Taking the stigma out of mental health in schools

The government of British Columbia has contributed $45,000 to the Stigma-Free Society to help fund the Student Mental Health Toolkit, and the Virtual Stigma-Free School Programs. The Student Mental Health Toolkit is a set of resources developed by clinical counsellors intended to be used for youth grades 4 through 12 in classroom settings. The Virtual Stigma-Free School Program involves showing students a short, virtual documentary about mental health and the associated stigmas. Following the presentation, leaders from the Stigma-Free Society join students for a question-and-answer forum. Both programs use age-appropriate programming to educate about mental health, with the overarching goal of decreasing stigma through early interventions and teaching. The BC government hopes that by providing education on mental health, children and teens experiencing challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic will be more knowledgeable about mental health and available supports.

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Government of British Columbia. (2021, July 8). Taking the stigma out of mental health in schools. BC Gov News. https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021MMHA0032-001325

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