Course Description
This course presents a basic mental health literacy framework for Child and Youth Care (CYC) practitioners. The various roles of CYC practitioners are investigated in mental health care for children, youth, families and communities. Students' own values, beliefs and cultural contexts, including Indigenous perspectives, are examined. A broad overview of the mental health system of care in British Columbia is presented.
Course Content
- Values, attitudes, beliefs and cultural experiences influence our interactions with others.
- An understanding of mental health from a developmental perspective enables the CYC practitioner to understand the complexities of mental illness in the lives of children, adolescents and their families.
- A child or youth's wellness and health are holistic and multidimensional and are reciprocally intertwined with their families and the communities in which they live.
- A basic understanding of mental health literacy, of mental health care systems and of provincial mental health services will help the CYC practitioner be a resource to individuals, families and communities in addressing mental health concerns.
- Knowledge, although tentative and changing, assists in dispelling myths and changing attitudes. A basic understanding of current classifications and treatments for mental illness helps to develop values and attitudes necessary for effective CYC work.
- Individuas are experts in their own lives. Learning to listen and facilitate the expression of the meaning of those life experiences is essential to CYC practice.
- Living with mental illness can be isolating and stigmatizing. Effective CYC practice includes bridging into community resources and informal social networks to facilitate community connection and individual involvement and contribution.
Learning Activities
- Lecture
- Discussion
- Demonstration
- Group work
All methods of instruction apply to in class, hybrid and/or online modes of learning.
Means of Assessment
This course will conform to the Douglas College Evaluation Policy regarding the number and weighting of evaluations. This will include but not be limited to: written assignments, group presentations, and analysis of skill development.
This is a graded course.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, successful students will be able to:
- Critically examine the various definitions, treatments and resources for mental health diagnosis according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in British Columbia and Canada as they apply to children and youth.
- Articulate one's own cultural beliefs about mental illness, inlcuding Indigenous perspectives on health, wellness, illness and healing, and how these perspectives influence our practice as CYC practitioners.
- Examine the roles of the CYC practitioner in mental health care for children and youth.
- Recognize the behavioural manifestations of mental health challenges at different times across the lifespan for children and youth, including behaviours related to early developmental trauma, anxiety related disorders, mood disorders, disruptive disorders, to inform an appropriate CYC response.
Textbook Materials
Course materials and/or textbooks approved by the department.