Across Canada, Bell Let’s Talk Day offers a moment to pause and reflect on mental health. At the Ottawa Catholic School Board, we recognize this moment in a way that reflects who we are and how we support students, families, and staff every day.
Mental health is not a one-day conversation at OCSB. It is on-going, relational, and deeply connected to our Catholic identity and our shared responsibility to care for one another.
This year, our Spiritual Theme invites us to Build Bridges. In the context of mental health, building bridges means fostering trust, strengthening relationships, and ensuring no one feels alone when they are struggling.
Mental Health and Learning Go Hand in Hand
At OCSB, student well-being is foundational to learning. When students feel safe, welcomed, and supported, they are better able to engage, grow, and succeed.
From Kindergarten through Grade 12, our schools intentionally support social and emotional development alongside academic learning. Students learn how to understand their emotions, build healthy relationships, and develop resilience for life’s challenges, both inside and outside the classroom.
Well-being is not separate from learning. It is part of it.
Supporting Students with Compassion
Compassion is at the heart of how we approach mental health at OCSB. Support often begins with trusted adults noticing when a student may be struggling and responding early, in partnership with families.
Students who need additional support are cared for through layered, school-based mental health and behaviour supports designed to meet individual needs while keeping students connected to learning and community.
This approach aligns with the Think in Tiers framework developed by School Mental Health Ontario, which helps schools organize supports so students receive the right level of care at the right time:
Think in tiers about student mental health – School administrators
OCSB also works closely with trusted community partners to extend support beyond the school day when needed. One example is Crossroads Children’s Mental Health Centre, which offers coordinated in-home treatment services that support children, youth, and families within their own communities:
School-Based Treatment – Crossroads Children’s Mental Health Centre
Across our system, students are supported by a multidisciplinary team that includes mental health workers, psychologists, social workers, speech-language pathologists, behaviour analysts, behaviour consultants, addiction counsellors, and educators who work collaboratively with schools and families.
Partnering with Families
Families are essential partners in supporting student mental health. We know that caring for a child’s well-being does not stop at the school door.
School Mental Health Ontario offers evidence-informed tools created specifically for parents and caregivers, including guidance on recognizing concerns, supporting well-being at home, and knowing when and how to seek help:
By your side – Parents and caregivers – School Mental Health Ontario
Families are also encouraged to visit the Mental Health and Well-Being section of the OCSB website to learn more about supports available in schools and across the system.
Healthy Schools Start with Healthy Staff
Student well-being is strengthened when staff well-being is supported. At OCSB, we are committed to caring for the adults who care for our students.
OCSB provides professional learning focused on mental health, trauma-informed practices, and personal wellness. Additional resources designed specifically for school staff are available through School Mental Health Ontario:
Supporting Staff Mental Health and Well-being
By supporting staff well-being, we help create school environments where care, balance, and compassion are modelled every day.
A Commitment Beyond a Moment
Bell Let’s Talk Day may offer a national moment of reflection, but at OCSB, our commitment to mental health continues every day of the year.
Guided by our 2024–2025 Mental Health Action Plan, we continue to strengthen supports and respond to the evolving needs of our school communities.
Every day, in quiet and meaningful ways, doors are opened, bridges are built, and students and staff are supported with care.
Because at OCSB, mental health is not a campaign.
It is a shared responsibility, lived out together, every day.
