More Mental Health Supports for Students

May 1, 2023

With mental health challenges on the rise, the government of Ontario is acting with additional funding and mandatory learning to prevent tragedy and keep children safe.

Thanks to MPP Pierre’s compassionate leadership, our government is strengthening mental health literacy in the classroom to ensure students have the tools and confidence to succeed in the classroom and to always know they’re not alone.

Ontario’s plan includes the introduction of new and mandatory learning for students and staff in Grade 7 and 8 starting this coming September, which will help students learn:

How to manage stress.

How to understand the relationship between mental health and mental illness.

How to recognize signs and symptoms of mental health concerns.

And how to counteract the stigma surrounding mental health

We are also introducing mandatory learning in Careers Studies on mental health literacy for Grade 10 students for the first time in our province’s history — as we provide tools to manage stress in school, work and life.

Starting in 2024, Grade 10 students will learn how to recognize signs of being overwhelmed or struggling, and where to find help locally when needed.

Our government is continuing to provide historic mental health supports in schools, increasing the investment by over 500% compared to the Liberals, now funding is at a record $114 million for the 2023-2024 school year.

To date, over $130 million has also been provided as part of the Roadmap to Wellness for child and youth mental health services and supports including launching the “One Stop Talk” virtual counselling program and significantly expanded the number of Youth Wellness Hubs across the province.