Announcement

Provincial mental health funding announcement Thanks to new provincial funding, students at public post-secondary institutions in Lethbridge will have access to increased mental health supports.

The University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College will receive a combined $1.2 million each year for three years to support student mental health on campus. Government will invest $25.8 million over the three-year period to protect and improve mental health resources for post-secondary students at publicly funded institutions across Alberta.

In June 2017, the province announced new equitable funding that significantly increases and improves mental health supports for post-secondary students across Alberta. The University of Lethbridge, which is receiving $1 million each year in government funding, is a leader in student mental health supports. Lethbridge College will benefit significantly from the province’s $220,000 annual investment for mental health initiatives.

Marlin Schmidt
“Our government’s increased investment in student mental health programs is an important commitment to help students succeed. Mental health challenges have a significant impact on far too many students, and we are making these public investments so all students across the province have access to these programs when they need them.”
-Marlin Schmidt, Minister of Advanced Education
Paula Burns
“We are thankful to the Government of Alberta for its commitment to prioritize the mental health of our students. This funding will allow us to create new mental health initiatives, as well as expand and enhance our existing programs. We will focus on providing customized supports for all students, including our Indigenous, LGBTQ+ and international groups.”
-Paula Burns, president and CEO, Lethbridge College
Arthur Torres
“Mental health is an essential part of a person’s overall health and well-being and this funding will help all of us students get the services that we need. The pressure to succeed while being in a new and different environment can lead students to be vulnerable to anxiety, depression and stress. We thank the province for giving Lethbridge College the resources to have a direct and positive effect on its students’ lives.”
-Arthur Torres, president, Lethbridge College Students’ Association

“Like many universities across Canada, the University of Lethbridge has seen increased demand for student mental health supports. The investment made by the Alberta government is critical in ensuring that we are able to deliver effective student wellness programs and counselling supports to our students.”
-Mike Mahon, president, University of Lethbridge

"I have used mental health supports on campus since the latter half of my first year of university, and it has helped me tremendously. Whether it has been for personal or academic concerns, I have always felt comfortable and at ease knowing that I had the opportunity to work through those concerns with a professional. I found that once I began reaching out to these resources, the quality of my post-secondary life was much higher.”
-Laura Bryan, University of Lethbridge student

The 2016 National College Health Assessment survey conducted at 10 post-secondary institutions across the province showed a high incidence of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. With good mental health supports in place, mental well-being is linked to academic achievement, learning, retention and future achievement.

To find out more about this funding and how the provincial government is improving post-secondary mental health and addictions supports for students, please visit Next Steps to Improve Post-Secondary Student Mental Health.