Supporting equity and inclusion in mental health resources

Health and Wellness

Supporting equity and inclusion in mental health resources

A grant from Bell Let鈥檚 Talk will expand Queen鈥檚 ability to support the mental health needs of QTBIPOC students.

By Communications Staff

January 23, 2024

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Bell Let's Talk grant presentation

Bell Canada's Paula White (right) presents a Bell Let's Talk grant to Cynthia Gibney (centre), Executive Director of 成人大片 Student Wellness Services (SWS), and Shannon Bovey (left), Clinical Manager, SWS. (James Paddle-Grant)

Thanks to a new grant from the Bell Let鈥檚 Talk Post-Secondary Fund, Queen鈥檚 will soon have new mental health supports for students who identify as Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, or People of Colour (QTBIPOC). The $100,000 grant will fund two new fellowships for recently trained QTBIPOC-identifying counsellors to work in Queen鈥檚 Student Wellness Services (SWS). These new professionals will provide counselling services, including one-on-one appointments, walk-in counselling, and group counselling.

Bell officially presented the university with a cheque during the Queen鈥檚 women鈥檚 volleyball game on Jan. 20.

鈥淏ell's support acknowledges the complex layers of student experiences and underlines the importance of culturally and identity-appropriate mental health care where possible,鈥 says Cynthia Gibney, Executive Director, SWS. 鈥淭his investment is not just for the wellbeing of our students but also a part of the fabric of our campus culture, supporting the campus values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.鈥

This fellowship program is a new initiative in SWS that expands capacity to serve QTBIPOC students, while advancing and supporting the careers of newly trained QTBIPOC counsellors in a clinical, post-secondary setting.

鈥淭he addition of a QTBIPOC Counselling Fellow within our team is pivotal to building a therapeutic space where students don't just receive quality mental health care, but find their voices and experiences reflected and respected,鈥 says Amber McCart, Senior Clinician, Manager, Counselling Services.

Fellows will be professional QTBIPOC psychotherapy and clinical psychology counsellors who have completed their studies and required internships. One Counselling Fellow will be hired per year, and they will gain substantial clinical experience in a supportive counselling community. Queen鈥檚 will provide the required annual hours of clinical supervision for full licensure of recently graduated counsellors. Queen鈥檚 will also provide administrative supervision, equipment, office space, and professional development opportunities required to maintain regulatory college membership.

鈥淭he goal of the new QTBIPOC Counselling Fellowship program is to increase accessibility to culturally resonant mental health services for QTBIPOC students at Queen's,鈥 says Shannon Bovey, Clinical Manager, Internship Programs, Student Wellness Services. 鈥淏y providing newly trained counsellors with post-practicum job opportunities, we're building a bridge between emerging QTBIPOC professionals and students seeking guidance from people who stand with them in significant aspects of their identity.鈥

Learn more about mental health resources at Queen鈥檚 on the SWS website.

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