Our Mission, Vision, History, Organization and Goals
Vision.
Children and youth in Canada are thriving in school communities that are committed to optimal health, well-being, and learning.
Mission.
To work collaboratively across jurisdictions and between the education and health sectors to support optimal health,
well-being, and learning of children and youth in school communities.
About JCSH
The Pan-Canadian Joint Consortium for School Health (JCSH) was established by provincial, territorial, and federal governments in 2005 as a means of bringing together two large systems – Education and Health –to champion and work towards improvements in the health, well-being, and achievement outcomes in school-aged children and youth in Canada.
Today, JCSH comprises 2 committees of representatives of the education and health/wellness ministries of 12 provinces and territories (Quebec is not a member, but engages in resources sharing with JCSH). The federal government is represented by the Public Health Agency of Canada as funder; the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada Secretariat sits as an observer. Together, all JCSH representatives work together to build a Community of Practice, and to enhance Canadian students’ Kindergarten to Grade 12 public school experience, using a Health Promoting Schools approach.
JCSH Agreement
2020-2025
Download the Agreement between the Provincial Ministers of Education and the Ministers of Health/Wellness to facilitate a comprehensive and coordinated approach to health promotion in the school setting.
Development of the JCSH
JCSH reflects the declared commitment made by First Ministers in the 2004 Health Accord to working across sectors through initiatives such as healthy schools.
“In 2005 the Pan-Canadian Joint Consortium for School Health (JCSH) was formed by the federal, provincial and territorial Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Health and the provincial and territorial Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Education. Its formation was a recognition that more can be accomplished through partnership between the education and health sectors. The JCSH mandate is to serve as a catalyst in building the provincial/ territorial school and health systems’ capacity to work together in promoting the healthy development of children and youth through the school setting.”[1]
That year (2005), the Pan-Canadian Integrated Healthy Living Strategy noted that without such initiatives and an integrated effort:
- opportunities for collaboration will not be fully realized;
- gaps in knowledge development and exchange will persist;
- public “messages” will be inconsistent and confusing;
- community capacity to promote healthy living will be limited;
- chronic diseases and obesity rates are likely to continue to rise; and
- disparities will continue to grow and widen.
The general direction of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global School Health Initiative is guided by the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986); the Jakarta Declaration of the Fourth International Conference on Health Promotion(1997) ; and the WHO’s Expert Committee Recommendation on Comprehensive School Health Education and Promotion (1997).
Footnotes
- JCSH Evaluation of 2005-2010 Mandate, p. 3
Organizational Structure
JCSH Secretariat
Council of Ministers of Education, Canada
Conference of Ministers of Health
Advisory Committee of Deputy Ministers of Education (ACDME)
Conference of Federal-Provincial-Territorial Deputy Ministers of Health
JCSH Management Committee
JCSH School Health Coordinators’ Committee
The JCSH is governed by two Deputy Ministers’ committees – the Advisory Committee of Deputy Ministers of Education (ACDME) and the Conference of Deputy Ministers of Health (CDMH).
The JCSH Management Committee is composed of Assistant Deputy Ministers, Directors, and other senior officials representing the Education and Health Ministries in each member province and territory. The Management Committee provides the main forum for executive level discussion and decisions affecting the work of the JCSH.
The JCSH School Health Coordinators’ Committee is composed of senior policy advisors, managers, and school health specialists of the Health and Education Ministries. This table serves as a pan-Canadian forum to advance health promoting schools[2] initiatives throughout Canada, and to support collaboration and alignment between health and education sectors in the promotion of health through the school setting.
The Public Health Agency of Canada acts as the lead contact for the federal government.
The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) Secretariat sits as an observer.
The JCSH Secretariat functions as neutral support to the JCSH member provinces and territories, and facilitates communication, collaboration, and knowledge dissemination.
Footnotes
2. JCSH has long used comprehensive school health as its term for this whole school, whole child approach to the intersection of academic success with health and wellbeing in children and youth. In 2023, they formally adopted health promoting schools as the term that, for JCSH collectively, defines this approach. It also recognizes that individual provinces and territories will continue to use the term of their choosing in their own jurisdiction.
