Story perspectives

Funding Cuts Endanger Vital Youth Mental Health Services

10/22/2025

Summary

Story summary

Funding cuts threaten Saplings Mental Health program's in-person services in Fort St. John, B.C., which has provided four years of outpatient care and is moving online.
Families and health professionals fear the impact on vulnerable youth as services move online.
Leanne Couch, a Saplings beneficiary's mother, warns that losing in-person care could reverse progress.
The B.C. Coroner's data show a high regional youth suicide rate, underscoring the urgent need for accessible mental health resources.

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Story summary

Funding cuts threaten Saplings Mental Health program's in-person services in Fort St. John, B.C., which has provided four years of outpatient care and is moving online.
Families and health professionals fear the impact on vulnerable youth as services move online.
Leanne Couch, a Saplings beneficiary's mother, warns that losing in-person care could reverse progress.
The B.C. Coroner's data show a high regional youth suicide rate, underscoring the urgent need for accessible mental health resources.