Leading change: One institution’s experience. Ryan Flannagan Director Student Affairs Carleton University.

Leading change: One institution’s

experience

Ryan Flannagan

DirectorStudent Affairs

Carleton University

Larry McCloskey

DirectorPaul Menton Centre

Carleton University

John Meissner

PsychologistPaul Menton Centre

Carleton University

Maureen Murdock

Director Health and Counselling Services

Carleton University

Council of Ontario Universities/Colleges Ontario

Joint Conference

Leading Change: One Organization’s Experience 6

BackgroundRyan Flannagan, Director, Student Affairs, Carleton University

Carleton Pre-2008

• Overall approach to student mental health was ad hoc.

• No formal risk assessment training beyond key actors.

• Very limited policy direction re: MH, Students @ Risk.

• Compartmentalization was the norm.

• Broader MH knowledge within very limited.

7

Framework Development

8

Changing Carleton’s processes and culture:

• Recognition that a systemic approach was needed.

• Identification of champion within Senior Management AND the community bought in!

• Hired health executive to support process.

• Established a pan-university committee; regular meetings chaired by the Associate Vice-President.

• Regular updates to the broader community (here’s what we’ve done thus far – via email).

• Length of process: 15 months.

Core Elements

The result of consultations was a 4 prong approach including the following elements:

• An overall Student Mental Health Framework complemented by other key policies;

•Communication strategy directed at various stakeholders;

•A comprehensive training program;

•A range of Outreach, Support and Upstream initiatives.

9

Framework Objectives

10

The Student Mental Health Framework (FW) is the centrepiece of Carleton’s strategy. Its Objectives include:

•Ensure consistent campus-wide approaches:

At-Risk Protocol; Code of Conduct; Alcohol strategy; Risk Management process

•Provide guidance on responding to students at-risk;

•Facilitate appropriate referrals;

• Raise awareness about student mental health and train community members to respond appropriately;

•Address emerging needs through quality assurance and improving processes.

Communications

11

To ensure ongoing awareness and participation within the FW, the following Communications outputs have been produced :

•Initially departmental presentations across campus – most faculty and all staff;

•Student Mental Health Framework Website;

• Carleton Complete – Regular bulletin distributed to all faculty, staff and students corresponding to the academic calendar and highlighting support services;

• Student Health 101 – monthly newsletter focusing on students’ health; distributed to all students, advertises Carleton services.

Training - Engagement of Staff

The FW envisioned a comprehensive and multi-year training strategy:

• 2010-11 – Level 1: The Mental Health FW, basic awareness and response to students (4000 trained: Staff, Faculty, TA’s, student leaders)

• 2011-12 – Level 1 con’t + Level 2: More advanced knowledge of mental health and skill development to engage more complex students/situations

• 2011 to 2013 - SafeTalk

• 2012-13 – ASSIST

• Professional development training for staff working in Health & Counselling Services e.g. DBT workshop for individuals with BPD

12

Outreach, Support, Upstream Programming

Carleton has initiated a range of programs to support students with MH challenges but also to prevent issues from developing

• A university-led Orientation program;

• Student Alliance for Mental Health;

• 6-week alcohol and drug program;

• eChug and eToke;

• Residence Life renewal;

• 24 hour access urgent counselling (facilitated by staff);

• Various mentor programs: First Gen, I-Start (int. students), Orientation, Bounce Back, Fit Action…

13

From Intention To Action

From Intention To Action (FIT: Action)

Larry McCloskey, Director - Paul Menton Centre

and

Dr. John Meissner (C.Psych): FIT: A Project Leader

14

FIT:Action – BackgroundLarry McCloskey

• FIT:Action based on (7 year) longitudinal research (LOFT/Transitions) on students with disabilities.

• 91 % of learning disabled who received academic support graduate from post-secondary programs.

• Would students who do not meet their departmental GPAs benefit from similar levels of self-knowledge and support?

• From Intention to Action (FIT:Action) program was developed to answer this question.

15

Specific Program – FIT:ActionDr. John Meissner (C.Psych): FIT: A Project LeaderLarry McCloskey, Director: Paul Menton Centre

From Intention to Action (FIT: A) is a student support and retention program developed for students who are not meeting program requirements needed for graduation. FIT: Action provides a Blueprint with follow through support:

• assessment, feedback, and collaborative goal setting;

• careful audit review and program planning;

• weekly meetings with coordinators to track work;

• counseling with a goal of developing a strong therapeutic alliance and supportive relationship;

• learning strategies and, when needed, tutorial support;

• FIT: A is offered by staff counselors and Master’s level interns in a graduate counseling program.

