The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States says that healthy students are better learners.
Because of that connection between a student's well-being, including their mental well-being, and their educational outcomes, the Alberta government is extending their Mental Health in Schools Pilot program and investing $6.7 million for in-school mental health supports for upwards of 350,000 students in the 2024-2025 school year.
This program was originally introduced in 2022, and its focus is on improving the delivery of mental health supports and services for students, as well as providing training, tools, and resources for the school.
The goal of this program is to improve mental health outcomes in students.
"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," explained the Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides in a media release. "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"
Through this Pilot program, 79 school divisions across the province have been able to launch locally developed mental health initiatives in their schools, such as hiring in-school psychologists and social workers, delivering mental health literacy programs, and providing training and professional development for school staff.
59 of the projects under this program were originally set to expire at the end of 2024, but with this new funding, those programs will be extended until the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
At the end of the upcoming school year, school authorities will provide reports on this pilot program, so the government can make future decisions that support the mental health and well-being of students.
With this additional funding, the Alberta government has now provided over $50 million for the Mental Health in Schools Pilot projects.
To learn more about this project, head over to the Government's YouTube page.