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programs, or campaigns, curricular inclusion and instruction is a practice that focuses more on the general promotion of mental health (Anderson-Butcher, 2006; CACUSS & CMHA, 2014; Han & Weiss, 2005; Patton et al., 2000; Sharp et al., 2006; Waller et al., 2006). More

specifically, the objective of promoting student mental health through curricular content and tasks is to “enhance knowledge about mental health, change attitudes in both students and teachers, and decrease the stigma associated with mental disorders” (Froese-Germain & Riel,

2012, p. 6). Delivery is just as important as content and tasks, and therefore, the application of particular instructional techniques and processes that can support the mental health and well- being of students was also considered in this review.

Some post-secondary institutions carry academic programs and courses that address or promote student well-being in some way (CACUSS & CMHA, 2014; Canadian-Universities.net, 2014; Kadison & DiGeronimo, 2004; Molize College, 2014a; Seneca College, 2014; York University, 2014). Canadian-Universities.net (2014) lists the mental health certificate, bachelor, masters, and doctorate programs and affiliated courses offered across Canadian universities. For example, York University (2014) offers a Fundamentals of Learning academic program to support students at risk of academic probation or withdrawal. Specifically, this program,

…consists of various academic and personal development components, and is grounded in current theory and practice related to student success, human development, and retention. [Some of the topics it covers includes] time management; reading, note-taking and exam techniques; critical thinking, researching, and writing essays; memory and concentration; the university system; issues of procrastination and motivation…and personal issues such as self-esteem, managing emotions, and confidence. The program runs through the Fall/Winter term and comprises of weekly lectures, weekly tutorials, and bi-weekly individualized learning sessions. (York University, 2014, para. 2-4)

Similarly, as described in earlier chapters, Molize College’s (2013) School of Liberal Arts and Science carries the streamed preparatory program to provide students, including those who come from challenging backgrounds, with extra assistance. This program offers first-year preparatory courses intended to guide students throughout their academic careers by providing a number of strategies to enhance their academic capabilities and overall emotional well-being. Likewise,

Seneca College (2014) offers a Mental Health Intervention Certificate program. This one-year certificate “…prepares front line service providers or recent graduates…who wish to obtain a specialization in mental health intervention to better support individuals and families in their mental health and well-being” (para. 1). The courses provided through this stream introduce topics such as, crisis management, family dynamics, and exploring prevention. Although designed to “assist individuals assisting others”, the program is noted to indirectly support student well-being by virtue of participation (Seneca College, 2014).

Aside from academic programs, institutions can facilitate individual, general elective courses that carry a student mental health and well-being focus (Kadison & DiGeronimo, 2004). For example, at the University of Maryland, first-year students are offered the opportunity to enrol in general, credit-worthy courses designed to help with issues that pertain to mental health, namely time management and stress avoidance (Kadison & DiGeronimo, 2004). An evaluation of this initiative demonstrated that “86 percent of the students who took the course returned for their sophomore year, compared with 69 percent of a comparable group who did not take the course” (Kadison & DiGeronimo, 2004, p. 178). Unfortunately, not all institutions are able or willing to fit any kind of academic program or courses surrounding mental health (Law & Shek, 2011). Higher education settings are divided into different faculties, departments, or schools of learning, each promoting a particular discipline and focus. Those that welcome an engagement with the specificities or complexities surrounding mental health represent optimal venues for the evolution of academic programs and courses that include a mental health and well-being focus.

Considering the challenges of developing entire programs or courses, the addition of mental health curriculum within existing programs/courses presents as a feasible alternative (Anderson-Butcher, 2006; CACUSS & CMHA, 2014; Cornejo, 2010; Patton et al., 2000; Sharp

et al., 2006; Tacker & Dobie, 2008; Waller, 2006). In some cases, information regarding student support services available at an institution is added to course syllabi or outlines (York

University, 2013a). In other cases, mental health curriculum can be included more deeply. As part of their systemic approach to post-secondary student mental health, CACUSS and CMHA (2014) indicated that mental health curriculum and pedagogy can be encouraged through any lesson facilitated or task assigned in the classroom. As Tacker and Dobie (2008) proposed for implementation in secondary schools, MasterMind is an example of adding mental health curriculum through units. The six-week unit combines instruction and written exercises with individual and group discussions and activities that cover a variety of topics, such as types of mental health issues and school resources of support (Tacker & Dobie, 2008).

Mental health curriculum can also be facilitated through individual lessons, which may work more easily in post-secondary classrooms. Working in a higher education context and with an interest in mental health education and helping students seek support, Sharp and colleagues (2006) proposed and evaluated a psycho-educational intervention strategy for curricular

inclusion in college course lesson plans. The strategy involved the facilitation of a one-hour, in- class lecture, where first year college students were given a lesson on the accessibility of support resources, the psychological disorders prevalent in college populations, the efficacy of

treatments, and the role of conventional mental health professionals. When tested with 123 college students, those who partook in the lecture developed a more informed understanding towards mental health problems and intervention, according to the results of two Likert-type scales and a survey questionnaire that were completed following the lecture. Sharp et al. (2006) suggested that if one hour seems too condensed, three forty-minute lessons divided according to

prevailing mental health themes, such as myths/stigma or interventions options, can be created instead.

In addition to the facilitation of mental health content or tasks, or when the facilitation of mental health content or tasks through lessons/units is not at all possible, the literature revealed that the promotion of certain instructional or delivery techniques can also help support the mental health and well-being of students (Han & Weiss, 2005; Kearney & Bates, 2005; Kitzrow, 2003; Martin, 2010; Maryland School Mental Health Alliance, 2011; Patton et al., 2000). For example, through her exploration on the mental health needs of college students, Kitzrow (2003)

recommended using a guest lecturer, often obtainable from student support services departments within institutions, to inform students of mental health issues and intervention practices. This technique allows for the topic of mental health to be addressed in a forthright and detailed fashion.

2.3 Working towards a Whole-School Approach in Supporting the Mental Health and