Normalize Mental Health
| Discussing mental health is often challenging and awkward. Yet, to move forward, we must normalise the issue. And there’s is no better place to start that elementary and high school.Most mental-health disorders emerge between the ages of 8 and 24. And the longer they are left untreated, the more debilitating they become often leading to other costly, long-term chronic conditions.Investing in prevention and early-intervention services for students save lives. An early assessment and treatment can halt the negative course of mental illness and emotional distress, and improves a student’s capacity to recover. It also dramatically reduces long-term disability during adulthood. The broader societal benefits are even more profound Degrees and diplomas carry tremendous economic value. Dropouts, in contrast, result in tuition, and lost earning potential for the student.To see the impact of early interventions, let’s look at California. In 2011, the state agreed to invest $8-million annually in mental-health training, peer-support programs and counselling at public universities and colleges. This investment led to a 13% increase within 2 years.The result: 329 additional students graduating per year, leading to an estimated societal benefit of $56 million per year. A 7:1 return on investment.80% of young adults report texting as their primary form of communication. 62% use mobile devices as their first choice for looking up health information. Technology funding must be at the core of any provincial post-secondary mental health strategy, It’s cost-effective, scalable, and amplifies on-campus resources. It also provides students with timely access to care, increasing their willingness to seek support.Creating an atmosphere where mental health is regularly discussed, early intervention is the norm and innovative technologies are embraced will pay off for decades to come |
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