Toronto’s Board of Health has called for urgent funding to improve access to intensive mental health support for students in Ontario, as nearly 60% of them reported feeling depressed about the future due to the pandemic. The board voted to advocate for more support from the provincial government and asked the council to do the same. Self-harm-related emergency department visits among children and youth in Toronto increased by 30% during the first year of the pandemic. Additionally, there has been a decline in physical activity among students and an increase in screen time, cyberbullying, and excessive gaming. Mental health concerns were particularly prominent among students facing barriers, such as those with special needs, international students, and those in families with lower incomes and parental education rates.
Toronto’s public health spokesperson, Grace Lee, stated that the province has made mental health learning mandatory in the curriculum and increased student mental health funding in schools to a historic $114 million in the 2023-24 school year, representing a 555% increase compared to the previous Liberal government’s funding. However, education leaders believe that more needs to be done to support students’ mental health, especially given the impact of the pandemic on their well-being.
Coun. Chris Moise, who chairs the board of health, emphasized that the province should allocate more resources to support schools and cities in addressing student mental health issues.
Shameen Sandhu, the Toronto District School Board’s system leader for mental health, mentioned the challenges students face in accessing treatment for conditions like eating disorders, with waiting lists growing to 18 months to two years. The demand for one-on-one counseling with social workers has also increased, making it essential to address resource gaps in the education system’s mental health support services.
The pandemic has highlighted the urgency of providing comprehensive mental health support to students to help them overcome the challenges they face.
