Two nursing students conducted a mental health workshop for clients at St. Michael's Mission, which serves homeless and disadvantaged individuals, many with mental health issues. The workshop aimed to destigmatize mental health and encourage discussion of stress management and coping strategies while increasing awareness of resources. Thirteen clients attended the workshop, which included activities like stress identification and a discussion of coping strategies. An evaluation found that most clients found the workshop interesting and useful and would recall coping strategies and take an informational pamphlet. The students concluded the workshop was successful at starting a discussion around mental health and hope to make the resources sustainable for future clients and students.

1. Uncovering the Red Roof
The Rooftop Advocates
St. Michael’s Mission
Presented by:
Anya Piasecki and Anaëlle Thommasson
BSc(N), Final year students

2. St. Michael’s Mission
Population:
 Homeless or disadvantaged
 Male
 Immigrant, First Nation and Indigenous population
 30-50 years old
 70-80% of our clients have a mental health issue
Services provided:
 Hot breakfast and lunch
 Showers
 Clean clothes
 Food pantry
 Crisis intervention and administrative
support (social workers)

3. Health promotional priority
Action statement
The clients of St. Michael’s Mission have the potential to improve their mental
health related to their participation in a student nurse facilitated workshop that aims
to de-stigmatize issues surrounding mental health through encouraging active
discussion, introducing the concept of stress management and effective
coping strategies, as well as increasing awareness of mental health community
resources.
Why this project?
“We give them food, clothes, a place to stay but what they’re missing is someone to
take care of their hearts”
–George Greene (Director of St. Michael’s Mission)

4. Methods
Health Services:
Lack of knowledge + fear driven by stigma Underutilized
Personal Health Practices & Coping Skills:
Providing a supportive environment in our workshop  develop
personal skills
Population Health Promotion Model
Potential desired outcomes:
Improved quality of life and overall well being
Increased insight and access to available resource

5. Plan & QAT process and results
The QAT was to make sure our workshop…
…Respected health literacy levels
…Contained realistic and useful coping strategies
…Included relevant mental health resources
…Had products (pamphlet) and activities that complemented it
+ Mental Health First Aid Canada Training in Kahnawake
Results
Mental Health Promotion approach > Focus on Mental Health issues and deficits
 Moyra Allen strength based approach (McGill Model of Nursing)

7. Implementation
Pre workshop
Tickets for admission
Poster and “word of mouth” promotion
The workshop
Who? 13 clients of the shelter attended
Where? At St. Michael’s Mission conference room
What?
 Wheel of Wellness, prizes
 Brainstorming
 True or False
 Stressors and Coping Strategies
 Resources
 Snacks, questions and discussion
Bilingual presentation

8. Pamphlet
Sponsoring: Copie Nova,
Art Sale, Bake Sale
French version also available

9. Evaluation results
Rationale
• 0-10 scale, visual aid
• French version available
• Appropriate challenge
• Simple language
Results- short term outcomes
• 8 out of 13 completed the EET
Goal Achieved results
State the workshop was interesting 60% 100%
Found the workshop useful 60% 87.5%
Take a pamphlet 80% 92%
Be able to recall 1 coping strategy 80% 87.5%

10. What do these results mean?
Results exceeded our initial expectations
 Personal Health Practices were learned
 Access to resources was facilitated
Unanticipated results
 More participation than expected
 Positive verbal feedback
Contextual factors
 Strong relationships with clients  Trust
 Private space, minimal distractions
We broke the ice! Let’s talk about Mental Health!

11. Conclusion
How are we going to render this project
Sustainable?
 Pamphlets revised- PDF sent to social workers
 Pamphlets available in the shelter
 Relayed information to the future students
Special thanks to the course coordinators
Françoise Filion, RN, MScN
Diana Gausden, RN SCPHN
Kristina, Rozintseva, RN, BSc(N)
…and to the members of St. Michael’s
Mission
George Greene, Executive Director
Lisa Scolack, Social Worker
Cailtin Murphy, Social Worker
Anya Piasecki
Daniel Rodriguez
Inass Tawil
Torie Tennant
Anaëlle Thommasson
Victor Villareal-Corpuz
anaelle.thommasson@mail.mcgill.ca
anya.piasecki@mail.mcgill.ca

12. References
• Canadian Institute for Health Information & Canadian Population Health
Initiative. (2007). Improving the health of Canadians: Mental health and
homelessness. Ottawa: Canadian Institute for Health Information
• Forchuk, C., Brown, S. A., Schofield, R. & Jensen, E. (2008). Perceptions of
health and health service utilization among homeless and housed
psychiatric consumer/survivors. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health
Nursing, 15, 5, 399-407.
• Perry, J. & Craig, T. K. J. (2015). Homelessness and mental health. Trends
in Urology & Men's Health, 6, 2, 19-21.
• Tsemberis, S. & Elfenbein, C. (1999). A perspective on voluntary and
involuntary outreach services for the homeless mentally ill. New
Directions for Mental Health Services, 1999, 82, 9-19.
• Vamvakas, A. & Rowe, M. (2001). Mental Health Training in Emergency
Homeless Shelters. Community Mental Health Journal, 37, 3, 287-295.