The Alberta government says it is a third of the way to its goal of opening 60 classrooms dedicated to helping students with mental health struggles across the province.
An additional nine CASA Mental Health Classrooms opened in seven Alberta communities as students returned to class this fall. The schools provide special support to students who face complex mental health challenges, but do not interfere with their education.
Each classroom has a permanent teacher, psychiatrist, mental health counselor and other staff to support students in recovery.
“With the difficulties and challenges around mental health, we know that kids need a comprehensive set of services, where mental health classrooms like the CASA classroom will have support from psychiatrists, from psychologists, from doctors, from nurses – registered mental health nurses – and obviously from mental health therapists and teachers,” said Dan Williams, Minister for Mental Health and Addictions.
“These dedicated classes are there to help children so that they can transition into their classroom, put them in a place where they have an opportunity for recovery as well.” Despite their mental health challenges, they should be able to function and continue to live full lives.”
Of the nine new classrooms that opened this fall, two are in the Edmonton area, three are in Calgary and one each in High River, Red Deer, Fort McMurray and Bonnyville.
Get weekly health news
Get the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.
There are currently 17 CASA mental health classrooms operating in schools across Alberta. The government is committing $70 million over three years to open 60 of the classrooms by 2026.
Bonnie Blakley, director of CASA Mental Health, said the organization’s goal is to provide more children with more services closer to where they live. The clinics are meant to help bridge the gap between home and hospital for young people, she explained.
“We have specialized classrooms. These classrooms are designed in a way that allows us to provide direct care to students while they are learning. You get one-on-one group programming, psychiatric help, medication management — all individually tailored to you specifically while you’re in that classroom,” said Blakley, who is also a mother of seven and has experienced mental illness in her family.
Alicia Long, a mother of two, said one of the daughters experienced a “terrible, traumatic event that left her with mental, emotional and physical distress that we as parents were completely unequipped to help her with.”
The girl spent time in a CASA classroom, which her mother said provided her with a unique combination of therapy and a school environment.
“It was a healthy space for my daughter to both learn and grow,” Long said. “She had a circle of caring professionals around her that we as parents felt very empowered by.
Long said her daughter was able to learn skills to help her cope with her stress while doing better in school. The girl also gained more confidence and made friends in the classroom.
“The CASA classroom has been very helpful for our daughter,” Long said.
The first CASA Mental Health Classrooms opened in Alberta in 2023. Once all 60 are open, the province estimates they will support 1,500 students a year.
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
#mental #health #classrooms #open #Alberta #schools #Globalnews.ca