P.E.I. school officials tout improved wait times for learning assessments

P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch says the waiting list for psychological learning assessments in the school system is getting shorter, and should reach the target of a one-year wait or less by the 2020-21 school year.

Terri MacAdam, director of student services for the PSB, said this month the expected wait for students who require an assessment to be diagnosed with a possible learning disorder will drop below two years "down from probably four-plus years in 2018.... I'm pretty confident that we're through the crisis part."

MacAdam told the province's Standing Committee on Education and Economic Growth Tuesday that for the first time in a decade the province is operating with its full complement of school psychologists — each one of the 11.6 full-time equivalent positions filled.

Chronic staffing shortages over the last several years made it harder for students referred for a psychological assessment to actually receive a diagnosis of a learning disorder.

In the past, parents described the agony of watching their children fall further behind their peers as they waited years for the diagnosis that would hopefully unlock the secret to helping them perform better at school.

100 private assessments, more to come

Some families with the means, or the right insurance plan, spent upward of $2,500 out-of-pocket for an assessment from a private psychologist.

MacAdam told the committee the PSB has hired private psychologists to conduct about 100 assessments — paid for with taxpayer dollars — with another 25 set to take place this fall to help clear up the backlog.

To keep the wait lists from growing again, MacAdam said the PSB's 11.6 psychologists won't do anything aside from conducting learning assessments — unable to take on other duties like consulting with schools on important mental health issues like anxiety. She said there are two counselling consultants who are able to offer those services in Island schools.

"We'd probably need about 20 school psychologists in order to have them doing a full role, plus all of the assessment and keeping that up," said MacAdam.

Ratio lags behind target

With all its positions filled, MacAdam said the province has one school psychologist for every 1,700 students — a similar ratio to Nova Scotia.

But she pointed out the Canadian Psychological Association has called for a ratio of one psychologist for every 1,000 students.

A number of MLAs at the meeting expressed concerns about wait lists "sliding back" now that funding for private psychological assessments has been used up.

"Right now we're on a good trend, we're reducing the wait times," said PC MLA Cory Deagle. "But this year is the last year for the private assessments. Without any commitment from government on funding to hire new psychologists, are we going to start sliding backwards?"

MacAdam said she regularly asks government for more funding to hire more psychologists.

"It's usually in our ask every year," she said. "If we weren't able to get another psychologist, then [we would ask] for some more private assessment just to keep the wait list up. But they do feel pretty secure that they'll be able to keep that wait list within a year."

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