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By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

until dec. 2024

Chinook’s Edge, Red Deer Catholic receive funding for joint mental health pilot

Nov 19, 2022 | 10:19 AM

A $1.46 million allotment of provincial dollars is helping to launch a mental health pilot project at Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD) and Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRS).

The pilot, in collaboration with McMan Central, will be in place until Dec. 2024.

“Together we saw a way forward that will make a huge difference to our students,” said Dr. Marcie Perdue, CESD Associate Superintendent of Student Services whose efforts in nurturing the partnership and guiding the grant submission led to the successful grant. “I think they saw the power of this collaboration, because we can essentially support students in all of central Alberta. We already have a strong connection with one another and we work in some of the same communities, so we are able to be innovative in designing how the work will look.”

Part of the approach, adds Perdue, is to share staff resources and expertise, which isn’t common among school divisions.

“We have developed a pyramid of supports and a clear path forward – and we are so excited to get started.”

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The program will have five mental health consultants and three family enrichment workers, and will employ RDCRS’ trauma-informed practice, plus CESD’s social emotional wellbeing course, among other things.

“We are very thankful to Alberta Education for the funding for this collaborative project as we continue to focus on the mental health of our students,” said RDCRS Associate Superintendent of Inclusion, Jodi Smith.

“This grant will allow us to increase mental health resilience amongst students and families by continuing to offer learning opportunities in the areas of social-emotional learning. This grant will also help increase access to community mental health support and services for our most vulnerable students.”

Recruitment is now ongoing to fill the five consultant roles, with plans to have the pilot last for two full years, meaning it will start imminently.