A major funding announcement took place today (Monday) at Portage Collegiate Institute to enhance student access to some much-needed supports in schools.
Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen gives an outline.
The three divisions that will pilot this funding include our own.
"Hanover School Division, Portage la Prairie and also in Brandon," continues Friesen. "We know that many students struggle. As a government, we have said that it is important to do more to lower wait-times and then be able to intervene in situations before things become too complex."
Noting this is a pilot project, Friesen adds the Virgo Report was a comprehensive examination received by the province about the current state of our mental health and addiction services. He says one thing that this report cited was the importance to do more at a lower acuity level to resolve issues before the mental health problems become too complex.
It will provide more resources to what schools are already working with, to do more, intervene faster and get kids stabilized.
He notes they will continue to harness what they learn from the rollout and expand it to other schools throughout the province at a later date.
Friesen says, since their election, the government has spent funding for recent investments in Health Seniors and Active Living including Health Sciences Centre's psych health, community investments, partnering with community-based organizations as was recently done in partnering with Northwest Community Hub, and Project 11 in Winnipeg, and an indigenous mental health and addictions investment. This amounts to over $24 million over eight weeks in new money. Friesen adds the government is placing a priority in mental health and addictions.
Portage la Prairie School Division Superintendent Todd Cuddington explains how they'll begin to implement the assistance.
"The first step would be to meet with all of the partners," says Cuddington. "We already have a good working relationship with AFM. And then we will be digging a little deeper into the High Fidelity Wraparound supports. Our clinicians, in fact, have already been trained in that. So, we would be looking at the best way to implement that division-wide."
He adds efforts to intervene early in middle years allows them to be proactive in heading off issues before they begin. Cuddington says Friesen pointed out that there are concerns in the division with levels of anxiety among students. He says this will move them to piggy-back initiatives that are already in place.
Cuddington adds he's so pleased to see funding begin with Portage being one the three pilot locations, and, to know that the government sees the need and is funding it, is very encouraging.
Thu, Apr 25, 5:00 PM
Administrative, Entry-Level, Professionals, Retail, Sales, Skilled Trades
Featured
