Acknowledgements
This project was funded by the Government of Canada's Social Development Partnerships Program. The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.
The support, creative thinking and hard work of a number of people made the development of this resource possible.
CMHA wishes to acknowledge with gratitude the invaluable contributions to this project of Dr. Sonia Chehil and Dr. Stan Kutcher. Drs. Chehil and Kutcher are internationally renowned adolescent psychiatrists whose innovative approach to educating about mental health and illness has been extensively pilot tested around the world and shown to be effective in increasing understanding and changing attitudes about mental illness. Not only have they been available to us for consultation and advice, but they have generously given us access to resources they authored to inform the development of this guide, particularly Lessons 1 and 2. CMHA is very fortunate to have had their expertise and guidance throughout the development of all aspects of the project.
Special thanks go to the staff and members of Laing House, particularly Catherine Slone, Alex Meade, Keri Lynn Calp, Jackie Thornhill and all of the other individuals who contributed to the video project.
Curriculum Services Canada mentored the development of this guide.
We also wish to thank the following individuals who reviewed drafts of these materials:
Bonnie Pape – Mental Health Services Work Group, CMHA National
Julie Flatt - Mental Health Services Work Group, CMHA National
From the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health – Barbara Steep, Sharon Labonte Jaques, Donna Beatty
This guide builds on and borrows from a number of key publications:
MindMatters Curriculum Corporation of Australia
The Science of Mental Illness – NIH/NIMH
Permission was granted to adapt/reproduce selected sections and exercises.
Project Partners
About Laing House
Laing House is a community support centre for young adults, ages 17-24, who are living with serious mental illnesses such as psychosis or mood disorders. Launched in January 2001, it is located in a refurbished Victorian house in downtown Halifax. Laing House starts with a belief that young people have an array of talents and strengths which, when supported, point them towards recovery. Youth are invited to participate - as members of Laing House – in a welcoming, respectful and collaborative environment. Involvement is voluntary and referrals can come from the young person, a family member, community agency, or mental health professional. Laing House is unique in Canada.
Laing House’s mission is “to prepare youth living with mental illness for healthy futures”
Laing House seeks to reduce isolation, to address needs in relation to returning to school, seeking employment, re-establishing a peer group, and finding a place to live. The programs focus on these core areas, while allowing youth to gain the confidence they need to be healthy and productive. Already, more than 200 young people have found their way to Laing House, where a team of peers and professional staff provide supports.
Youth and staff build relationships and work together to create personal development, community education and advocacy programs. These experiences and opportunities provide youth with support and resources to resume educational and vocational paths, find safe housing, and become contributing members of their natural communities. www.lainghouse.org
Laing House
1225 Barrington Street
Halifax, NS B3J 1Y2
Telephone: (902) 473-7743
Email: contact@lainghouse.org
About the Consultants
Dr. Stan Kutcher is a Professor of Psychiatry and the SunLife Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health and Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre in Mental Health Training and Policy Development at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dr. Kutcher’s involvement in the project was supported through the Sun Life Financial Chair In Adolescent Mental Health, and Dalhousie University.
Dr. Sonia Chehil is Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Postgraduate Training Director, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dr. Chehil’s involvement in this project was supported through Dalhousie University.
About Curriculum Services Canada
www.curriculum.org
Curriculum Services Canada (CSC) is the Pan-Canadian standards agency for quality assurance in learning products and programs. CSC is not-for-profit and provide services including development, implementation, evaluation, and accreditation of teaching and/or learning resources, and the delivery of web-based professional learning opportunities across Canada and internationally. CSC organization works closely with the Ontario Ministry of Education and many of its initiatives related to curriculum and to student success.
A team of evaluators from CSC mentored the development of this resource to ensure that it would meet a range of measures and standards for learning resources. A CSC evaluation is comprehensive. This resource was evaluated by the CSC team on the basis of: consistency with curriculum; assessment and evaluation; content; methodology; bias and inclusion, and format.
About the CSC Seal
Teachers, administrators, and parents know they can count on the CSC Seal. Resources that receive the CSC Seal meet high standards. The material will match, support, and complement Pan-Canadian curriculum standards. CSC’s commitment to quality and focus on service means educators can select learning resources with confidence and order them with ease. A learning resource with the CSC Seal has relevant and balanced content, is inclusive, and offers a balanced approach. CSC's evaluation ensures the effectiveness of the presentation format and supports accepted teaching and learning methods.
