*Lifted from School Community Wellbeing and Mental Health Care Protocol Manual (Brillantes-Evangelista, et.

al (2021, for
publication))

School Community Well-being and Mental Health Care (WMHC) Model

Figure 1
School Community Well-being and Mental Health Care (WMHC) Model

Based on the research findings mentioned above and insights and recommendations gathered from literature, we developed
a school community well-being and mental health care model composed of the different elements we believe are essential in
creating an effective school WMHC community. The WMHC model aims to guide schools in creating a culture of WMHC in their
communities and crafting a mental health protocol manual that addresses their school's needs. The different elements that
comprise the school WMHC community model are discussed in the succeeding sections of this protocol manual.

At the core of the model is an understanding of well-being and mental health. A clear and thorough understanding and
appreciation of well-being and mental health provide a solid foundation in crafting policies, setting up programs, and laying out
guidelines for a school community WMHC. It is even more important for these concepts to be understood in the local context for
context-informed programming and service delivery.

Anchored in the understanding of well-being and mental health is the commitment and the determination to promote
WMHC as a way of life in the school community. In creating this kind of culture, top management must recognize the importance of
all school community members' well-being and mental health. They also need to see the value of incorporating WMHC permanently
into the school's policies, not only as temporary programs or services.

Members of the community willing to be champions of WMHC and capable and committed to organizing WMHC programs,
services, and activities may come together to form the School Care Team. The School Care Team is the group that will take the lead
in identifying the WMHC needs of all the members of the community and come up with ways on how they can be addressed. To
guide them in their WMHC initiatives, the School Care Team may select a WMHC framework that they feel best meets the needs of
their community. Together with WMHC Helpers, the School Care Team will see that their recommended programs and services,
available via the physical or online space, are effectively executed and that all community members, including the WMHC champions
themselves, are recipients of these WMHC initiatives.

The WMHC pyramid can be used as a guide to ensure that the programs and services cater to the different populations of
the school. This framework defines three levels of support for the community--universal care, selected care, and intensive care tiers.

Universal Care. These are intended for the whole school community to provide support and protective functions to
the entire student population and the rest of the school community members. This level aims to enhance mental health and
encourage the school community to adopt a well-being mindset geared toward thriving, flourishing, and reaching their full
potential.
 Selected Care. These cater to identified students and school community members with particular mental health
concerns and who need specialized support and attention. This level aims to attend more closely to the needs of this
particular population within the school community and provide appropriate and timely intervention that may not be covered
by the services and programs included under the Universal Care tier.

Intensive Care. These are intended for only a few identified students and members of the school community with a
need for urgent and focused care and attention that may be due to persistent and severe manifestation of symptoms of
diagnosed and suspected psychological conditions, as well as other mental health challenges that may not be managed by
the services and programs included in the lower tiers of the pyramid.

The School Care Team will need tools and resources for program planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation to
function well. They must also be able to choose a system that is contextualized to the needs and capacity of their school. With these
tools, they will organize the school's resources for other WMHC champions and budgets.

Everyone needs support as one grows. Thus, the School Care Team and other WMHC champions can learn more about
WMHC by reaching out to different institutions and forming lasting networks. They can use these resources to start, organize, and
maintain the WBMHC programs and services of the school.

Ginhawa Model for School Community Well-being and Mental Health Care (WMHC)

Ginhawa is a Filipino term that is often associated with the concept of well-being. Peñalosa (2014) did linguistic
research on the meaning of ginhawa across different regions in the Philippines. She was able to put together the various
components of ginhawa, which fundamentally includes (1) respiratory-alimentary or hininga-kalusugan ng katawan (quality
of breathing, biological condition of the body, and physical health), (2) vital-spiritual or dam-dam-pakiramdam-kaluluwa
(vitality, feelings, yearning, emotions, essence, spirituality, connection with the divine, and soul), (3) relational-communal or
pamilya-kapwa-komunidad (connection with others and sustenance of community and self), and (3) relative nature or lawak-
panahon (space-time, changing life circumstances).
 This model intends to promote and cultivate a sense of ginhawa within the school community. Its various domains
(also referencing positive psychology (Seligman, 2011) and Ignacio’s (2011) dimensions of ginhawa) include physical
health, positive engagement in life, healthy relationship, meaning and spirituality, sense of agency and accomplishment,
resilience, and emotional resolve. These domains inform the decisions and programs that impact the well-being of the school
community members, nurturing their sense of vitality and quality of life (see sample manifestations below).

This model also suggests fundamental assumptions, core values, and skills of the School Care Team and service
providers to cultivate a ginhawa-informed culture within the school community. They are expected to provide support and
guidance with a sense of respect, mindfulness, attunement, and deep listening, compassion, and competence for appropriate
care and intervention.

Indicated below are the details of the model and the sample programs and activities we gathered from the research,
which are matched with the dimensions of ginhawa:
Figure 2

Ginhawa Model for School Community Well-being and Mental Health Care (WMHC)
Core Elements (Peñalosa, 2014):

● Hininga: “Respiratory alimentary (breath-life-stomach)” relates to the overall biological and physiological conditions and
functioning of the human body
● Damdam-Pakiramdam-Kaluluwa: “Vital-spiritual” pertains to the soul or a person’s essence; it also refers to the internal
components of personhood in dynamic interaction between the natural and the supernatural realm
● Pamilya-Kapwa-Komunidad: “Relational communal ” illustrates the connection with others through pakikipagkapwa and
sustenance of community and self; it also pertains to the person interacting with the external world
● Lawak-Panahon: “Relative Nature (space-time)” relates to changing life circumstances and human relations

Domains:

● Kalusugan at lakas: the physical health and strength of an individual

● Paglahok sa buhay: engagement in life-giving activities (a sense of vitality)
● Ugnayan at pakikipagkapwa: connection and support to others
● Kabuluhan at pananampalataya: one’s search for meaning and purpose; spirituality
● Kakayahan: a sense of agency and sense of accomplishment
● Kaligtasan at kapanatagan ng loob: sense of safety and emotional resolve
● Tatag at tibay ng loob: the ability and strength of an individual to overcome challenges; resilience

Some Manifestations:

● Nakahinga: relieved
● Nakapahinga: rested
 ● Ligtas: safe
● Gumaan: felt lighter
● Nagkagana: restored motivation
● Sumigla: energized
● lumusog: physically healthy
● Sumaya: happy
● Umayos: has a sense of things into their right place
● Luminaw: felt things become clearer
● Naka-raos: overcame difficulties
● Tumatag at Tumibay: has a sense of courage and fortitude

Means of Support toward Ginhawa: Pag-gabay at Pag-alalay (Guide and Support)

Key components:

● Pakikipagkapwa: sharing one’s human dignity

● Pakikiramdam at pakikinig: sensitivity toward other people and sensing/listening to what they are needing
● Pagmamalasakit: concern for others
● Pagtugon: responding to the needs of other people

(Bautista, 2020; Carandang, 1986; Decenteceo, 1999; Ignacio,2011; Peñalosa, 2014; Seligman, 2011)