Child and Youth Counselling (CYC) services have been revamped this school year to improve supports for students, youth and families in Northwest Territories (NWT) schools and communities. While students and families may see changes during the 2023-24 school year as the CYC service model changes, mental health services will still be available in schools and communities during this time.
With the in-school Child and Youth Counsellor model, clinical counsellors hired by NWT health and social services authorities were in schools delivering services. In response to requests from education bodies and educators, the changes divide the Child and Youth Counsellor model into two parts.
About 55% of the funding will be allocated to the education bodies so they can directly provide mental health supports for children and youth in schools, particularly for prevention and early intervention services. Coordinating wraparound supports in schools will be led by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.
The NWT health and social services authorities will retain the remaining 45% of the funding to continue providing clinical counselling to children and youth through the health and social services system, including helping families navigate services such as psychiatry, specialized treatment and addictions supports.
The remodel may look different in each region, as each education body will receive funding to hire its own mental health providers and will determine how services are delivered in their regions to ensure that students have continued access to mental health supports.
