Student mental health and addiction support is being boosted at Niagara College’s NOTL and Welland campuses.
The expanded services, officially announced by the college on Nov. 6, are a result of funding the provincial government pledged in May and will be introduced in the coming weeks by the college’s health, wellness and accessibility services and Indigenous education departments.
Director of health, wellness and accessibility services Karen Csoli said the college is excited about the ability to evolve in such a way that will help students well into the future.
“We were very focused on what are the better ways that we can support the student,” she said.
“As the students themselves change year by year, generation by generation and program by program, we need to be looking at what services we offer, how we structure supports, how we staff our supports and change to meet their needs.”
Directly, the funds will support reduced physician wait times on campus, creating culturally appropriate supports for Indigenous students, addressing complex mental health needs of all students and direct channels to external addiction counselling.
The college will receive $868,625 over two years.
At the spring announcement, the Ontario government pledged $5 million in funding for 10 post-secondary institutions across the province.
