Three post-secondary institutions in Calgary received funding to expand their mental health programs on Friday, highlighting the increased demand for mental health professionals.
On Friday, Alberta’s Minister of Advanced Education Rajan Sawhney announced $10 million in funding across the next three years to create 761 new seats in programs dedicated to mental health professions. The province said this includes psychiatric nursing, psychology, social work, child and youth care, and addiction counselling.
The funding will be split across 12 post-secondary institutions across the province and three of them are located in Calgary. Bow Valley College will receive funding for 75 additional seats, Mount Royal University (MRU) will receive funding for 105 seats and St. Mary’s University will receive funding for 45 seats.
Sawhney said the funding fulfills her mandate to increase mental health programs across the province, especially in rural areas. The goal is to prepare students for careers in mental health and expand research in the field.
“This funding addresses a critical need in our communities, the demand for skilled mental health professionals such as psychiatric nurses, psychologists, social workers, child and youth care experts and addiction counsellors is growing,” Sawhney said at a Friday news conference.
“This initiative is not just about filling current gaps. It’s also about anticipating future needs by expanding educational opportunities in these in-demand professions. We are ensuring that Alberta’s mental health workforce is well-equipped to serve our communities effectively for years to come.
“Mental health is not just a personal issue, it’s a societal issue. The reality is that mental health issues are pervasive and affect individuals from all walks of life, from young students navigating academic pressures to adults coping with job stress and family dynamics.”
Chad London, MRU’s acting president and vice-chancellor, said the funding will have a “net positive effect” for communities across Calgary because there is a larger demand for mental health resources.
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), one in five Canadians experiences a mental illness in any given year. One in two Canadians will have or have had a mental illness by the time they reach age 40.
Young people aged 15 to 24 are also more likely to experience mental illness and substance use disorders than any other age group, according to CAMH.
“[MRU sees] a strong demand for all the programs we offer that serve the mental health fields. With the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in particular, we’ve seen over eight applications for every seat,” London said.
“I think there’s a greater recognition there’s a need in society, and students want to be a part of solving that, and so they’re attracted to those fields. And so definitely a high-in-demand program.”
