Rapid access counselling services access is on the rise in the Prince Albert Catholic School Division.
The service, funded through the Ministry of Health, provides for Child and Youth Rapid Access counselling through Prince Albert Catholic Family Services. Superintendent Charity Dmytruk gave the board of education a mid-year update on the program during their regular meeting on Dec. 15.
Catholic Family Services began offering the service in Dec. 2023 in elementary schools in the division and director of education Lorel Trumier is pleased with the partnership.
“There were years where we didn’t have the ability to have counsellors financially, nor did we have the trained expertise, and so the partnership that we have here through the Catholic Family Services is an extremely important partnership to provide the rapid access counselling,” Trumier said.
The goal of rapid access counselling is to offer timely, barrier free preventative counselling to children and youth. If it is determined there is a need for long-term counselling, assistance will be provided to access services at Catholic Family Services or another provider.
Single session therapy is a form of brief therapy that is solution-focused, evidence-based and trauma-informed.
“Some children just require some rapid form of counselling (where) they’re able to resolve or connect to a more permanent and more supportive counselling environment or support in a different domain,” Trumier said.
A Catholic Family Services counsellor spends a full day each week in Ecole Holy Cross, St. Michael Community School and St. Francis School and a day and a half each week at Ecole St. Anne, St. John Community School and St. Catherine Community School.
“The rapid access counselling provides, at the school, opportunities for those children to share their needs and work with someone who’s trained in this particular area to support them,” Trumier said. “It’s been great. We look forward to the continued support and we’re very appreciative.”
This is a significant increase as in 2024-2025 the schools received a half day and a full day of support services.
“To be able to receive the funds from the ministry and government to have that happen in schools through the Catholic Family Services Organization is such a very worthwhile endeavour,” Trumier said.
The counsellors provide support to students and families in such areas as managing anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, self-harm, grief and anger management among others.
According to the memo school administration and families have expressed their appreciation for the counselling services as well as assistance in ensuring that students are referred to outside supports when appropriate.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
