Identity-affirming school mental health

• centres the student – and their unique and intersecting identities, needs and perspectives in the design and implementation of mental health promotion and supports, 
• builds on strengths – recognizes and builds upon individual, family, cultural and community strengths and expertise,  
• works in partnership – collaborates with communities and organizations with expertise in reconciliation, equity, and mental wellness, amplifying existing community strengths and knowledge,  
• adapts supports – tailors’ mental health programming and services to meet each student’s identified needs, in a respectful, humble, and collaborative manner, 
• encourages reflection – emphasizes the importance of every staff member critically reflecting on their practice, exploring, and understanding their identities; and how who they are influences the work they do and their relationships at school, 
• provides accessible services – ensures that service delivery across the tiers of intervention (mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention) are accessible, culturally relevant, and responsive.  

Why is this important? 

Identity shapes how students experience school – whether they feel safe, connected, and able to ask for help. 

Identity matters for every student, but research shows that young people who face discrimination, exclusion, or systemic barriers are more likely to experience mental health challenges.  

These challenges are closely linked to the social determinants of health and mental health, such as: 

• experiences of racism,  
• access to culturally responsive care,  
• income and housing stability,  
• social inclusion,  
• safety, and opportunities to belong 

These factors influence both student mental health and the support they are able to access.  

The COVID-19 pandemic made these inequities even more visible. While all young people were affected, research shows that racialized and marginalized students were more likely to experience increased stress, isolation, discrimination, and reduced access to culturally safe mental health support. The pandemic highlighted how quickly inequities can grow during times of crisis and how essential trusted, accessible school-based supports are. 

Schools also play a powerful role in shaping several social determinants of health because they influence the everyday conditions in which young people learn, build relationships, experience safety, and access support.  

Education systems can act as protective settings, they can:  

• strengthen belonging, inclusion, and connection  
• reduce barriers to support 
• improve access to care  

When identity is not embedded in practice, supports may be misaligned with student needs, and school systems can unintentionally reinforce inequities through policies, practices and climates that reflect bias or exclusion.    

As a result, schools are not only places where students access mental health supports; they are social environments that directly shape the conditions that contribute to mental health outcomes. 

Given that most young people attend school, and because school is often the first place where they seek help, it is important that schools have a strong, multi-tiered system of support that is flexible and responsive to the diverse realities of students. This means intentionally designing mental health supports that affirm and strengthen the well-being of students and address systemic barriers that exist in education, while improving the quality and relevance of supports for every student. 

When identity is not considered and individual and system biases go unaddressed in school mental health work, inequities can be reinforced. This can lead to gaps in care, misunderstandings of student behaviour, and supports that do not reflect the lived experiences of the students who need them. When schools adopt identity-affirming approaches, they create the conditions for all students to feel seen, valued, and supported in ways that are important and matter to them.  

The goal of the Identity-Affirming School Mental (IA-SMH) Health Frame  

Identity-affirming school mental health approaches and supports are designed to be responsive to individual student needs and serve to affirm intersecting and developing identities. This approach contributes to, and benefits from the wider efforts in school boards and schools to address oppression and marginalization, and to work towards reconciliation, equity, and justice. Moving from current practice to an embedded, integrated identity-affirming school mental health approach takes collaboration, time, dedicated space, intentional reflection, and informed action.  

The goal of the Identity-Affirming School Mental Health Frame is to help Mental Health Leadership Teams: 

• reflect on current practices 
• identify gaps and inequities 
• plan supports that meet the needs of all students 

The Frame supports collaboration across areas such as equity, Indigenous education, curriculum, and mental health, helping teams share perspectives, align priorities and make meaningful connections across their work – strengthening each other’s efforts to improve the well-being of every student.