NELSON, B.C – In time for the fall season, school district 8 is powering up their efforts to improve mental health supports and resources for both students and staff.

Two new positions have been added to the school district.
A manager of safe schools will educate and hold dialogue on social media and student health with both parents and students.
Additionally, a coordinator of school mental health and addictions has also been recruited with the goal of making sure all schools have consistent policies in place to combat those kinds of challenges.
Ben Eaton, director of innovative learning at SD8 says the landscape of mental health for young people has changed.
“A lot happens behind the bedroom door and when they are online. Many kids are digitally savvy these days, and we want to ensure parents have the knowledge and understand what their kids are doing”, he says.

The ultimate goal, Eaton says, is to keep kids safe and make sure they have access to the resources they need in a timely manner.
The mental health workers will be working out of schools but will be serving the entire school district 8, which includes Nelson, Creston, Salmo, Kaslo and the Slocan Valley.