As we listen to our communities, we are hearing about the growing mental health issues that children and their families are facing.  Schools are critical for responding to this need.  Please join us in writing, emailing or calling your MLA to support our campaign to Turn the Tide in One Generation on mental health.

Our petition can be found here.

Our FAQ can be found here.

Turning the Tide: A Plan to champion mental health in our schools

Even before the pandemic, researchers were emphasizing the importance of mental health for the learning and development of every child. Students who experience positive mental health are resilient in the face of challenges, better able to learn, achieve greater success, and build healthy relationships. However, we are seeing far too many students emerge from the school system without these essential skills. It is estimated that up to twenty per cent of children and youth in Canada experience mental illness, and that only one in five children and youth who need mental health services receives them. Health experts tell us that close to seventy-five per cent of cases of adult mental illnesses have their origin in childhood.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an even greater need to address this issue. Children are experiencing the dramatic upheaval and uncertainty of our world today. Every child will need support when they return to the classroom. Now is the time to invest in the well-being of our children. By placing a full-time mental health professional in every elementary school, both staff and families will receive the vital support including trauma-informed care that they need to nurture healthy and vibrant minds. By investing now, we can change this crisis into an opportunity to turn the tide on mental health in a generation. Please see our frequently asked questions page for more information.

Contact your MLA and call for mental health support in elementary schools.

A sample letter can be download here to send to your MLA or you may sign our petition to the Alberta Government.  Details on how to contact your MLA can be found here.

 

 

 

We want to thank the Calgary Foundation for their support of this initiative.