Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 74.42
Liaison Mary-Lee Townsend
Submission Date Feb. 1, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Western University
IN-27: Innovation D

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Connor Donald
Sustainability Coordinator
Facilities Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
Walk-in Mental health Clinic

A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:

Thanks to an external donation, Western University hosted its first walk-in mental health clinic, in order to ease the burden of mental health emergency services that students experienced. The current offering of services towards mental health was already limited in the city; with the introduction of these Mental Health Walk-in clinics, students have access to peers (other students) that can talk to them and start receiving the attention they need before a crisis hits. After seeing their peers, students are then referred to mental health professionals to deal with their issues and concerns.

Previously, students had to register weeks in advance to see a counsellor, which would add to the stress they were already experiencing. Although some referrals to external services were made, this change of environment would cause additional sources of stress. Already in this past academic year, two students (a second year and a fourth year student) have already died by suicide at Western, showcasing the need for increased attention and resources on mental health.

These clinics were not started alone; this is a collaboration between Western University, King's University College, Fanshawe College and the Canadian Mental Health Association.

http://lfpress.com/2017/11/09/students-spearhead-mental-health-clinics/wcm/f86154d7-d23a-4aa1-c83e-a3de9add7848
https://globalnews.ca/news/3892647/western-university-students-to-vote-on-administrative-pledge-to-mental-health/


Which of the following impact areas does the innovation most closely relate to? (select up to three):
Campus Engagement
Energy
Wellbeing & Work

A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise or a press release or publication featuring the innovation :
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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