Preface
This is the first edition of CSA Z2003, Mental health and well-being for post-secondary students.
This Standard is intended to align with other relevant standards, such as CSA Z1003/BNQ 9700-803, Psychological health and safety in the workplace — Prevention, promotion, and guidance to staged implementation, and with recognized management system oriented standards.
This Standard has been developed in compliance with Standards Council of Canada requirements for National Standards of Canada. It has been published as a National Standard of Canada by CSA Group.
Scope
1.1 General
This Standard specifies requirements for post-secondary institutions for the development and implementation of a framework to safeguard, promote, and continually improve the mental health and well-being of students.
This Standard provides a foundation for a socio-ecological framework for the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of policies, programs, environments, and initiatives, including
a) promotion of student well-being through enhancement or creation of sustainable environments which reduce modifiable stressors or risk factors;
b) recommendations for a systemic or holistic approach which include
i) addressing institutional level activities (e.g., leadership, commitment, confidentiality, and stakeholder participation and engagement);
ii) psychosocial factors linked to mental health and well-being;
iii) post-secondary environments;
iv) literacy, education, and stigma reduction;
v) accessibility;
vi) early intervention, mental health supports, and suicide prevention; and
vii) crisis management and postvention;
c) articulation of roles and responsibilities;
d) protective factors to consider; and
e) indicators to measure success.
1.2 Applicability
1.2.1 Audience
This Standard is applicable to any post-secondary institution that seeks to develop, implement, or enhance, and sustain a framework that supports student mental health and well-being.
Post-secondary institutions are made up of communities of diverse individuals. The guidance in this Standard is intended to be inclusive and mindful of this diversity in all institutional policies, programs, environments, and initiatives; representing the human rights of all students.
This Standard is meant to guide post-secondary institutions to continue to work towards the sustainability of a vibrant post-secondary community, by striving to create an environment of inclusivity for all students, by respecting and affirming the dignity of each member of their community.
The intended audience for this Standard is post-secondary institutions. However, the Standard could be used by any organization that is interested in developing programs and initiatives aimed at strengthening mental health and well-being for post-secondary student populations.
1.2.2 Equity, diversity, and inclusion
This Standard is inclusive and mindful of all students as manifested by their ability, age, ancestry, culture, disability, ethnicity, family status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, geographic location, language or linguistic background, marital status, nationality or national origin/place of origin, political beliefs or association, race, religion, religious beliefs or association, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, source of income, student status, other relevant characteristics, or any and all intersection(s) of the above.
1.2.3 Exclusion
This Standard does not cover specific mental health concerns, nor does it cover treatment or care for specific mental health concerns.
1.3 Terminology
In this Standard, shall is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; should is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and may is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard.
Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material.
Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements.
Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.
