The province is trying to head off mental health issues before they turn into long-term problems.
“We know that mental health issues often present themselves first in adolescence,” Health Minister Randy Delorey said Thursday afternoon in marking the expansion of the adolescent outreach program to 41 additional schools in the northern and western regions of the province.
“Like other chronic health conditions, people live with them over time and the longer they develop without being treated, the more acute they become. Having these resources in the communities, in the schools readily acceptable for our youth, there are just more eyes who are trained to identify and connect.”
Delorey said identifying potential problems comes first.
“Then provide the opportunities to get the youth connected with the programs and the support to help them learn how to cope and manage their condition so they don’t become as acute.”
The province has provided $3.4 million over four years to expand the outreach program that started in Cape Breton 10 years ago under the name of CaperBase. The funding provided for 11 new mental health and addictions staff to expand the program. Those staff began their work when schools opened in September.
The additional outreach workers are primarily working in schools.
“The connection with the schools is that is where students and youth are,” the minister said. “It provides the option of informal accessibility.”
The announcement was made in a room designated as a wellness space at Hants North Rural High School in Kennetcook.
Shawn Goodwin, the team lead for the outreach program in the northern zone, said outreach workers are available on a rotating basis throughout the schools involved.
“Today is my day to be in Hants North,” Goodwin said.
In the school, Goodwin said students can reach out to him on a formal or informal basis.
“You can drop in or make an appointment,” he said, adding that referrals can come from mental health clinicians outside of the school system, from school staff and other community agencies.
Delorey could not say if further expansion of the program can be expected down the road.
“We will be evaluating the work of the programs over the coming years and certainly we anticipate positive results and that would inform future decisions on expansions,” the minister said.
The funding commitment for the expanded program was made months ago.
“They (hires) had to get into the schools, build relationships,” Delorey said of the delayed announcement. “We didn’t want to distract them from actually getting established, getting connected.
“This is letting people know that this service is up and running and active.”
John Rossong, mental health and addictions manager for community home supports and outreach with Nova Scotia Health Authority, welcomed the expansion.
Rossong said it’s impossible to eradicate mental health issues “but this model will reduce the risk compared to the status quo.
“This will be done by providing timely access in schools and communities for health-promotion activity, screening, brief and targeted interventions with use of the current best-evidence model. In turn, we will provide a more comprehensive mental health and addiction model for our youth in Nova Scotia.”
Delorey said the goal is better mental health outcomes by allowing students to spark conversations about their issues with someone they are comfortable talking to.
“If you are able to manage your anxiety and other challenges you may have from a mental health perspective, you are able to focus more on your academics and some of those things that might be causing the anxiety,” he said. “Then you have better outcomes there as well. It really serves in both the short and the long terms for in the individuals and our communities.”
