STRONG
The welcoming of large numbers of Syrian refugees over the past few years is a point of national pride for most Canadians. As most of us are aware, the majority of these families experienced significant trauma before coming to Canada. Thousands of children in these families are now in Canadian schools, and many continue to struggle with symptoms of distress and trauma. The Centre for School Mental Health (CSMH), Western is partnering on a new initiative led by School Mental Health ASSIST to bring appropriate school-based services to these children and youth. The STRONG program (Supporting Transition Resilience of Newcomer Groups) is a 10-week, school-based intervention developed by experts from the Center for School Mental Health in Maryland and their colleagues at the Center for Childhood Resilience in Chicago. The program was piloted in spring 2018 in two Ontario school boards. Dr. Claire Crooks and her team undertook an evaluation focusing on feasibility, implementation, and preliminary student impact. We are excited to be at the forefront of this important work with our wonderful partners!

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