ABSTRACT
A lack of well-developed mental health policy and practice in Ontario universities has prompted a campus mental health crisis across the province. Based on an environmental scan and document analyses, this chapter investigates the current state of mental health policy and practices in fourteen Ontario universities, and the implications for students experiencing mental health issues. A conceptual framework was developed from the World Health Organization (WHO), the provincial regulations of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) recommendations, and a university environmental scan. Using that combined framework as a guide, publicly available mental health documents on Ontario universities’ websites were reviewed and compared to the framework’s criteria. In addition to describing the current landscape, this chapter contributes a strategy for developing bottom-up policies, advocating engaging students and others in higher education institutions as an essential step in creating policies that specifically address student mental health and practices that meet the needs of all students. Increased partnering with community agencies and enhancing on-campus services are recommended to develop the range of resources students can access to ensure they have the resources they need to thrive academically and socioemotionally.
