A supported college course for credit: More than just Academics

Presented at the www.cacuss.ca/about.html">CACUSS (Canadian Association of College and University Student Services), Ottawa 2017.

For over 25 years, the Centre for Students with Disabilities (CSD) and Fraser Mental Health Services have successfully offered STAC 1101, an innovative supported 3 credit academic post-secondary course designed specifically for students with mental health disabilities. The session highlighted our innovative collaborative support model, integrated academic course, and unique partnership. Through a coordinated team approach with Fraser Mental Health Services, STAC 1101 integrates principles of supported education within an academic post-secondary course. Students receive personal supports, coaching and skill building, and support for emerging issues from their mental health teams. The course instructor adopts an individualized instructional approach, creates a supportive classroom environment, and explicitly teaches study strategies that can mitigate the impacts of mental health disabilities. The supports serve to facilitate risk taking such as delivering oral presentations, to foster self-confidence, and to help students succeed in continued studies.
There is a critical need for programs and services that support students with mental health disabilities to succeed in their post-secondary studies. If not supported, this population, though academically able, is at greatest risk of non-completion in their first semester in post-secondary. The presentation at CACUSS and earlier presentations served to continue the dialogue and foster engagement prerequisite to the development new initiatives.