People looking for skills training and job opportunities in mental-health and addictions care are now able to access free education and paid work experience in the sector.

Building on the success of the Health Career Access Program (HCAP), which has trained more than 8,000 people as health-care support workers in long-term care homes, assisted-living facilities, home support and acute-care settings since it began in September 2020, the program is now expanding into mental-health and addictions care. This expansion will help fill crucial roles by offering a fully funded certificate program and an educational stipend through the training. The first group of 30 students started in May 2024 with a second group set to begin in September 2024. The Province aims to recruit and train as many as 500 students across B.C.

“Meeting the needs of those living with mental-health and addictions challenges requires a skilled and diverse workforce,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “Providing no-cost training encourages people from all walks of life to help us fill essential roles. This ensures that people are supported by passionate professionals who are equipped with the skills to offer much-needed support.”

By welcoming people with varied backgrounds, including those with lived experience, HCAP enriches the health-care community. The program supports education, training and recruitment for roles such as community mental-health workers, peer-support workers and outreach-support workers. Increasing the number of trained staff to fill these critical roles, particularly in a challenging labour market, will strengthen the Province’s expansion of mental-health and addictions services.

“Joining the Health Career Access Program has been a life-changing experience for me. I am receiving the training and support I need to grow my career in health care, something I’m very excited about,” said Michelle Newall, HCAP participant. “The on-the-job training helped me understand what this new career will entail, the university certificate gives me the formal education I need, and the practicum will round out my experience and give me the confidence to work in my new role. I’m grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to be able to give back to Interior Health and my community.”

Graduates from the program will have the foundational knowledge and hands-on training to work effectively in a variety of mental-health and addictions settings. All graduates agree to work for at least one year in the field so that these training efforts lead to long-lasting improvements in care.

“As our population grows rapidly, the demand for health care, including mental-health care, grows with it,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “To ensure B.C.’s health-care workforce is able to meet the diverse care needs now and better support people in their recovery, we are taking significant actions in our human-resources recruitment and retention strategies. That’s why investments in the expansion the HCAP program to include mental-health and addictions care is critically important.”

The HCAP expansion is supported by $43.3 million from Budget 2023 dedicated over three years to train new mental-health and addictions workers. Enhancing supports for people living with mental-health and addictions challenges is an integral part of A Pathway to Hope, B.C.’s road map for building a comprehensive system of mental-health and addictions care for everyone in British Columbia.

A backgrounder follows.