Digital Commons Network^™

Case 13: From Bench To Classroom: Knowledge Translation In School Mental Health Initiatives, Tess Wishart, Gerald Mckinley

Western Public Health Casebooks

The case outlines the journey of Avery McCann, a researcher at Georgian Bay Health Unit. Avery has been asked to create a knowledge product for the local school board, Georgian Bay District School Board (GBDSB), to teach about adolescent self-harm and how social media may influence this behaviour. Formatted as a decision-making case, four potential options are proposed: a formal literature review report for the Director of Education, PowerPoint presentations, infographics and posters, or educational booklets. The head of the committee in the case details the relative benefits and drawbacks to each possible option because they offer different solutions to …

Case 9 : A Knot Of Contradictions: Systems Of Intersectionality And Muslim Lgbtq+ Mental Health Programs, Nour Kachouh, Harvir Sandhu, Amardeep Thind

Western Public Health Casebooks

The case involves the protagonist, Yasmin Baytar, a queer Muslim woman who returns from the 2019 Women Deliver conference with the goal of implementing a community mental health program focusing on the LGBTQ+ Muslim population in Ottawa. She has extensive Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis Plus training and knowledge about intersectionality that she can use to develop a program that embraces true equality. However, she also needs to figure out how to obtain funding for her program and collaborate with different stakeholders while making sure she is keeping her population of interest involved and at the centre of her work. Students …

Case 15 : Recovery Through Education: An Integrative Approach To Mental Health For The People, By The People, Qi Xue, Andrew Johnson, Gerald Mckinley

Western Public Health Casebooks

Recovery colleges are cocreated and codeveloped programs and services that mainly focus on increasing community integration and improving the well-being of people who have mental health concerns. Recovery colleges originated in England in 2009, with the first college established at the South West London Recovery College in London. Currently, there is no general consensus about what constitutes a recovery college. The primary focus of a recovery college is to provide a safe space where people who have mental illnesses and/or problematic substance use can lead their own journey to recovery. Eight components are used to define a recovery college (Perkins …

Case 6 : “I Know There Is Hope, Even In A World Of Loss”: A Local Community-Based Intervention To Address Mental Health Challenges Among First Nations Men And Boys, Jasmine Fournier, Julie George, Samantha Wells, Lloy Wylie

Western Public Health Casebooks

Kieran, a young man from River Rock First Nation (RRFN), is frustrated that there are no evidence-based, culturally-safe, and male-specific mental health resources available at any of the treatment centres he has attended. Kieran and his friend Jake partner with Jade, a recent PhD graduate, to initiate a boys’ and men’s mental health program in the community. Using the information Jade gathered for her PhD as a foundation, as well as drawing on applied research at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the team uses a participatory action research approach, including photovoice, to address mental health challenges of …

Case 9 : From Theory To Action: Implementing An Internationally Developed Mental Health And Substance Abuse Program In Indigenous Communities In The Americas, Ashley Sebastian, Sandra Del Pino, Devora Kestel Kestel, Gerald Mckinley

Western Public Health Casebooks

Intergenerational trauma compounded throughout centuries by the effects of colonialism have left indigenous peoples within the Americas in grave despair. Indigenous communities are subject to a variety of human rights violations and social neglect, which contribute to reduced physical and mental health. The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues has identified these insufficiencies in acknowledging higher rates of poor mental health, substance abuse, and elevated rates of suicide, when compared to non-indigenous peoples. The World Health Organization has developed the Mental Health Gap Action Program Intervention Guide (mhGAP IG) to assess, monitor, and manage, neurological, and mental health conditions, …

Case 7 : What Do We Do About The Families?, Burton Mohan, Alexxa Abi-Jaoude, Andrew Johnson, David Wiljer, Ava John-Baptiste

Western Public Health Casebooks

Families are involved in the support of many people with mental health conditions. Support ranges from financial, housing, help with ADL (activities of daily living) etc. Families can also be useful sources of clinical information/history during inpatient treatment. Families generally want to be more involved in the care of their loved ones while they are in hospital.

Mental health literacy includes knowledge and information on access and evaluation related to mental health pathology/issues. This includes being able to assess and identify mental health pathology and symptoms. Increasing mental health literacy (and health literacy) among family members can lead to improved …

Why Should Men And Women Marry And Have Children? Parenthood, Marital Status And Self-Perceived Stress Among Canadians, Ali Muhammad, Alain Gagnon

PSC Discussion Papers Series

Based on the Canadian Community and Health Survey (2000), this study examines the stress perceived by parents and non-parents across marital statuses, adjusting for for age, education, work, income, and sense of community belonging. Results show that fatherhood increases perceived stress in all marital statuses, particularly among singles. Motherhood does not affect perceived stress among married or cohabitating women but single and postmarried mothers endure appreciably higher levels of stress. Interactions between working and parental or marital statuses are also observed. The sense of community belonging appears as an important coping mechanism lowering stress levels. Results are discussed in the …