16

FIT:Action Students’ Adjustment Problems

Developed two years ago, approximately 100 students have taken part in a pilot study this year. A wide variety of situations interfere with academic achievement and adjustment to university. These include:

17

• Significant life stress (e.g., death in family or breakup with partner;

• High levels of anxiety that interfere with studies leaving students overwhelmed and lost;

• Deficits in basic academic skill development (reading, math, written or expressive language);

• Major Psychological issues (e.g. depression, panic disorders);

• Students who have taken the wrong program to please family;

• Good basic academic skills but nonexistent study skills;

• chronic health issues (e.g. chronic pain) where not help was not sought;

• Pre-existing (and unreported or acknowledged) LD or ADHD;

• Party Lifestyle (drugs, alcohol).

FIT:Action

• FIT: Action students may be referred to Health and Counseling Services for support or the Paul Menton Centre if they require further assessment to receive support for disabilities.

• Students in the early pre-pilot program were able to maintain “good standing” status with majority returning to FIT:Action program the following year. This year our FIT:A group of 100 has only 1 student who is receiving a suspension. All of the non-graduating students have indicated that they want to continue in the program this summer and fall.

• All students had an exit interview and provided anonymous feedback as well as completed questionnaires to provide pre-post comparisons.

18

FIT:Action

• Students felt successful and attributed their successes to 1) concrete help received from coordinators, 2) having a “go-to” person when over-challenged and 3) having a new awareness of their strengths and weaknesses.

• Significant improvements have been seen on test-retest measures of students’ metacognitive skills that result in improved time management, decreased anxiety, improved study skills, motivation, concentration, self-testing. developing study aids, test strategies, and bridging new information with existing knowledge.

19

FIT:Action Program Elements

Essential Components of the FIT: Action Program

• An essential commitment from students to attend weekly meetings.

• Assessment at intake – individual feedback from a registered psychologist is key to informing intervention and helping students understand their learning profile, match coordinators with students, and established initial learning goals.

• Review of students’ academic transcripts (Audit) in light of departmental program requirements and students accepting direction are key. Students must be willing to make changes to improve their academic situation.

• The continuity of the Coordinator-Student relationship facilitates an alliance with a commitment to student support, engagement and psychological well-being.

20

FIT:Action Program Elements continued…

• Ongoing Research is conducted to identify changes in FIT:Action students’ grades, study skills, and their experience with this program through structured exit interviews. They are being matched with a cohort of students with similar grades, same gender, and in the same general university program for comparative purposes.

• We anticipate a high degree of success and a significant impact on Carleton’s retention rates.

• Continued research will be undertaken with the Registrar’s Office to identify vulnerable student groups and to elicit faculty involvement and referrals of students identified as being at “risk”.

21

New FIT: A Program Developments

Up to this point the FIT: Action Program has only been available to students on Academic Warning.

• This summer we are opening the program to students who identify as being “Stressed and Distressed”.

• We hope that this intervention will provide a level of support to vulnerable students at an important time in their lives to prevent problems from becoming crises.

• FIT: Action will be expanded to 3 offices (from 1) to provide integrated services across the Paul Menton Centre, the Student Academic Success Centre, and Career Services in conjunction with Health and Counseling Services and the Office of Student Affairs.

22

Student Mental Health Framework -Outcomes and Next Steps

Outcomes thus far:

• Yr-by-Yr increase in NSSE results for a supportive campus environment

• Anecdotal: reduced stress among faulty and staff & increased comfort/confidence in assisting students – less crisis!

• More than 4,000 faculty, staff and TAs trained – Lv 1

Next Steps:

• Participation in National Mental Health Student Survey

• Alcohol Strategy

• Evaluate FW in 2014

• Identify resources to make efforts sustainable 23

Resources

• Student Mental Health Framework: carleton.ca/studentsupport/student-mental-health-framework/

• Communications Initiatives: carleton.ca/students

• Student Rights and Responsibilities Policy: carleton.ca/secretariat/policies/student-rights-and-responsibilities-policy/

• Student-At-Risk Protocol: carleton.ca/secretariat/policies/student-rights-and-responsibilities-policy/appendix-c-student-at-risk-protocol

• FIT:Action http://www1.carleton.ca/fita/about-fita/

24

Questions?

25

Leading change: One institution’s

experience