Student mental health 'a renewed priority,' says education minister

The P.E.I. government has no plans to create a dedicated mental health curriculum, but is growing academic offerings in the area and expanding services, says Education Minister Doug Currie.

Currie responded on CBC's Island Morning Tuesday to a petition for a mental health curriculum in junior and senior high schools.

• 'Silent killers:' petition pushes for mental health curriculum in schools

"There is a renewed priority in this whole discussion about working with our youth, and it's not just necessarily about a course or a textbook," Currie said.

"It's really about developing positive, healthy school cultures. One of the things that evidence and research will tell us is a sense of belonging and a connectedness with a teacher is a very, very powerful vehicle for students to deal with their anxiety and their stress."

Currie said the province does offer mental health education in its physical education and health courses, and those offerings would be expanded in the coming school year with two new programs.

The minister also noted the province is starting a pilot program that will see nurses, outreach workers and occupational therapists set up to support students' mental health starting this fall.

The pilot program will see teams set up in two schools, with those teams travelling to all schools in the family of schools.

That program, he said, will be evaluated and adjusted as it is rolled out.

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