Supporting Post-secondary Youth Mental Health Through Inclusive Practices Attuned to Culture

Abstract

This chapter discusses how inclusivity and cultural competence are key enablers of success in supporting the mental health of post-secondary youth. Culture is a key determinant of mental health and influences identity and behavior through shared patterns and traditions as well as experiences of marginalization, exclusion, and racism. Cultural identity can impact mental health positively and negatively, and thus is an important concept to keep in mind for service design. It provides a brief examination of the underlying tenets of inclusive practice. This is followed by a discussion of the identified barriers to mental wellness for post-secondary youth, along with potential strategies that reflect cultural competency and inclusive practices. The call to action is a need to create more inclusive campuses that consider the nuanced interactions between culture and mental health services. The chapter provides considerations on reaching individual students, and then evolves to more thematic strategies. Strategies can apply to all key roles within the post- secondary structure, including administrators, faculty, staff, or student leaders. The key themes for inclusive mental health promotion include normalization of challenges, validation of differences, aligning efforts and goals, and engaging all stakeholders within and surrounding the post-secondary campus communities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)