Pathways to Resilience III: Beyond Nature vs. Nurture

Youth Mental Health in a School Setting:

Abstract #70
Kids Have Stress Too!
Presenter: Jan Blaxall Co - Presenter: Janet Foster
Abstract:
Much attention has been paid recently to the development of self-regulation as an important component of successful learning and social interactions. Emotional stress is a common cause of challenging behaviour in young children. This presentation will provide background research on children’s stress and an overview of the KHST! Program. We will describe samples of activities and tools that educators, parents and children themselves can use to manage and reduce stress in child care and school settings, and examples of ways that children demonstrated this learning during our research project. Kids Have Stress Too! is an evidence based program developed by the Psychology Foundation of Canada.

Abstract #126
Escape From Pilot Project Purgatory: Scaling Up Mental Health Promotion Programming in High School
Presenter: Corrine Langill Co - Presenters: Heather Smith-Fowler, Kathy Short
Abstract:
To address the widely acknowledged crisis in youth mental health, many groups have developed school programs to promote mental health and prevent mental health problems. Unfortunately, many do not make it past the ‘pilot’ stage, and are not broadly adopted.  Others are not widely implemented because of prohibitive purchase costs.
Our presentation will outline the work of our collaborative to support a province wide implementation and rigorous evaluation of Healthy Transitions from High School (HTHS).  HTHS is a social-emotional learning program of 9 classroom sessions, designed to help youth develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes important for mental health.  It was adapted from Healthy Transitions for Young Adolescents(2006),a 5 session program currently provided by Public Health Nurses to 75% of grade 7 students in Ottawa.  These programs were developed with the collaboration of community partners, and funded through public grants and private foundations, and so carry a Creative Commons license, allowing free access to the materials.
We will present information about the program and data from the first phase of the project, including:
•         Feedback on session content from youth, educators, and expert reviewers
•         Lessons learned from pilot testing in schools
•         Feedback on evaluation tools 
•         Plans for further evaluation of the program

Abstract #140
Reclaiming At-Risk Children and Youth: A Look at Nova Scotia's SchoolsPlus Program
Presenter: Paul W Bennett
Abstract:
Nova Scotia’s program to rescue struggling children and teens, SchoolsPlus (SP), is now in over 100 schools, but the Integrated Service Delivery (ISD) program  tends to fly below the radar screen. In this stimulating child welfare policy session, the author of the June 2013 Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) report, Reclaiming At-Risk Children and Youth will be presenting his findings and encouraging wide-open discussion. His report  contends that, while SchoolsPlus is a worthwhile provincial ISD initiative, it has lost its bearings and needs a ‘mid-term correction’ to reach its target population, the 5 to 10 per cent of children and youth at risk of going off-the rails. Coordinating existing public social services is becoming the raison d'etre rather than the expected core mission – building “communities of care,” fostering resilience from an early age, and reclaiming “at risk” children, youth and families. Come to this session and join what promise to be a lively policy discussion.