In 2019, the majority of post-secondary students’ self-reported “feeling so depressed in the last twelve months that it was difficult to function” on the National College Health Assessment survey, a continued increase over each of the last three surveys (2013, 2016 and 2019). Health Canada now indicates that one in five Canadians will experience mental health issues in their lifetime, with 70% of those experiencing onset before age 18. Given that this age marks the transition into post-secondary education for many young people, post-secondary campuses present a unique opportunity for effective mental health prevention and intervention. Yet at this time, there is a substantial gap in research evidence on the mental health needs of students.
University of Toronto Institutional Strategic Initiative
In January 2020 the final report of the University of Toronto’s Presidential & Provostial Task Force on Student Mental Health was released, including the recommendation to “utilize our expertise in mental health research at the University to establish an institutional strategic research initiative focused on student mental health”. The administrative response to this report included an outline for a new partnership with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) that consists of four integrated elements: (1) a redesign of campus-based services; (2) integrated care pathways between campus-based services and CAMH (and other Toronto hospitals); (3) enhanced clinical education programs on student mental health for trainees; and (4) a research initiative on youth and student mental health.
In response to the Task Force report, Dr. Kristin Cleverley has been awarded Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI) funding to support the development of this research initative. This Student Mental Health Research Initiative will develop research-informed, evidence-based solutions to the challenges identified by U of T’s Presidential & Provostial Task Force on Student Mental Health. This initiative will connect experts in student and youth mental health across U of T and CAMH to establish a novel research network, led by an expert Steering Committee and supported by Clinical and Student Advisory Committees.
In response to the Task Force report, Dr. Kristin Cleverley has been awarded Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI) funding to support the development of this research initative. This Student Mental Health Research Initiative will develop research-informed, evidence-based solutions to the challenges identified by U of T’s Presidential & Provostial Task Force on Student Mental Health. This initiative will connect experts in student and youth mental health across U of T and CAMH to establish a novel research network, led by an expert Steering Committee and supported by Clinical and Student Advisory Committees.
Visit the Student Mental Health Research Initiative website to learn more.
Our Partners
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Our Funders
Institutional Strategic Initiatives
Our Paper
Research to-date has mostly focused on outcomes of counselling or academic support for students once they are already on campus, rather than how best to support first-year students with pre-exisiting mental health concerns as they transition to the academic institution. Using an established scoping review methodology, this review will examine peer-reviewed and non-academic documents (e.g., policy documents) to synthesize literature on the experiences of first-year students with mental health concerns transitioning to a post-secondary setting, in addition to interventions and their components that exist to support these students as they transition.
This paper aims to identify and understand promising mental health transition interventions for young people moving into post-secondary education with pre-exisiting mental health concerns. It also aims to identify any gaps in knowledge pertaining to understanding the perspective and experiences of young people who have experienced these transitions, such as barriers and facilitators. Exploring experiences and interventions are key considerations for the successful design and evaluation of effective transition strategies. This paper provide a basis for future research to focus on the development of indicators to evaluate programs that support youth during the transition to post-secondary settings.
Learn more about student mental health on campus by reading the Ontario University and College Health Association 2017 Report.
Our Partners
Tim Fricker, Dean of Students at Mohawk College and a Doctoral Candidate at the Ontario Institute of Secondary Education, University of Toronto.
Dr. Andrea J Levinson, Psychiatrist-in-Chief, Health and Wellness, and Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Tony Pignatiello, Associate Dean, Health Professions Student Affairs, and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Andrea J Levinson, Psychiatrist-in-Chief, Health and Wellness, and Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Tony Pignatiello, Associate Dean, Health Professions Student Affairs, and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto.
Our Funders
