Sask. expands student mental health program to 5 more schools

A mental health project that began in 2019 is now being expanded to five more schools across the province, the Saskatchewan government announced on Thursday.

Aimed to provide students with more support for their mental health and well being, the “Mental Health Capacity Building” (MHCB) program provides more counselling staff in schools that hope to identify and intervene mental health issues students may be facing soon than later.

The province announced the program’s expansion at A.E. Peacock Collegiate in Moose Jaw.

A total of 15 schools are now part of the program.

• Download the CTV News app for Sask. related breaking news alerts on your mobile device

“If we have services in our building where we can assist students and give them some strategies and techniques, that sense of belonging, that sense of well being, they’ll come to school and we’ll be able to address their academic needs as well, A.E Peacock’s principal, Tana Arnott said. “So this is a huge part, collaboratively working with the [Saskatchewan] health Authority and being able to provide these services,” Arnott added.

The province said it plans to expand the program to all 27 school divisions throughout Saskatchewan.

Its current main focus is implementing the program in high schools, however two elementary schools in Yorkton are also part of the program already.

The five schools added on Thursday were selected through an application process. The new schools include A.E. Peacock as well as Lloydminster Composite High School, Carpenter High School in Meadow Lake, St. Alphonsus School in Yorkton and Balfour Collegiate in Regina.

The province is now investing $3 million into the project, a news release said.

“With today’s expansion announcement of the Mental Health Capacity Building program, more students will receive more support for their mental health and overall wellbeing,” Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said in the release.

-- With files from Gareth Dillistone.