Policy 12.5: Student Mental HealthAnnual Report 2025

Ministry Directive Implementation

• Policy publication: Policy 12.5 formally published on the Public Accountability and Governance and Leadership webpages on Jan. 23, 2025.
• Staff communication: Student-facing support areas received direct access to the Policy and Framework on Jan. 28, 2025.
• Student communication: Direct links added to students.wlu.ca (Student Life landing page, Support for Students, and Find Your Support resource) by Jan. 31, 2025.
• Campus-wide promotion: Student Life Communications showcased new platforms for students, faculty, and staff on Jan. 30, 2025.
• New student outreach: Resources communicated through Laurier 101, transition programs, and student-wide emails to ensure incoming students are aware of available supports, in compliance with the ministry required attestation Sept. 15, 2025.

Effectiveness

• Student access: Students, faculty, and staff now have clear, centralized access to mental health resources through the Student Mental Health Policy (12.5) and Student Mental Health Framework. Previously, this information was difficult to locate, but the policy and framework have significantly improved accessibility and ease of navigation.
• Regulatory compliance: Laurier Mental Health Policy and Framework demonstrate compliance with Ministry reporting requirements.

Operational Implementation

Both the Student Mental Health Policy and the Student Mental Health Framework established a centralized, accessible platform that emphasizes a whole-campus approach, requiring all members of the Laurier community to engage in supporting student mental health and connecting students to appropriate supports.

• Maintained centralized supports: Delivered accessible student mental health supports aligned with Policy 12.5.
• Expanded engagement: Increased awareness across academic departments, student life, and student support units, including presentations to faculty and staff to improve and increase early identification and referrals.
• Delivered holistic support: Students were provided with clear and easy access to Laurier’s academic, financial, social, and wellness supports while also highlighting the wide range of services available to support student success and well-being.
• Provided emergency funding and increased utilizations: Students continued to access emergency financial support through resources such as the Leanne Holland Brown Emergency Fund. Over the past year, 86 students across all campuses received a total of $59,042.40 in emergency funding, alongside coordinated support from Laurier’s Financial Literacy Specialist and food security programs.
• Enhanced data tracking: Implemented a new Student Wellness Centre triage data system to better track student needs and guide more comprehensive service delivery.

Effectiveness

• Coordinated, early support: The policy and framework foster strong alignment among academic units, wellness services, and student support areas, and provide information and resources that enable earlier identification of student needs and more coordinated, timely responses across the institution.
• Equity-informed, student-centered approaches: The policy and framework provide centralized information for student-facing staff and expanded wellness initiatives address diverse student needs, including food security, resilience, personal development, and the promotion of healthy habits.
• Pathways to care: Clear referral processes and warm transitions to external community mental health resources to ensure students with more complex and/or elevated needs experience continuity of care beyond the institution.

Key Pressures and Risks

• There is a continued year-over-year increase in the complexity and acuteness of student needs, requiring more intensive and coordinated support. Over the past five years, high or elevated severity cases have risen by an average of 5% per year, with a 15% increase from 2024 to 2025, while lower-severity cases have declined by an average of 6% annually since 2021, including an 11% decrease from 2024 to 2025.
• Sustainability of emergency funding amid rising demand and student financial insecurity.
• Ensuring equitable access to support across campuses and student populations.

Focus Moving Forward

• Use new triage and utilization data to guide service delivery and ability to consistently adapt to evolving student needs.
• Continue expanding specialized outreach and training to increase early identification and reinforce whole-campus engagement.
• Strengthen integrated support pathways in line with policy commitment to equitable, accessible care.