Comox Valley, Pacific Rim, Qualicum and Cowichan Valley among the school districts affected
Threatened Integrated Child and Youth team services on Vancouver Island will be restored, by order of the provincial government.
The provincially funded ICY teams are an initiative designed to connect children, youth and families to mental-health and addiction services. The program lead’s role includes screening to determine the appropriate services for children, youth and families.
“Minister [Josie] Osborne has directed Island Health to reinstate the ICY teams in their original structure, in the same manner as they exist in other school districts in the province,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement to the PQB News.
The ministry added that ICY teams are “vital to connecting young people to the care they need” and said there are no changes to ICY funding from the ministry.
Supporting youth mental health remains a “key priority”, Island Health said in a statement.
“We will be working to reinstate all impacted ICY positions as soon as possible. The care and supports delivered by the ICY teams will continue without disruption,” the statement said.
The teams bring together systems and people into one group and provide a single point of entry so children and youth will not have to retell their story and potentially become re-traumatized, depending on the issue they need support for.
Reinstated programs include the Qualicum School District program lead position, which was terminated in August. The school district said it only heard of the announcement through the media.
“We have not yet heard how this will look in our community,” Gillian Wilson, associate superintendent of schools, told the PQB News.
Several other mid-Vancouver Island school districts were affected by staffing cuts, which were also restored, including Comox Valley Schools (SD71), Pacific Rim (SD70) and Cowichan Valley School District (SD79).
The president of the QSD District Parent Advisory Council, Marina Gardiner, said she could not speak to the media without general membership approval, but pointed to a social media post where DPAC called the decision “great news for local families”.
“This means children, youth and families will continue to have access to a co-ordinated approach to care right here in their home communities when they need support most,” the post said.
The province announced in 2024 that the Qualicum School District would be one of seven districts to receive an ICY team, which started working in 2025.
ICY teams provide wraparound mental health and substance use services and supports for children and youth up to 19 years old, with flexibility to continue care up to 21 years old, according to the Ministry of Health.
There are currently 39 ICY teams operating or being implemented in 20 school districts across B.C.
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