SchoolsPlus Expansion Highlighted on World Mental Health Day

****EDUCATION/EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Media Release

SchoolsPlus Expansion Highlighted on World Mental Health Day
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Students and families in schools need access to mental health services and supports no matter where they live. To help increase access, SchoolsPlus is now available to all students and families provincewide.

SchoolsPlus helps children, youth and families connect to a range of programs by working with school staff and other partners. In addition to mental health services, supports include mentoring, after-school programs, homework support, youth groups and parenting supports.

“Connecting Nova Scotians with community and mental health supports is an important part of SchoolsPlus and an important student resource to highlight today, World Mental Health Day,” said Zach Churchill, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “Having these services available through our schools makes it easier for people to get the help they need.”

As of September, SchoolsPlus has been available to all students in all schools through 56 sites.

Quotes:
“As a public school principal, I see the benefits of SchoolsPlus every day. Partners like SchoolsPlus are invaluable in helping schools meet the needs of their students. SchoolsPlus staff regularly link schools and families to a broad range of services.”
– Joe Morrison, principal, Citadel High, Halifax

“SchoolsPlus bridges home life and school life. In many cases they are key to providing urgent response to mental health, or other needs, whether with a student, or with members of their family.”
– Don Reardon, principal, Rocky Lake Junior High, Bedford

Quick Facts:
— as of September, SchoolsPlus services 370 schools
— the program has 41 facilitators/social workers and 84 community outreach workers
— SchoolsPlus also has 53.5 mental health clinicians, who are employed by the Nova Scotia Health Authority or IWK
— government has invested $30 million over the past two years to support 364 inclusive education specialists, including SchoolsPlus staff
— The total investment in SchoolsPlus is $11.8 million

Additional Resources:
Inclusive Education Supports: https://www.ednet.ns.ca/inclusiveeducation

SchoolsPlus: https://www.ednet.ns.ca/schoolsplus/