Update: Camosun College has delayed the launch of this program until 2021 due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Camosun College is filled with all kinds of change right now, and part of that change is a new multi-disciplinary program being offered in the fall. The college will be launching an online-only eight-month certificate program, Mental Health, Addictions and Criminal Justice, in September.
“Our justice system today is very overrepresented by those suffering from mental health and addiction issues,” says incoming Criminal Justice chair Wendy Taylor. “So, the goals of our programs are to work together in all areas of expertise, mental health, addictions, social services. We want to work together so we can better meet the needs of those with mental health and addiction in the community.”
Taylor says she is really excited that the program—which has two courses in the fall and two in the winter term—is starting and stresses that because it’s online, location isn’t an issue.
“It can be taken anywhere; you don’t have to live in Victoria,” says Taylor. “There are no geographic restrictions, and you work within your own schedule, so it really accommodates those that need more flexibility.”
Taylor is enthusiastic about the response that the course has been receiving so far.
“We’ve just been promoting it now for a couple weeks,” she says. “With COVID, we recognize that the majority of the people who are interested in this course have been very busy addressing the challenges of COVID-19. So, we started promoting at the beginning of March, and we have had a great response so far.”
Taylor says that this certificate is a great step toward having mental health and addictions workers join forces with criminal justice workers.
“The goal of it is to help individuals who are working in the community or in the justice system that better want to build their skills and to develop more of an integrated approach to support those with mental-health issues and addictions,” she says.
Taylor believes that combining these programs is an exciting approach to take.
“I’m really excited about this model of learning,” she says. “It’s bringing together the three areas of expertise to work together and learn together. They will be learning so much from each other, not just the instructor… To my knowledge, it’s the only program of its kind in Canada.”
Taylor says she had noticed gaps in the way that the two fields work together.
“For me, what I have found, is how siloed the system is,” says Taylor. “How there are programs and services out there, but how to locate them is one of the biggest challenges to face. Different approaches and understanding are needed. The hopes of working together and breaking down silos is we’ll start seeing increased awareness and how to do it—identifying the gaps, because there are many, and then working together to fill those gaps.”