Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario calls on Ontario Government to address mental health crisis in schools

PAUL JUNOR

The release of a People for Education report on Monday, February 27^th, 2023, has raised alarm bells regarding the state of mental health crisis among students. The report highlights the fact that students and school staff are currently facing mental health challenges; mental health and well-being should be priorities for Ontario. In response to this crucial and timely report, the 83,000 strong Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario has called on the Ontario government to respond to this crisis.

ETFO has called for the government to address the mental health crisis in schools. ETFO reaffirms that they, “Continue to call on the province to provide adequate mental health resources and funding, and on school boards to deliver the comprehensive support educators and students need.” The Ontario government did offer some level of mental health support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ETFO believes that the level of mental health support from the provincial government is not enough. “The government must fund the supports in schools and in the community that are necessary to ensure student’s: developmental, emotional, and behavioural needs are met, so that ETFO members can focus on supporting students’ learning needs. School boards also play a role. System coordination, a focus on equity, and early identification should be prioritized, as well as mental health promotion.”

Karen Brown, President of ETFO has strongly advocated for its members and the students that they work with in order to obtain the maximum mental support. She states, “Education and students need an education budget that prioritizes their mental health, well-being, and academic success. The government must expand school-based resources, supports, and services to meet the growing mental health and well-being needs of students and educators in every region across Ontario. Those who live in rural communities deserve the same access to services as those who live in Toronto.”

President Brown would like to see school boards move beyond a focus on the academic performance of students to an interest in their holistic wellness. She notes, “School boards should also avoid confusing, performative messages related to health, wellness, and mental health. Although they say they support well-being, their focus seems to be on academic achievement alone, instead of a holistic approach to learning that supports student growth, wellness, and healthy active living.”

The press release acknowledges a recent submission by ETFO to the Provincial Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs in which it made these four specific recommendations related to mental health:

• Provide additional funding to improve access to in-school supports, including guidance counsellors, social workers, psychologists, and child and youth workers, especially in underserved areas
• Allocate funding for additional in school and community supports necessary to ensure students’ developmental and behavioural needs are met
• Develop and deliver long-term, fully funded, comprehensive, culturally responsive mental health support for students, in consultation with mental health experts, teachers, education workers, unions and other education stakeholders
• Allocate: on-going, sustainable funding for high-quality professional learning for educators in the area of student mental health, to take place within the instructional day

EFTO reiterates that while educators are professionally trained they are not mental health professionals with the required skill sets to address complex health issues.

President Brown notes, “Students rely on educators and other education workers to support their academic, physical and socio-emotional needs. Without access to the critical support and resources they need, many students, including those who are disproportionately impacted (e.g. students who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ and/or racialized) will continue to be underserved and at risk. At its core, this is a human rights issue that impacts student and member safety and well-being.”