Province cuts funding for psychology student internships

The Health and Wellness Department has cut funding to an internship program in Nova Scotia for students doing doctoral degrees in psychology, says an association representing psychologists in the province.

“Obviously, that greatly concerns us for a number of reasons,” Heather Power, president of the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia, said Thursday.

“The significant concern for us is that we already have a shortage of mental health services in Nova Scotia.”

The voluntary association recently learned about the cut and is still trying to gather details, she said.

The internship program provides hands-on clinical training for doctoral-level students.

“Currently, in Nova Scotia, our doctoral program is a PhD program through Dalhousie University and students attending that program — or even other psychology doctoral-programs across the country, and potentially other countries as well — could look to Nova Scotia for a possible placement for the internship component of their training,” Power said.

The internship is a mandatory part of the program, and students will now have to leave Nova Scotia to receive the necessary training, she said.

“If they leave, will they come back? Or will the students even come here to begin with?

“We were hoping to see more internships, certainly not less. For example, there are currently no internship placements in Cape Breton.

“Really, it comes down to retention and recruitment of psychologists and ensuring that we have adequate positions and training available.”

Officials from the department were not able to provide information or comment on the issue when contacted Thursday.

NDP health critic Dave Wilson said he is concerned because internships are one of the main ways of attracting and keeping health professionals in the province.

It is one of a number of actions by government that show it

doesn’t see mental health services as a priority, said Wilson, MLA for Sackville-Cobequid.

“We know how important psychologists are to delivering mental health services here in Nova Scotia,” said Wilson.

“We have seen cuts to many organizations that support Nova Scotians with mental illness.

“We know right now, for example, they are short a psychologist at the IWK eating disorder clinic. It is concerning to us that we see these cuts.

“We are still waiting for an update on the mental health (and addictions) strategy, which was part of the ongoing commitment to Nova Scotians to update (them) after the strategy was introduced.”

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