Thriving in Post-Secondary Education for Individual with Mental Health Concerns

1. THRIVING IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION
SUPPORTED EDUCATION
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

2. RECOVERY
 The concept of recovery in mental health
refers to living a satisfying, hopeful and
contributing life even when faced with
limitations caused by mental health problems
and issues.
 Education is an important part in the recovery
process- providing choices, better work/career
opportunities, and can be therapeutic.

3. Mental Health Conditions:
 Affective Disorders: Major Depression, Bipolar
Disorder
 Anxiety Disorders: Panic disorder, social
phobia, generalized anxiety disorder,
obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic
stress disorder
 Schizophrenic Disorders: Schizophrenia,
Psychotic disorder, Schizoaffective Disorders
 Eating Disorders
 Substance Use Disorders
 Personality Disorders

4. Framework for Success
 Supported Education Services have been identified in
MH to be promising practices in helping folks achieve
their education goals.
 Refers to the individualized specialized supports and
services to assist each person to be successful in their
academic study
 Core elements are: strength-based assessment, career
planning, academic survival skill building, connection to
disability supports on campus, and connection to MH
supports and services
 Identification of readiness: MH stability, timing, wellness
plan, supports in place, previous experience/knowledge
of academic demands, commute, financial situation,
part-time vs. fulltime, learning strengths/needs, prepare
and plan

5. Strength-based assessment
includes 6 dimensions:
 Focus on individuals’ strengths rather than pathology-personal
attributes, talents and skills, environmental
strengths/supports, interests and aspirations
 Personal recovery/coping style- task or process-oriented,
cognitive vs. emotional
 Current stage of recovery process; acute/crisis, post-traumatic,
stocking taking, re-building, reaching out
and consolidation
 Family and social networks- interactions
 Community Resources- church, neighbourhood
 Disability , impairment, insight, reversed or accepted?
“Rapp and Goscha ( Strengths- Model) 2006”

6. Supported Education Toolkit
Higher Education Support Toolkit
Developed from Boston University Center
for Psychiatric Rehabilitation 2009. This
toolkit is helpful to:
 Identify common difficulties experienced by
students e.g. Student self-assessment
inventories
 Consider strategies and accommodations –
specifically for students with mental health
issues
 Provides staff with a guide to psychiatric
disorders, related difficulties, explore options
and possible actions

7. Student Self-Assessment
Checklist:
 Psychosocial skills
 Communication skills
 Behaviour
 Perception
 Relationships
 Thinking and Learning
 Medication
 Self-care
 Emotions
 Treatment Needs
 Resource Needs

8. Possible Accommodations
 Tape record class
 Note taker
 Pre-arranged breaks
 Preferential registration
 Preferential seating
 Flexible withdrawal dates
 Reduced course load
(but maintain full-time
status)
 Use scribe, reader, or
word processor for
exams
 Beverages in class
 Take exam in quiet space
 Noise buffers
 Extra time for exams and
assignments
 Obtain copies of
instructor’s lecture notes
 Provide regular feedback
to student
 Access to proof-reading /
editing service
 Academic coach or tutor

9. Processing Speed Impairment
 Recommendations for student:
 Focus on subjects not heavily dependent on time limit
 Set aside appropriate time to complete tasks
 Possible Accommodations:
 Permission to record lectures
 Extra time to take exams

10. Impaired Attention /
Concentration
 Recommendations for student:
 Get to class early
 Sit at front of class
 Schedule classes at preferred time of day
 Do homework in shorter sittings
 Keep a scheduler / day planner
 Schedule rest breaks between classes
 Exercise before class
 Possible Accommodations:
 Tape recorder or note taker
 Take tests in a separate room / distraction-reduced
environment

11. Fatigue / Decreased Stamina
 Recommendations for students:
 Schedule courses at preferred time
 Ensure rest time between courses
 Exercise before class
 Possible accommodations:
 Decreased course load w/o losing full-time status
 Preferential registration date

12. Impaired Learning / Memory
 Recommendations for students:
 Write things down: journal and day planner
 Learning to categorize, rehearse, visualize, and chunk
information
 Depth of processing (understanding vs. memorization)
 Multi-modal learning (i.e. written, oral, visual)
 Study Skills course
 Possible accommodations:
 Receive verbal and written instructions
 Permission to tape record lectures / note taker / borrow
notes
 Provide opportunity for student to clarify instructions /

13. Restlessness
 Recommendations for students:
 Get to class early and find appropriate seat
 Exercise before class
 Schedule breaks between classes
 Possible accommodations:
 Pre-arranged breaks during class
 Allow student to doodle, use stress ball, etc.

14. Panic Attacks
 Recommendations for students:
 Get to class early / sit near door
 Keep cold water: apply to hands or face as needed
 If frequent, inform instructor at beginning of course
 Learn relaxation strategies (e.g. deep breathing,
grounding techniques)
 Possible accommodations:
 Permission to leave classroom if panic attack occurs
 Preferential seating

15. Exacerbation of MH
symptoms:
 Recommendations for student:
 Try to communicate absence as soon as possible
 Request extensions on course requirements
 Request to arrange an “incomplete” rather than fail
course
 Possible accommodations:
 Flexible dates for withdrawal (e.g. retroactive
withdrawal)

16. Executive Functioning
Impairment
 Recommendations for student:
 Use a day planner
 Break large tasks into smaller parts
 Avoid multi-tasking (one task at a time)
 Minimize distractions
 Work with an outline
 Courses / support around time management, prioritizing,
planning/organization, study skills
 Possible accommodations:
 Access to lecture notes / outlines
 Flexible dates for withdrawal (e.g. retroactive withdrawal)

17. Resources for Mental Health
Supports in Vancouver Community
 Vancouver Community Mental Health teams :
Occupational Therapists, Peer Support Workers,
Youth Inner City Outreach Mental Health (St. Paul’s
Hospital)
 Community Link Program : Referral by GP
 Support Groups : Canadian Mental Health
Association, Mood Disorders Association , Kettle
Society
 Consumer Initiatives for Support Groups (VCH):
Wellness Recovery Action Plans( WRAP) Groups
 Gastown Vocational Educational Services : Youth
program (16-30 years ) and Adult Employment
Program

18. References
Boston University Center for Psychiatric
Rehabilitation (2009). Hig he r Ed uc a tio n Sup p o rt
To o lkit: As s is ting Stud e nts with Ps y chia tric
Dis a bilitie s .
Canadian Mental Health Association (2004). Yo ur
Educ a tio n – Yo ur Future : A Guid e to Co lle g e a nd
Unive rs ity fo r Stud e nts with Ps y chia tric
Dis a bilitie s . Accessed on January 22, 2014 at
www.cmha.ca/youreducation/