Alberta invests $7.3 million in youth mental health hubs
Alberta is investing $7.3 million in youth mental health centres across Alberta over the next three years.
Of that, $3 million will be allocated for use this year, expanding mental health hubs and, “to improve mental wellness immediately,” according to Mike Ellis, Alberta's Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. Ellis made the announcement at a press conference in Medicine Hat on Tuesday.
“Youth across the province will benefit from increased access to services that improve mental wellness,” said Ellis. “We want youth to get help before they’re in crisis.”
The money will go to improving existing care hubs, building new ones, and expanding others. The province has planned for a total of 12 hubs to be in operation. Eight are in operation now, and four are currently being planned and implemented.
“We are dedicated to making sure that children and youth are safe, that they are protected, they are resilient, and that they have supports they need to grow and reach their absolute highest potential,” says Rebecca Schulz, Children’s Services Minister.
These hubs are primarily in rural areas that are short on resources to address the mental health concerns of the youth. The $7.3 million will continue to fund this program.
“70 per cent of mental health challenges start in childhood and adolescence,” said Tracie Mutschler, executive director of McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association.
“Suicide is the second leading cause of death of youth in Canada. That’s the third-highest rate in the industrialized world. If you’re an Indigenous youth, you’re five to six times more likely to die by suicide than your non-Indigenous friends.”
Each hub will be tailored to meet the unique needs of the community it operates in.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
Houston braces for flooding to worsen in wake of storms
High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing hundreds of people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime reaches first Masters final in Madrid with another walkover
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to his first ATP Masters final, and he hasn't had to play all that much tennis to do it.