Wellstream for Schools
Schools are on the frontlines of youth substance use challenges and need evidence-based guidance to inform a comprehensive and coordinated response. Wellstream for Schools responds through our pan-Canadian initiative, leveraging interdisciplinary expertise and novel cross-sector partnerships spanning education, health, youth organizations, and government to transform prevention approaches and improve child and youth trajectories.
Transforming Substance Use Harm Prevention in Schools Initiative
Phase
1
Characterizing the Landscape & Guiding Innovation
AIM: Strengthen intersectoral partnerships, including with school-based professionals, substance use experts, and youth networks, to characterize current practices and distill evidence to inform the co-development of national standards for substance use education and intervention in K-12
Phase
2
Making the Change, Building the Solutions, & Evaluating for Impact
AIM: Realize systems transformation by enacting co-developed implementation processes to facilitate the ratification and adoption of national standards across education systems. Develop and test low-barrier, evidence-aligned prototype resources to support practice change, and trial a data strategy to assess impacts on education systems and youth substance use more broadly.
Phase
3
Optimizing Outcomes
AIM: Produce a framework for continuous monitoring and refine research and data processes, implementation products, and training to scale practice resources across education systems and respond to emerging trends to strengthen impacts.
National School-Based Substance Use Standard
Our team is proud to be leading the development of a new pan-Canadian standard: School-Based Substance Use Prevention, Education, and Intervention – A Multi-Tiered and Developmental Approach for Kindergarten to Grade 12 Schools. This landmark initiative is designed to provide clear, evidence-informed guidance to schools across the country on how to respond to student substance use through effective prevention, education, and intervention strategies.
The standard is being developed through a unique and collaborative partnership between Wellstream, the Canadian Association of School System Administrators (CASSA), and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), under the management of CSA Group.
The development process represents months of meaningful collaboration with youth, educators, health professionals, and researchers from across Canada. Together, we’ve worked to ensure the standard is practical, compassionate, and grounded in the realities of today’s classrooms and communities.
Co-Creating Capacity for Change: A National Strategy for School-Based Substance Use Harm Prevention
New Engagement Report: Addressing Substance Use in K-12 Schools Workshop
