N.B. mother says daughter ‘devastated,’ left in limbo over school counselling plan – New Brunswick

A Moncton, N.B., mother is speaking out about changes coming to how kids receive mental health counselling in anglophone schools.

Megan Trites says her 11-year-old daughter, Kylie, is anxious about the new school year after her counsellor told her she would no longer be her counsellor in September.

After being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and a generalized mood disorder, her daughter went through multiple counsellors over the years.

“She finally got her counsellor just after Christmas this year. She thrived with her and had a very good connection,” Trites said. “I saw a very big difference in Kylie’s moods in her school work; she’s learning to regulate.”

Kylie met this counsellor through Horizon Health’s integrated service delivery program, where counsellors visit students in need and consult with their parents, every two weeks in anglophone schools across the province.

Things were looking up until Trites heard changes were coming to the program a few weeks ago. Trites said Kylie’s counsellor told her there would be a restructuring of the child and youth team, and no one was sure what shape that would take in the new school year.

“Kylie is devastated. She is very upset she won’t see her counsellor anymore. That was her confidante,” she said.

The Anglophone East School District told Global News the students receiving support will continue to receive it in the coming year.

“Staff who work on the Child & Youth Teams (Counsellors, Social Workers, Resource Teachers, etc. ) will continue to be attached to their families of schools to provide these services at the school level,” spokesperson Stephanie Patterson wrote.

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Kathleen Buchanan, who serves as Horizon’s clinic executive director of addiction and mental health, confirmed there would be changes to the program in an e-mailed statement.

“The impact of recent changes to Anglophone school district’s child and youth teams will vary across Horizon regions,” the statement read.

“As such, Horizon is currently reviewing its services and staffing complements.”

The matter was hotly debated in the legislature on Thursday. Rob McKee, the minister responsible for addictions and mental health services, was unable to say exactly what the program would look like moving forward.

“It just means the resources will continue to be in place, it’s just the way that they are managed. So the resources through the RHAs continue and like I say, it will be closer to the students, decentralized and will offer more flexibility,” he said.

With only two weeks left in the school year, Trites says she’s still seeking clarity on what help Kylie will be receiving.

— with a file from Rebecca Lau 

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