Grant: Team Gr.: Transitions in Care - Mental Health Care for Post-Secondary Students

Success in higher education is predicated on well-being and good mental health. Yet the transition to university coincides with the peak age of onset of mental disorders and associated with unique stressors including making new friends, meeting new learning standards, financing studies and taking on more responsibility for life choices. University student demand for engaging, accessible and effective mental health care has progressively increased and far outpaced contemporaneous increases in enrolment. Authoritative reports have highlighted the need for research to reliably estimate student mental health needs, identify risk factors and develop student tailored mental health supports with facilitated transitions to higher intensity services. This proposal uses digital technology and the best available evidence in partnership with students and stakeholders across campus and in the community to adapt, implement and evaluate integrated initiatives organized in a stepped care model with facilitated transitions to different levels of support. The initiatives were co-developed with students at Queen's with prior funding and include: (i) an electronic longitudinal survey to follow students through undergraduate studies assessing well-being, mental health, access to care and the student experience, (ii) an online credit-bearing mental health literacy course, (iii) a digital student well-being platform that supports self-monitoring and access to digital wellness resources, and (iv) a student-facing electronic health passport to engage students and providers on campus and in the community in monitoring and adjusting the nature and intensity of care. This work will improve well-being and mental health across the diverse student population and clarify care pathways. In addition, in partnership with students we will develop a novel digital student mental health calculator which will help connect students to the appropriate level of support on a more timely basis.