School Mental Health Ontario Resource Highlights—Winter 2026

Since 2011, School Mental Health Ontario (SMH-ON) has worked alongside the Ministry of Education, English and French school districts and school authorities, and a number of provincial education and health organizations to develop a systematic and comprehensive approach to school mental health. Both staff and members of OSSTF/FEESO are active collaborators with SMH-ON resources and materials. The following are resources from SMH-ON that have recently been released.

Social-Emotional Learning (S-E-L) Posters

These Social-Emotional Learning Posters offer quick practices to support well-being that also provide a gentle transition to and from learning or other activities. Elementary, secondary and adapted versions with more visuals are available.

By Your Side provides parent/caregiver resources to support mental health learning and well-being for every family. SMH-ON is offering a free webinar series for parents and caregivers on important mental health and substance use health topics identified by parents/caregivers in Ontario. Sessions run March–June and will be made available here, on the By Your Side learning hub for future access. English and French sessions will be offered on each topic.  

1. Webinar 1 March 5: Conversations about balanced-device use 
2. Webinar 2 April 10: Conversations about vaping 
3. Webinar 3 May 7: Conversations about body image 
4. Webinar 4 June 5: Conversations about anxiety 

Youth Wellness Champions Program:

The Youth Wellness Champions (YWC) Program of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) has helped organizations, schools and communities to implement peer-led youth mental health initiatives, for more than a decade. Currently the program is being implemented across the province in more than 20 school boards and 160 schools. The program helps to develop peer “Champions”, using youth engagement approaches to foster core skills to promote mental health, decrease stigma and create inclusive and supportive school and community environments. Funding for the YWC Program is provided by the government of Ontario.

Interested in learning more? Visit RNAO.ca/bpg/youth-wellness-champions or email Sabrina Merali, RN, MN, Program Manager (Mental Health and Substance Use) at s.merali@RNAO.ca

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