By Sheldon Spackman

Education and Health Needs

Local school boards lobbying for mental health funding

Jun 12, 2019 | 12:14 PM

Trustees for Red Deer Public Schools and Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools are teaming up to press the province for more funding for mental health initiatives.

They will be doing so by sending a letter to Alberta’s new Associate Minister of Mental Health – Jason Luan.

Anne Marie Watson, board chair for Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools says they’re hoping to access funding from the Mental Health Capacity Building (MHCB) in schools initiative which has been around since 2006.

“It’s available all across the province to fund mental health initiatives in the community but central Alberta has never received any funding through that program,” she explains. “We made the previous minister aware that our entire region has been missing out on this funding since its inception. So it’s just kind of reviving that conversation and making the new minister aware of the concerns.”

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Watson says not receiving the funding has significant local implications.

“In terms of mental health, it just means that the wait times at our health care facilities are not addressed,” explains Watson. “Psychiatric professional support isn’t there, access to adolescent mental health support through the Red Deer Regional Hospital, we could use more funding and more access. The wait times for mental health services are very long.”

Bev Manning, board chair for Red Deer Public Schools says mental health is a District priority.

“Other districts throughout the province have received it but for some reason, the city of Red Deer has been overlooked,” says Manning. “We brought that to the attention of Minister Eggen in the past and certainly want to bring that again to the attention of the Health Minister (Tyler Shandro) and the Education Minister (Adriana LaGrange). Mental Health is a critical component of our education plan and we believe that students need every dollar available to help deliver a mental health curriculum that is rigorous and helps them.”

Manning says the community agrees that mental health is important.

“Every penny that we could receive would be well used,” she declares. “There are so many positive things that we can do for students, that any amount would be appreciated and used well. The grant is what the grant is, and we would take it however it came to us.”

As well, both districts have upcoming meetings with the new Minister of Education – Adriana LaGrange.

Anne Marie Watson says it’s something they try to arrange a couple of times per year, with their next one being this Friday, June 14.

“With the new minister and with the new government of course, we’re looking for some certainty around some of the items that were discussed during the campaign,” says Watson. “Then some of the legislation that’s been tabled recently. So for example, the proclamation of the Education Act, just looking for some answers around what that will mean and the timing and what supports will be in place for the planned September 1 implementation of the Education Act.”

Other items such as red tape reduction, Grade 12 diploma exams, Grade 3 Provincial Achievement Tests (PAT’s) and the introduction of Grade 1 and 2 literacy and numeracy assessments will also be topics of discussion according to Watson.

Watson says the district’s capital needs will also be brought up.

“As a growing district, we need a new middle school in Red Deer,” adds Watson. “It’s our top priority. But also a second school in Blackfalds would be close behind that.”

Meanwhile, Manning says their meeting with LaGrange happens June 21.

“We’re looking forward to meeting with the minister and having a good conversation about what are the things that are important to Red Deer Public Schools and our community,” says Manning. “Mental Health is certainly very important to us, literacy and numeracy are in our Education Plan, as well as high school completion and student success in all forms. I know the Minister appreciates those goals as well.”

However, Manning says they would also like to send a clear message that Red Deer Public Schools is willing to work together with the government.

“We believe in local autonomy and we want to be able to make some of the decisions locally that have been taken away from us over the past number of years,” explains Manning. “Just looking to affirm that position with the Minster, I know that she understands our perspective on that. So hopefully we can have a good conversation around that.”