Friday, March 29, 2019
Back Row (L-R): Brad Daly, Caely Dunlop, Mike Cywink, Susan Rodger and Nicole Bullock; Front Row (L-R): Marie-Michelle Boulanger, Liz Thornley, Courtney Cadieux, Meghan Fournie, Melissa Read, Alexandra Smith, Susan Dale, Claire Crooks and Andrea Delaney; Absent: Alicia Lapointe and Amanda Kerry
It was an exciting week of learning and sharing at the 51st Annual Banff International Conferences on Behavioural Science. Hosted at the Banff Centre of Arts and Creativity in Banff, Alberta from March 17 to 20, the purpose of the annual conference is to provide the opportunity for researchers, practitioners and policy makers to interact and discuss contemporary practice and research.
School Mental Health – Equipping Schools and Communities to Support Student Mental Health was this year’s program focus, which attracted educators and community partners working in the planning, implementation and evaluation stages of mental health services for students in both elementary and secondary school systems. Conference plenaries and workshops highlighted the state of challenges and opportunities of school mental health, with an emphasis on identifying practical implications for all professionals involved. Up-to-date research findings and skill/strategy development around evidence-based and evidence-informed programs and practices were shared.
Sixteen Centre for School Mental Health staff and students attended the conference with a number of opportunities to lead and participate in workshops, keynotes and a poster presentation.
Claire Crooks led a plenary presentation on relationships-based approaches to mental health promotion and violence prevention with diverse youth.
Susan Rodger led a workshop on increasing mental health education for front-line educators. Alicia Lapointe also led a workshop which focused on the development, implementation and underlying principles of the Healthy Relationships Program for LGBT2Q+ Youth.
A poster session and reception was hosted by the conference following day one. Nine CSMH students and staff participated in the session, including: Courtney Cadiuex, Melissa Read, Amanda Kerry, Brad Daly, Caely Dunlop, Nicole Bullock, Marie-Michelle Boulanger, Liz Thornley and Alex Smith. Each year the conference selects a secret judging committee to select the top poster presentation. Melissa Read was the recipient this year with her poster on “Exploring the Relationships Among Executive Functioning, Behaviour, and Adaptive Skills in Young Children.”
To access an archive of the plenary and workshop presentation slides, click here.
