Student Integrated Health and Wellbeing
Student Integrated Health and Wellbeing (SHaW) is a diverse team of staff, healthcare professionals and students/learners working across three areas: the Centre for Student Development and Counselling, Health Promotion Programs and Medical Centre. The team’s collective efforts this past year were focused on responding to immediate needs and facilitating initiatives that support the continued integration of our student health and wellbeing services.
This year, SHaW adopted a stepped care pathways model to help strengthen our ability to provide personalized and scalable support to our diverse population of students. The model recognizes that students require varying levels of support and intervention, and tailors our services accordingly to ensure resources are allocated efficiently and effectively.
Supporting student mental health through counselling services
10,000+ hours of counselling provided to clients
30% identify as being from an equity-deserving group with regard to sexual orientation
98% of clients receiving ongoing therapy would recommend to a friend.
13% identify as being from an equity-deserving group with regard to gender identity
42% report having at least one disability (physical or mental)
71% identify as being from a deserving group with regard to race/ethnicity
CSDC offers resources and services through the following streams:
A service delivery model that tailors care to a student’s location, resources and level of need. Through integrated care within TMU and in the Toronto community, students can access timely, highly-skilled clinical care and comprehensive services. This model has helped reduce wait times for ongoing counselling while maintaining a high satisfaction rate with care.
Since building specialized care pathways for students from equity-deserving groups, including Black and Indigenous students, the CSDC has seen an increase in students from these communities accessing care. Through data collection and focus groups, the CSDC has gained a better understanding of the needs of these groups, and offer tailored and expedited care with counsellors of a similar background (as requested). The CSDC aims to expand these pathways to other equity-deserving groups in the future.
A dedicated care pathway for students experiencing eating disorders that offers timely access to care, resource navigation, ongoing therapy and group therapy options to support recovery. This past year the CSDC collaborated with a Registered Dietitian – a new role – to offer interprofessional team-based care for students.
Cultivating a culture of well-being for all aspects of student life
Health Promotion Programs (HPP) is committed to fostering wellbeing for all students by promoting awareness, education and providing programs that empower students and boost their resiliency and connection.
Our mission is to intentionally cultivate a culture of wellbeing that provides comprehensive programming for all dimensions of student life – including physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual aspects.
Peer Support at TMU has provided a platform for students to share their lived experiences, particularly with mental health. It contributes to individual wellbeing by fostering a sense of belonging and reducing feelings of isolation all while working through behavioral changes to help support students in their university journey.
10 peer support groups for students covering a range of topics related to health and wellness
Peer Support highlights this year:
- Facilitated seven support groups in partnership with Ontario Shores (external link) , on topics such as building healthy habits, navigating university life and empowerment through self-care.
- Created a new support group for students who are experiencing feeling sadness.
- Launched individual peer support – a one-on-one chat using lived experiences to help students with mental health and academic concerns.
- Collaborated with the Faculty of Arts Black Student Success Facilitator to pilot a group series for Black-identified students to discuss mental well-being, bolster coping skills and foster a sense of community.
- Hired two students as Career Boost Peer Support Facilitators who were trained to provide guidance and support to their peers.
- Created two workshops related to managing stress and supporting your boundaries, in partnership with International Student Support.
Substances + TM(U) is a week-long awareness campaign aimed at addressing substance use trends among post-secondary students. In collaboration with internal and community partners, including student clubs, the initiative helps connect and educate students, and combat stigma related to substance use through in-person and virtual events.
Britt Harvey (Clinical Nurse Lead)
Information about Nalaxone
Alvin Singh (Peer Support Specialist)
How to support others struggling with substance use
During the winter semester, and peak cold and flu season, HPP and the Medical Centre offered a series of pop-up flu vaccine clinics across campus to help enhance health system readiness and reduce the spread of illness across campus.
3 pop-up clinic locations offered across campus
230 vaccinations administered to TMU students, faculty and staff
Serving the health and well-being needs of the TMU community
In partnership with SHaW, Athletics & Recreation and the School of Nutrition, this role supports students in their nutrition and healthy eating. They also play a critical role in supporting students who struggle with disordered eating, ensuring they can access the care they need.
This role provides interprofessional frontline support to the TMU community, serving as a consistent point of contact for coordinating care across SHaW services. They also help assess, evaluate and recommend improvements to Medical Centre processes, acting as a leader among TMU health and wellbeing partners.
The Medical Centre has also expanded in-house psychiatry access for TMU students by adding three psychiatrists, providing increased and specialized mental health support to students in need. This service provides a vital function in assessing, diagnosing, and treating TMU students who might not otherwise be able to afford, access, or navigate the complex community and hospital mental health landscape. This in-demand service demonstrates the ongoing value of providing in-house healthcare resources to TMU students.
Reflecting back on the past academic year, our team’s collective efforts focussed on responding and providing immediate support to students facing health and well-being challenges. Through the development of initiatives like our Wellbeing Learning Hub and specialized care pathways, we continued to take the steps to advance the overall health and well-being of our student community.
We are also working to strengthen our partnerships with local healthcare providers to ensure that students have access to a continuum of care beyond the TMU campus. The growth of our services this year reflects our commitment to holistic and integrated support.
Clara Tam, Director, Student Integrated Health and Wellbeing