HDSB Mental Health Strategy Yearly Action Plan 2025-2026

Embed mental health literacy and wellness practices into everyday learning to destigmatize conversations about mental health and enable students to learn healthy ways to cope.

• Provide professional development and resources for educators and staff to strengthen their confidence and competence in supporting student mental health and embedding wellness practices into teaching.

• Support student-led initiatives that foster inclusion and normalize mental health conversations.

• Use everyday communication to provide accessible mental health education, normalize help-seeking and guide students to available resources.

Create conditions where every student feels like they belong and sees themselves reflected positively in the school community and learns in a supportive environment.

• Support student-led equity groups and cross-departmental collaboration to promote affirming communication and build a strong sense of belonging for all students.

• Support initiatives and events that elevate student perspectives and encourage active participation, ensuring all students feel seen, heard and valued in their school experience.

• Provide staff with tools and training to support inclusive environments, while delivering age-appropriate education on bullying prevention, online safety, mental health, substance use and well-being.

Provide identity-affirming mental health support for all students that acknowledges the impact of identity-based harm through inclusive practices.

• Offer responsive programs and services that affirm student identities, ensuring access to early intervention and specialized care.

• Collaborate with the Human Rights, Equity & Inclusive Education and Indigenous Rights & Education departments to strengthen trauma-informed, culturally responsive, anti-racist, anti-colonial and anti-oppressive approaches to mental health support.

• Support protocols and collaborative frameworks to guide school responses to identity-based harm and emerging mental health needs, ensuring consistent, effective and equitable support.
  

Share clear, easy-to-understand information with students, families and staff about  school-based and community mental health and addiction services, how to get help and where to turn in a crisis. 

• Collaborate with families and community agencies to ensure coordinated support for student mental health and well-being.

• Share up-to-date tools, resources and guidance through multiple channels to help students, families and staff easily access the support they need.

• Promote mental health services proactively and ensure transparent, user-friendly pathways for getting help and responding to crises.
  

Integrate inclusive and culturally relevant and responsive approaches every day to support students’ well-being and social-emotional growth.

• Support educators in using culturally responsive and identity-affirming strategies that foster student belonging, inclusion and well-being.

• Equip school leaders to champion mental health and create conditions for socially and emotionally healthy learning communities.

• Embed social-emotional learning that reflects students’ cultural contexts and promotes equity and belonging, while building trusting, respectful relationships with all students by recognizing and affirming their backgrounds and experiences.