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By rdnewsNOW staff

Mental Health

Alberta government announces more support for student mental health

Aug 13, 2024 | 3:19 PM

Officials with the provincial government say the extension of the Mental Health in Schools Pilot program will ensure Alberta students have access to additional mental health supports this school year.

When a student’s mental health needs are met, the government says they learn better, achieve more and have healthier and more fulfilling relationships. Considering the important connection between student mental well-being and educational outcomes, Alberta’s government says it is extending the Mental Health in Schools Pilot program by investing $6.7 million to ensure in-school mental health supports for as many as 350,000 students will continue during the 2024-25 school year.

The government says the program was first launched in 2022, focussing on improving the delivery of mental health supports and services for students and providing tools, training and resources for the school community, with the goal of improving student mental health outcomes. With this $6.7-million investment, Alberta’s government says it is funding over $50 million in Mental Health in Schools Pilot projects.

“With our continued support for student mental health, school authorities, mental health service providers and other organizations are taking collaborative and innovative approaches to support the well-being of students,” says Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education. “By funding dozens of mental health pilot projects, we are helping drive local solutions while also gathering the information necessary to help inform decisions on supporting student well-being across the province for years to come.”

According to provincial officials, the Mental Health in Schools Pilot program has helped 79 school divisions across the province launch locally developed mental health initiatives in their schools to meet the unique needs of students and communities they serve. The government says these initiatives include and are not limited to hiring in-school psychologists and social workers, delivering mental health literacy programs, and providing professional development and training for staff. Officials say 59 of the projects were set to end in December 2024, and the additional funding is expected to extend those initiatives to ensure students continue to be supported for the entire 2024-25 school year.

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“This extension will assist locally elected school boards in their continued work to address the mental health and well-being of students in their communities,” adds Marilyn Dennis, president, Alberta School Boards Association.

“Prioritizing mental health resources is essential for students to learn, belong and succeed,” notes Fiona Gilbert, chair, Rocky View Schools. “RVS appreciates the provincial government’s recognition of the strong connection between mental health and learning. Continuing to provide this critically needed funding allows RVS to offer existing mental health programs for another year to support student achievement.”

Officials say the Mental Health in Schools Pilot program will run until the end of the 2024-25 school year. School authorities will then be asked to submit reports on the pilots to help inform future policy decisions to support student mental health and well-being.

Alberta government quick facts

• Public, separate, francophone, public charter, accredited-funded independent school authorities and First Nations education authorities were eligible to apply for this funding.
• Budget 2024 also includes $1.5 billion for learning support funding, which includes funding that allows school authorities to provide students with psychological and social-emotional supports, access to mental health workers and other wellness supports, as needed.

Related information

• Mental Health in Schools Pilot project videos

Alberta Teachers’ Association president Jason Schilling issued the following statement in response:

“I am encouraged to see the government recognizes the importance of providing mental health supports for our students. The decision to extend the Mental Health in Schools Pilot program is welcome news, but it still falls short of providing the public education system with the reliable funding it needs in this area.

This program only guarantees access to mental health supports and services until the end of the upcoming school year. However, our members have consistently expressed the need for dependable and continuous mental health supports for their students.

Now, more than ever, the government needs to make funding for projects that support student mental health a permanent part of the budgeting cycle and not an afterthought.”