Alberta opening 9 more CASA mental health classrooms [Video]

Alberta is opening nine more mental health classrooms in communities across the province this month.

In partnership with CASA Mental Health, the new classrooms are a part of the province’s plan to open 60 classrooms by 2026 to help students in Grades 4 to 12 deal with mental health challenges.

“These dedicated classrooms are there to help children so they can transition into their classroom, get them into a spot where they have an opportunity at recovery as well in spite of the mental health challenges,” Dan Williams, Alberta’s minister of mental health and addiction, said at an event Wednesday.

The province says the CASA classrooms provide students experiencing complex mental health challenges with professional care, without disrupting their education.

Each classroom is staffed with a full-time teacher, mental health therapist, mental health aide and other support staff.

“These classrooms are modelled in a way that allows us to provide …