(The Canadian Press)

By Glenn Hicks

stress relief

Sask. teachers to receive 24/7 mental health supports

Oct 1, 2019 | 5:08 PM

The province’s teachers and their families are getting access to 24/7 mental health support. That will include counselling, legal and financial consultation, work-life solutions and wellness.

The teachers’ union said such needs were increasing for their members and the new supports would benefit all, especially those in the North and more remote settings.

President of the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF) Patrick Maze said it was not only the stress of ever-increasing class sizes that was resulting in more mental health issues for its members.

“In part, it’s because of the philosophy of inclusionary practices which take kids that might normally be in a special program in or outside of the school and are now being included right in the classroom, “ Maze told paNOW. He said while there were good aspects to inclusionary practice it needed to be supported properly otherwise it was adding to teachers’ workload.

Maze explained the 24-hour access by phone to professional counselling services will be available to all teachers wherever they are through the Members’ Health Plan, which is government-funded. He added it would provide timely, universal access that may not have previously been easily available, especially for teachers in the North.

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“If somebody is experiencing a difficult time in their lives it actually exacerbates things when they now have to do lesson plans and take a day off work in order to travel into a larger community where those supports might be found,” he explained.

The STF currently provides in-house counsellors to members. That will be phased out, but long-term counselling will still be covered through the Members’ Health Plan.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow