Children's Mental Health Services

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Courses - January 2026

Level 1

Course details

Conestoga 101
CON0101

Description: This self-directed course focuses on introducing new students to the supports, services, and opportunities available at Conestoga College. By the end of this course, students will understand the academic expectations of the Conestoga learning environment, as well as the supports available to ensure their academic success. Students will also be able to identify on-campus services that support their health and wellness, and explore ways to get actively involved in the Conestoga community through co-curricular learning opportunities.
  • Hours: 1
  • Credits: 0
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Fostering Health Services for Children and Families
MNHL8420

Description:

This course focuses on the importance of creating services for mental health and wellness for children and families. Students will analyze the various structures of mental health services and identify the complex systems within which they operate. Through a lens of personal and societal values, legislative requirements, and fiscal realities, they will explore service system issues and their impact on children's mental health and wellbeing.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Mental Health Assessments for Children and Families
MNHL8430

Description:

This course is designed to assess and evaluate symptoms and behaviors in children that identify the state of their mental well-being. Through this course, students will research various assessment tools and select appropriate resources to evaluate a child's mental health in order to make recommendations to families and other service providers. They will identify and respond effectively to children who are at risk for mental health concerns in order to support families through the assessment process.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Child Development, Mental Health and Wellbeing
MNHL8440

Description:

This course examines the way child development contributes to the foundation of a child’s mental health and wellness. Students will review how development along the continuum, self-regulation, behaviour, and response to stress can influence mental health across the lifespan. They will articulate the ways in which these characteristics interconnect and contribute to a child's holistic development and overall mental well-being.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Social Determinants of Mental Health in Children and Families
MNHL8450

Description:

This course introduces the concepts of the social determinants of health and their impact on childhood. Students will interpret how education, community, family dynamics, access to service and social context influence mental health outcomes in children. Students will analyze societal inequalities in the promotion of good mental health outcomes.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Introduction to Case Management and Counseling Approaches for Children and Families
MNHL8460

Description:

This course introduces students to case management strategies and counseling practices in children’s mental health services. Students will create, implement and supervise case management plans that are action-based, realistic, and measurable. Students will examine various counseling options, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, play therapy, and motivational interviewing for the purpose of educational referrals.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Safety in the Workplace
OHS1320

Description: This course focuses on developing awareness and skills for the student to safely manage and conduct him or herself within a variety of employment settings. Through the units of the course, participants will have the opportunity to enhance their understanding and knowledge of general Health and Safety guidelines, including WHMIS, Fire Safety and Workplace Violence. The unit on Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act will instruct the student on the requirements for Accessible Customer Service and Integrated Accessibility Standard Regulations. General information on Safe Driving, Privacy of Information and Hand Washing will be addressed as well. The course also provides participants with critical information regarding their insurance coverage (WSIB or other) while employed. As well as guidelines to follow in the event of an injury. Participants will receive a printable Record of Completion upon successful conclusion of this course, in order to demonstrate awareness of safe working practices to their employers.
  • Hours: 14
  • Credits: 1
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Level 2

Course details

Field Placement (Children's Mental Health Services)
FPLT8460

Description:

The field placement experience will provide students with opportunities to integrate theory and practice as they develop their skills to support the mental health and wellness of children and families. In their placement settings students will observe mental health professionals at work and implement mental health recommendations for families and children. They will demonstrate professional collaboration, mental health promotion, trauma informed practice and case management under the supervision of a co-operating educator, while reflecting on concepts of best practice to enhance their professional growth and competence.

  • Hours: 178
  • Credits: 7
  • Pre-Requisites: OHS1320
  • CoRequisites:

Professional Collaboration
MNHL8470

Description:

This course will provide students with an understanding of the importance of effective collaboration of interdisciplinary teams in supporting the mental health of children and families. Students will explore the roles and responsibilities for each professional stakeholder group and summarize the different disciplines that work together to improve mental health outcomes for children in order to serve as effective collaborators on professional teams.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Trauma-informed Practice in Children’s Services
MNHL8480

Description:

This course introduces students to trauma-informed approaches and the importance of addressing all forms of trauma to work effectively with children. Students will recognize how a trauma-informed practice centers a child’s context, identity, and past experiences as a guide for all future service recommendations. Students will identify signs of trauma and the protective factors that build resilience in children in order to inform mental health service recommendations.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Ethical Practice in Children’s Mental Health
MNHL8490

Description:

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the ethical considerations involved in delivering mental health supports to children and their families. Students will outline ethical dilemmas faced by professionals in the field, synthesize knowledge about children’s mental health and utilize ethical decision-making frameworks that uphold the best interests of children and the highest standards of professional practice.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Human Rights Legislation in Children’s Mental Health
MNHL8500

Description:

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the importance of human rights legislation and child protection in the facilitation of mental health services. With in a framework of Child and Family Services Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child, students will analyze and critique the basic principles of children's rights and protection in order to provide mental health service recommendations.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Advocacy and Children's Mental Health Promotion
MNHL8510

Description:

This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills to identify and advocate for ethical practice, good quality environments, and effective supports in children’s mental health and wellness. As emerging professionals, students will design effective advocacy strategies, mental health initiatives and educational campaigns that enable how access to service, and quality practices can improve outcomes for children and their families.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Program outcomes

  1. Assess mental health symptoms to respond effectively to children and their families.
  2. Develop strategies to foster safe and healthy environments for children and their families.
  3. Prepare and implement an action-based realistic and measurable case management plans to serve children and their families’ mental wellness.
  4. Identify mental health services and supports to facilitate programming, counselling and educate parents and caregivers.
  5. Design advocacy and educational initiatives to support ethical practice, and recommendations that support mental health based on best practices and principles.
  6. Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to serve the mental health needs of the community.
  7. Apply human rights legislation to ensure children and families are protected accordingly.
  8. Discuss the importance of social factors impacting on mental health policy and service delivery to children, families, and the community.
  9. Recognize trauma and work effectively with children, family, groups, educators, and professionals to enhance treatment planning in the provision of client treatment.
  10. Engage in reflective practice to recognize personal strengths and weaknesses and guide on-going learning and quality of care.
  11. Comply with confidentiality requirements, ethical standards of practice to ensure consistency and accountability with current legislation.