AAU Healthy Campuses Committee

Committee Members

Bill Patrick, Dept. of Post-Secondary Education, Training & Labour, Government of New Brunswick

Dr. David Pilon, Nova Scotia Health Authority

Deborah Phillips, Stay Connected Mental Health Project, Nova Scotia Health Authority

Dr. Elizabeth Cawley, Medavie Healthy Campuses Coordinator

Pamela Magee, Canadian Mental Health Association – Nova Scotia Division

Erica McGill, Acadia University

James Sandford, Acadia University

Ted Vaughan, Atlantic School of Theology

John Mayich, Cape Breton University

Joanne Mills, Dalhousie University

Verity Turpin, Dalhousie University

Marriam Abou-El-Haj, Mount Saint Vincent University

Melissa Baxter, Mount Allison University

Peter Cornish, Memorial University of Newfoundland

James Barmby, NSCAD University

Sarah Morris, Saint Mary’s University

Margaret McKinnon, St. Francis Xavier University

Sophie LeBlanc-Roy, Université de Moncton

Rice Fuller, University of New Brunswick

Treena Smith, University of Prince Edward Island

Sébastien Dol, Université Sainte Anne

Mary Ellen Kingston-Ritchie, New Brunswick Community College

Suzanne DesRosiers, New Brunswick Community College

Elizabeth Yeo, Nova Scotia Community College

Kathleen Allen, Nova Scotia Community College

Wanda McDonald, Nova Scotia Community College

Peter Halpin, Association of Atlantic Universities

Committee Terms of Reference

Goals

  1. Share perspectives/realities about services on member campuses
  2. Identify, discuss and share knowledge of evolving best practice models for addressing mental health needs of university students at Atlantic universities
  3. Collaborate on projects of common interest that could be implemented across campuses
  4. Advocate for enhancing mental health services on campuses and for collaboration with district health authorities
  5. Develop opportunities for professional development in the area of university mental health policy and systems of delivery
  6. Incorporate principles of broad community development wellness models (e.g., Healthy Campus) in the conversations on policy and practice
  7. Promote mental health literacy on campuses
  8. Involve students and/or student leaders in the working group activities

Scope and Deliverables

  1. Host an annual Atlantic post-secondary student mental health conference with focus on mental health programming, policy and delivery systems 
  2. Review and recommend adaptations of scope and pathways of mental health services in collaboration with representatives from regional health authorities
  3. Maintain an online repository for sharing knowledge, innovations, models and best practices among member institutions
  4. Identify one or two priorities each year (e.g., pathways or peer support programming)
  5. Prepare brief annual reports and/or updates

Governance

  1. Meet at least three times per year, called by the Chair 
  2. Elect a Chair among members to serve for 3 years
  3. Make decisions by consensus. When consensus is not possible decisions will be made by vote or on the authority of the chair
  4. Prepare an annual update on Working Group activities for member institution presidents and a report for public release
  5. Maintain meeting minutes on the Working Group Repository