The College of Psychologists of New Brunswick is encouraged by the decision of Premier Holt and Ministers McKee and Dornan to pause the proposed staffing changes at Horizon Health that would have significantly impacted New Brunswickers’ access to psychological services.
The College was not consulted regarding the implications of the proposed changes. Based on the information shared, these changes would have reduced the presence and role of psychologists in the delivery of addictions and mental health care at a time when demand for these services is increasing.
Although we support exploring how the addition of new professions within the mental health system could further support service delivery and optimize available resources, this should not come at the expense of reducing the public’s access to specialized psychological care. We are very concerned that replacing current vacant psychologist positions with professionals from other disciplines would not be in the best interest of New Brunswickers, especially those in need of care for complex and chronic mental health conditions.
Psychologists possess extensive, specialized training in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health conditions, and play a vital role in supporting the well-being of New Brunswickers across the lifespan. Psychologists bring critical expertise in differential diagnosis, evidence-based interventions, complex case formulation, and systems-level mental health planning.
We welcome reconsideration of the proposed changes that would impact access to psychological services in our public health system. As government recommits to improving mental health and addiction services in New Brunswick—particularly for children and youth—we share in that commitment and believe that psychologists are essential to achieving this goal.
Going forward, we welcome meaningful collaboration on how psychological services can be strengthened, not diminished, to better meet the growing needs of our population including continued commitment to the recruitment and retention of psychologists within the public health system.
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