The federal government says it has reversed course on a plan to stop covering travel associated with a key mental health program.
Ottawa first delayed the payment of invoices associated with the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program, then told workers travel would no longer be funded.
In a statement on Thursday, Indigenous Services Canada changed position, saying it had “identified funding to support the provision of travel assistance” less than a week after a senior official told mental health workers no such money existed.
In a July 24 email, ISC regional director general Heather MacPhail said only virtual counselling sessions would be approved in the NWT and Nunavut “as there is no funding to support client or service provider travel.”
Mental health workers and northern residents alike had criticized that decision amid concern over ISC’s broader handling of the program.
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Issuing a statement to Cabin Radio on July 30, ISC said it would now issue funding “for clients accessing in-person residential school mental health counselling services in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut for the current fiscal year.”
What happens after that is not clear. ISC said it was working to “develop a plan for the coming years.”
ISC’s reversal of its travel funding decision was first reported by the CBC.
As of Wednesday evening, multiple mental health workers in the NWT said they had received no contact about the change of course and the availability of travel funding.
Until recently, mental health workers previously told Cabin Radio, travel was considered a routine part of the job and provided a more beneficial environment for therapy to take place.
