CREDIT: PROVIDED BY CASA
The Canadian Alliance of Students Associations (CASA) launched the Canada-wide #StudentsLetsAct Campaign to advocate for policy change on post-secondary student mental health.

On Jan. 30, 2019, #StudentsLetsAct campaign launched across Canada.

The campaign is backed by the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations’ (CASA), a federal student advocacy organization.

“[The] campaign was developed by students to highlight the urgent need for action on student mental health,” Adam Brown, chair of CASA, said.

Mental health is an incredibly important topic for students, considering the stress and sense of being overwhelmed that can accompany post-secondary education.

On a positive note, the attention and conversations around mental health have increased over the years, as shown by the recent #Bell- LetsTalk campaign. Although that is encouraging, Brown said CASA wanted to channel that energy into actionable goals.

“[W]e wanted to turn that momentum into tangible action to support those struggling,” Brown said. “Without the right, accessible supports in place, not only is the student’s academic performance at risk, but also the individual’s safety and wellbeing,” he added.

According to Brown, the campaign targets influential people within the federal government who can create policy change.

“All the [on-campus forms] filled out by students and collected during the campaign will be delivered in person to the Minister of Health on Parliament Hill, to illustrate how critically action is needed,” added Brown.

There are a couple main changes the campaign is advocating for, including financial considerations for those with a mental health issue or illness, and more on-campus supports and services. “We think the federal government should provide funding targeted at mental health initiatives and supports on Canadian campuses,” said Brown. “They should be collecting data on student mental health to help inform practices and policies across the country,” he added.

Specifically, the campaign is advocating for policy change regarding the Canada Student Loans Program. “We’d like to see the Canada Student Loans Program review their definition of a ‘permanent disability’, so that students who struggle with short-term, episodic, and debilitating mental health concerns can access the supports they need,” Brown said.

Such policy change would give students the opportunity to access grants to help pay for treatment and required services pertaining to mental illness/mental health issues and will also help when it comes time to repay the loans.

“[This] would allow students who need it to take a reduced course load while maintaining their fulltime student status,” Brown said.

Although #StudentsLetsAct is targeting the federal government, the hope is to draw attention to provincial governments and post-secondary administrations.

“The more people working to help students, the better,” Brown said.

Current post-secondary students can still get involved in the campaign, even though the ‘on-campus’ portion of the campaign has ended.

“Students can still participate online by sending a letter to pertinent Ministers and their local Member of Parliament. All you have to do is visit casa-acae.com/studentsletsact, put in your information and send,” Brown said.

The letter will be delivered directly to the politician’s inbox.

“[It’s] critical the government take immediate action on student mental health,” Brown said. “It’s our job to make them see that.”

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If you are currently struggling with mental health issues, reach out to someone you know and trust. If that is not an option, use a helpline. Good2Talk (1-866-925-5454) is a toll-free confidential helpline for post-secondary students and is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Another option is to use the Crisis Text Line powered by Kids Help Phone. The service is available to anyone in any form of crisis. Text HOME to 686868 in Canada to be connected with a crisis responder/counsellor. If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, go to your nearest emergency department, call 911, or call a crisis line. Crisis Services Canada (1-833-456-4566) is a toll free crisis line for anyone in crisis and is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.