Tens of thousands of people have signed their name to a petition urging the province to fund psychological support for all Albertans.
“Since August, we have experienced double-digit increases in the number of people who are coming to Cornerstone in search of low-fee counselling,” said Sheila Stauffer, executive director of Cornerstone Counselling in Edmonton.
A group of psychologists is advocating for greater access to mental health services. The initiative began in 2019, and the government was open to discussions, but when the pandemic hit, those talks stopped, the group said.
The Expert Psychologists Interagency Clinical Network (EPIC), is made up of four psychological agencies (Kells Counselling, Insight Psychological, Dreamcatcher Nature Assisted Therapy and Cornerstone Counselling) and more than 60 psychologists.
EPIC members say right now, unless you are wealthy or have insurance, seeing a private psychologist isn’t an option.
The group would like to see the province cover five sessions with a registered psychologist a year. It is pushing the government to consider allowing psychologists to direct bill the province for up to five sessions, similar to how a physiotherapist can direct bill.
Janet Ryan-Newell, the founder of EPIC and a registered psychologist, said Alberta psychologists have seen increases in severe anxiety, depression, grief, loss, suicidality, substance use, family violence, and complex mental illness.
“Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a range of mental health issues increasing at critical rates,” Ryan-Newell said.
Eileen Bona, psychologist and executive director of Dreamcatcher Nature Assisted Therapy in Ardrossan, said her clinic is seeing an 80 per cent increase in the number of session hours its counsellors are doing.
“Psychologists in our Calgary office are finding an increase in the number of youths, aged 15 to 18, that need mental health supports,” said Dr. Cory Hrushka from Insight Psychological. “Parents are struggling to find affordable services in the community and are finding the wait lists with AHS to be frustrating and not timely enough.”
In January, EPIC was made aware that the NDP was also advocating for more financial assistance for Albertans’ mental wellness. The group has since connected with the Opposition and its petition will be tabled in early March when the legislative session resumes.
“Using the provincial health insurance plan to cover sessions with a mental health professional would make a real difference in so many people’s lives. I’m proud to present this petition on behalf of these mental health professionals.”
As of 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, nearly 18,000 signatures had been added to the petition supporting the initiative.
In a statement to Global News, a spokesperson for Alberta’s ministry of Mental Health and Addiction said its “evidence and data suggests that the mental health system in Alberta has sufficient capacity to support Albertans during this difficult time.”
Last April, Premier Jason Kenney announced the province was investing $53 million in mental health and addiction supports as part of Alberta’s COVID-19 response. He said the funding was more than all of the other provinces’ COVID-19 mental health plans combined, times two.
“This included $21.4 million to improve access and boost capacity to phone and online supports with existing helplines, including the Addiction Helpline, the Mental Health Helpline, the Kids Help Phone, the Crisis Text Line Alberta, and Alberta 211,” provincial spokesperson Kassandra Kitz said Wednesday.
“It also included $6.8 million for clinical supports, individual and group treatment for family violence, addiction, and mental health.
“And lastly, it included $25 million for a new community grant program to enhance community mental health and addiction recovery for the public, including Indigenous communities, seniors, families and people experiencing social barriers.”
“Most recently, we also announced the removal of user fees for publicly funded residential addiction treatment so that Albertans could receive addiction treatment without paying out-of-pocket,” Kitz said.
She added there are more than 135 Alberta Health Services Addiction and Mental Health Clinics across the province that offer intake, assessment, diagnosis, referral and treatment services.
“These clinics are open and services are publicly-funded,” Kitz said.
While the Opposition welcomes investment in mental health supports, it says that $53 million was “primarily grants for community support groups and crisis phonelines.”“We have no issue with this, but giving Albertans access to multiple sessions of professional help through the provincial health insurance plan gives them an earlier and better treatment experience, with more continuity, and will hopefully start to address their concerns before they reach a point of crisis,” NDP spokesperson Benjamin Alldritt said.
The Opposition calls psychology session coverage “a practical proposal to address a real problem for Alberta families.”
“I hope that Associate Minister Jason Luan reviews it closely and implements it quickly,” Sweet said.
LINK: https://globalnews.ca/news/7632419/psychologist-mental-health-funding-alberta/