Mental health support for Canadian postsecondary students during COVID-19 pandemic: An environmental scan

Abstract

Objective

This study explored how Canada’s postsecondary institutions have informed students about campus mental health (MH) services via websites and social media during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We conducted a Web-based environmental scan of 20 universities and 24 colleges across the province of Ontario, Canada, between October 2020 and July 2021.

Results

91% of the institutions offered virtual counseling services and 84% offered general psychoeducational resources, whereas only 55% had COVID-19 specific MH resources. Larger institutions had more MH support to students than small schools. There was a trend toward outsourcing counseling and emergency services to external professionals via apps and hotlines. Limited MH information was available for out-of-province and international students.

Conclusion

It is vital for equitable campus MH services to address unique MH challenges associated with the crisis and intentional outreach to students with special circumstances. Schools can leverage peer support and self-help to promote student mental well-being.

Keywords:

• Campus mental health services
• COVID-19 pandemic
• environmental scan
• postsecondary schools

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported partially by Toronto Metropolitan University under 2020-21 Fall/Winter Work Study Research Assistant Program (PI: Yukari Seko).