Health Services and the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Read the Advisory panel report.

Actions

Based on the panel’s recommendations, we work with post-secondary institutions to implement the following actions to promote and support mental wellness and build more resilient campus communities, so students get the care and coping skills they need.

The actions include:

  • Providing equitable funding to publicly funded post-secondary institutions
    • Consistent, annual funding directly to post-secondary institutions.
    • Support on-campus health promotion, wellbeing programs and training for staff.
  • Defining roles of post-secondary and public health systems in improving post-secondary student mental health
    • Post-secondary system manages health promotion and early intervention, while the health system provides clinical care services.
    • Students benefit from a more coordinated systems that is accessible and easy to navigate.
  • Supporting Indigenous post-secondary students' mental health
    • Funding First Nations Colleges to provide mental health promotion, prevention and care for their students.
    • Working with publicly funded institutions to ensure they provide culturally affirming mental health supports for Indigenous students.
  • Integrating on-campus mental health supports with the larger health care system
    • Post-secondary institutions, Alberta Health Services, primary care, and community providers are coordinating services to provide better access and transitions for post-secondary students.
  • Funding Healthy Campus Alberta Community of Practice
    • Students benefit from consistent approaches and a strengthened post-secondary mental health system.