Dr. Angela Burbridge

@PearsonCanada What is your response to this?

@DominicCardy @zachvant @seguincbc What qualified professional or organization is doing the training? Who is the NB government giving $1.2M to for this training?

@zachvant @seguincbc $1.2M for training for 25.

@seguincbc If a psych ed has a cost of $3000, what is the cost of 25 educators getting 900+hrs of training Then long term supply teachers to replace them during this training Then how many educators will actually be using this training, how many are supervisors

@DominicCardy @reeeiiid To clarify: Pearson doesn't "certify". They require specific academic qualifications for someone to PURCHASE the test. Acts, such as the Psychologists Act, govern the use of these tests.

@sjpsyc @reeeiiid Pearson owns the test and certifies the people who administer it...

@DominicCardy @Merryme1110 @DrSylvainRoy Have you considered streamlining things in the short term similarly to PETL? How many psychoed. assessments are done each year through the PETL contract? Could we utilize something similar? Yes, we have to fix the problem.

@sjpsyc @Merryme1110 @DrSylvainRoy Waiting for school psychologists to be hired so they can get the salaries. Right now we’re spending around $400k per year on outside sources for tests. The backlog persists. Training 25 resource specialists will cost just over $1.2M in total. We have to fix this problem.

@DominicCardy @Merryme1110 @DrSylvainRoy Where is the money going for these 30 unfilled positions?

@sjpsyc @Merryme1110 @DrSylvainRoy Except there aren’t any psychologists to do the work. Thirty of 64 positions unfilled. This isn’t an abstract issue, it’s a current crisis hurting vulnerable kids - the wealthy can access private assessments. What’re your thoughts on helping those students, today?

@JamieO54020775 @DominicCardy This is an option worth considering and has been suggested to Dept. of Education.

@DominicCardy @sjpsyc Why is there not an option of covering the cost of the assessment or subsidizing for children in need! An official diagnosis is sometimes a lifeline for coverage for children and families

@DominicCardy Your math is wrong. 1 year of training for teachers to do assessment does not equal my 12 years of training, followed by 1 year supervised internship, and 1 year supervised residency. A teacher is a teacher and a psychologist is a psychologist!

@DominicCardy Where is the money going from the unfilled Psychology positions? Why can't we use these funds towards a system similar to what PETL is doing to get assessments done? We have the Psychologists in NB. Dept. of Ed. isn't utilizing them.

@MarlaLesage @DominicCardy Public service has so much to offer Psychologists - health benefits, team environments, collaboration, job security, etc. But there are things that need to improve and it is hard to advocate for change when in it.

@DominicCardy Can you share your data and research on the "success" of "basically identical programs"? What outcome of success are you measuring?

@Merryme1110 @DrSylvainRoy How would you describe the success of basically identical programs in other places? And the 952 hour program the resource specialists would undertake? We don’t have enough psychologists, so they can’t do it. So is the best option to wait, or to look for alternatives?

@DominicCardy @Merryme1110 @DrSylvainRoy And let's focus on the pillars of the Psychologist Resource Strategy as a long-term solution. Consider the other alternatives you've been giving for short-term solutions.

@DominicCardy @Merryme1110 @DrSylvainRoy Finally we agree! The best option is to look for alternatives. But the alternative shouldn't compromise the quality of service. Teachers are already equipped with tools to make educational plans. Leave the Psychoeds to the Psychologists.

@DominicCardy We agree the assessments need to be done - lets collaborate on a responsible solution. How can you support this bill when the experts are opposed? Not just Psychologists, but LDANB too!

@DominicCardy @sglenn2012 @seguincbc The solution isn't an easy one, we can agree on that. Have you considered a system similar to PETL through LDANB? NBASP also put out a document with several solutions. Plus the CPNB Increasing the Odds paper.

@sjpsyc @sglenn2012 @seguincbc No, comparing private and public sector salaries isn’t reasonable. Working conditions are always going to be harder in a school compared to the flexibility you’d have in a private practice. What would you do to deal with the multi-year backlog, today?

@DominicCardy @hillygirl1939 @sglenn2012 @seguincbc CPNB has been working with all Gov't Depts for several years - the Psychologist Resource Strategy reflects that. There is a crisis! And we have had several meetings to find solutions.

@hillygirl1939 @sglenn2012 @seguincbc 1) Ask your College not to spread misinformation; 2) recognize there is a crisis and that the College saying “go see a private psychologist” isn’t an option for a lot of families; 3) ask the College to sit down and talk with the Dept on a way to fix this. We asked, they said no.

@DominicCardy @DrSylvainRoy @Merryme1110 Teachers are specialists. Psycs are too. We work together well. Cardy - why not review our Increasing the Odds paper for ideas? Or consider replicating the current PETL system for getting assessments done?

@DrSylvainRoy @Merryme1110 You might not call them specialists but they are. And they have MAs and they’re getting 952 hours of specialized instruction. Another advantage: they exist! Proposing professionals who don’t/won’t work in the system is not a fix for the kids in need.

@DominicCardy I am ready to work towards solutions with your department, which we have been doing for 3+ years since our Increasing The Odds paper was released. We all want the same outcome - assessments done. But it has to be in an ethical manner by the right professionals.

@sjpsyc Are you ready to work in a school?

@Concern88957041 @DominicCardy I was one of the Psychologists that left the public system due to poor working conditions. I now volunteer my time advocating for changes in the public system because I do believe we need to keep Psychologists in the public system.

@DominicCardy @sjpsyc @sjpsyc this is a pretty fair question, are you planning to work on the schools? Or is this about protecting your business ?