Bridging the gap: Dalhousie psychologists, students care for those who can’t afford it

A clinic in Halifax provides mental health help for those who can’t afford it.

The Dalhousie Centre for Psychological Health serves two purposes: education and training clinical psychology students and supporting some of the most vulnerable Nova Scotians.

“We work with low income, marginalized individuals from all walks of life,” says Alissa Pencer, one of the centre’s co-directors and the clinical psychology program’s field placement coordinator.

The centre’s mandate is to support people who can’t afford to pay for psychological services or don’t have the coverage to do so.

“It’s really the cost,” says Pencer. “Private psychological services are currently $230 an hour. An assessment could cost thousands of dollars, so a lot of people can’t afford that.”

The centre offers free care to people who are referred by one of approximately 30 different community organizations.

But offering the training space for clinical psychology students, under close watch of their supervisors, is arguably just as important.

“We’re just trying to fill some of the many gaps,” says Catrina MacPhee, a fifth-year clinical psychology PhD candidate. “Unfortunately, there’s a shortage of clinical psychologists in the province and kind of all across the country. So, to be able to provide any kind of service, I think at this point is really great.”

MacPhee says finding work placements can be challenging, but the centre helps prepare students and ensures they’re ready for clinical community settings afterwards.

Nearly 50 students have been trained there and around 540 clients have been seen in the year-and-a-half since the centre opened.

“It’s been great to really see the impact on our students and on the community,” says Shannon Johnson, a co-director of the centre and director of clinical training. “It’s just really nice to engage in work that feels meaningful.”

It’s especially meaningful when you can help bridge the gap and fill the void.

“Some practices have several month waitlists, not that different from the public system,” says Pencer. “(At) some, you can be seen within a few weeks.”

In 2023, the centre received $4.5-million in provincial funding over three years. The agreement wraps up in March, but Johnson and Pencer are hopeful that they’ve proved the work – and benefit to the community – is a worthwhile investment that helps the health-care system, too.

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