The University of Regina’s Online Therapy Unit received an additional $400,000 from the Government of Saskatchewan.

The investment will expand their Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (ICBT), allowing them to reach more Saskatchewan residents.

ICBT provides an alternative to in-person therapy, and people across the province can asses the service free of charge.

Psychology Professor and Director of the University of Regina’s Online Therapy Unit Dr. Heather Hadjistavropoulos said the funding helps them expand their reach.

“That actually opens up 500 extra spots for online therapy in Saskatchewan,” she said. “We currently have been working with about 1,500 clients a year, and this will increase it to 2,000 clients. It covers the therapist support; allows us to maintain that website, and to do the outreach to clients to make sure that they know about that service.”

Hadjistavropoulos said the funding also allows them to spread the word about their service.

“Some of that money does go to increasing our advertising and reach,” she said. “One of the main ways that clients hear about is through the family physician, so it gives extra money to reach out to those family physicians to make sure that they know about us and other mental health care professionals.”

She said overall, the service provides excellent value, especially to those in rural and remote areas.

“It overcomes lots of barriers to care and gives clients another option. Specially barriers like living in a rural and remote area, having limited time because of personal circumstances, having concerns about privacy or the desire learn about mental health in a different type of well.”

Mental Health and Addictions Minister Everett Hindley said the Online Therapy Unit helps address the different needs of those with mental health and addiction challenges.

“We know that when it comes to mental health and addictions that, it’s not really a one size fits all. People have different needs when it comes to supporting and services that they require, and I think this is a perfect example of that,” he said. “What it does is it further compliments the existing sweet of services that we have right across this province.”

More than 13,000 individuals have received its services since 2013.

Since launching in 2015, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested approximately $9 million in ICBT.