Sask. government launches mental health initiative for students

By Zach Degerness

The Saskatchewan government is launching Healthy Campus Saskatchewan, an initiative to support post-secondary students’ mental health and well-being.

The Ministry of Advanced Education and the Ministry of Health are contributing $130,000 to the initiative.

Healthy Campus Saskatchewan is aimed at gathering together 19 post-secondary institutions and providing their students with the knowledge, tools and support they need to achieve both academic and personal goals.

The 19 institutions are to take part in the Canadian Campus Well Being Survey (CCWS), which helps colleges and universities collect data on student health.

The initiative is focused on mental health, suicide awareness and prevention, sexual violence prevention, substance use, pandemic responses and inclusive environments.

“Saskatchewan’s post-secondary institutions have made a clear commitment to addressing student mental health and wellness,” Advanced Education Minister Gene Makowsky said in a media release. “By working together, we can achieve better outcomes for our students and for our province.”

“This initiative will lay the groundwork that will help us provide the best support possible to our post-secondary students,” added Everett Hindley, the mental health and addictions, seniors and rural and remote health minister.

“It is especially appropriate this year, in light of the additional mental wellness challenges faced by our students in adjusting to the pandemic while they continue their education.”