Mental Well-Being | Huron Perth Public Health

Mental health is important for overall health and wellness, and there are many ways to promote mental health in schools and classrooms. As an educator, you play an important role in fostering a learning environment that is conducive for a mentally healthy school and classroom where all students feel like they belong. Ensuring that classrooms and school communities are safe, welcoming and inclusive contributes to students' social-emotional well-being and readiness to learn.

If you are looking for tips on how to address certain issues or topics, reach out to the school health team using our request form.

For a list of local mental health supports, go to Mental Health and Well-Being.

Elementary

School Mental Health Ontario | Helps school districts enhance student mental health through the use of evidence-based strategies and services.

Secondary

MentalHealthLiteracy.org provides a variety of resources including:
- Educators section. Numerous programs that are customizable to the needs of educators and students.
- Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide. A complete set of educational tools including online modules, lesson plans, and resources proven to increase mental health literacy of both students and teachers.

All grades

Educators and Student Support Staff | School Mental Health Ontario. Website section with free courses, resources to support learning and teaching, and a resource guide to support student mental health and well-being.
Kids Help Phone | E-mental health services with a variety of resources including a phone/text number for one to one crisis support.
Positive Mental Health Toolkit | Pan-Canadian Joint Consortium for School Health. Promotes positive mental health practices and perspectives within the school environment.
Wayfinder | School Mental Health Ontario. Sequenced guide for K-12 educators to teach about mental health.

Body Image

You can support students to build body appreciation. When students feel good about their bodies, they have better mental and physical health outcomes. Body dissatisfaction is a risk factor for poorer relationships, poorer self-care, higher-risk behaviours (e.g., substance use), and eating disorders.

Being Me, Being Us | Healthy Schools BC. Teaching tool for educators and school professionals to learn, talk, and teach about body image to students in Grades 4-7.
Lessons and Resources | MediaSmarts. Search 'body image' to find lesson plans, tip sheets and other resources on teaching about body image.
Outreach and Education | National Eating Disorder Information Centre. Sessions blend best practices in health and education policy to increase your confidence in navigating the vast array of information around food, weight, exercise, and health in a non-discriminatory manner. Includes workshops for educators and students.
- Beyond Images. Free online lesson plans for Grades 4-8 include activities that make a positive difference in combating appearance-based bullying and negative stereotypes.
Prevention Services | Eating Disorders Ontario. A suite of interventions and strategies to reduce disordered eating.