The P.E.I. government announced new initiatives Monday to reduce a 3½-year wait list for student psychological assessments.

There are currently about 435 students on the assessment list, with a wait time of 3½ years.

Education Minister Jordan Brown announced measures to reduce that time to less than a year by 2020, including $2 million in new funding to cover the cost.

Adding two psychologist positions, increasing the complement to 10.4.
Contracting private practice psychologists to reduce the wait list.
Adding recruitment incentives that cover licensing fees, relocation and other costs.
Hiring four intervention support teachers to assist classroom teachers.
Hiring two assistive technology facilitators to help implement recommendations for helping students.
Supports being put in place
Brown said one new psychologist is in the process of being hired, but added there is still a lot more work to be done.

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“There’s always a lot of talk about child psychology resources but that’s not the end of the story,” Brown said.

“We need to, once we get the assessments done, have the resources to put the interventions that are required in place.”

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