New Westminster school officials still have questions about a Fraser Health decision to cut a youth addiction outreach service without consulting the school district.

New West clients of Fraser Health’s Burnaby-based Youth Substance Use Outreach Services program found out earlier this month the program was being cut and the funding moved to Odyssey I, a youth outreach service in North Burnaby, and another external contractor in Coquitlam.

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The change will mean the loss of a long-time youth addiction outreach worker, Marilyn Benning, who has been a “lifesaver” for youth in New West and Burnaby for about 20 years, according to clients and their families.

The move outraged them and took school officials off-guard.

“We continue to communicate with Fraser Health because we’ve heard concerns from our community,” New Westminster school district superintendent Karim Hachlaf said at Tuesday night’s school board meeting.

Since the school board’s Jan. 15 operations committee meeting, where about 35 people turned out to urge the board and district to oppose the change, Hachlaf said he has been in contact with Fraser Health to learn more about the restructuring and possible impacts on local students and their families.

Fraser Health told the Record the decision was made after the health authority got feedback from the Burnaby Child and Youth Mental Health Services Local Action Committee and the school districts saying the duplication of youth addiction outreach services at Burnaby Youth Substance Use Outreach Services, Odyssey and SHARE Family and Community Services in the Tri-Cities was confusing.

But Hachlaf said New Westminster “had never been part of any initial consultation when it came to the proposed changes.”

Fraser Health has since confirmed the New Westminster district was not consulted until after the decision.

“Since initiating changes to this service, we heard from the New Westminster school district that they needed more information about the change in service in order to better support their students,” spokesperson Tasleem Juma said in an emailed statement last week. “We provided them with information both verbally and in writing, and will continue to support them through this change.”

The change in service was supposed to happen this week, but Fraser Health extended the transition period. Hachlaf confirmed Fraser Health has said that Benning will remain in her position until the end of February.

But, with a month left before the changes take effect, Hachlaf said the school district still has a few outstanding questions for Fraser Health: has the new counsellor been identified and has the transition between Benning and the new person begun? Have the affected students been contacted by Fraser Health and have they taken part in a transition meeting? And will the new counsellor meet with students at New Westminster schools if needed?

In an emailed statement sent Wednesday, Juma said right now Fraser Health is contacting its clients and working on individual transition plans. The health authority is also coordinating meetings between Odyssey 1 and counsellors in New Westminster and Burnaby schools and has confirmed the new service provider will meet clients “where they are, including locations such as school, coffee shops or the mall.”

“Our priority is to ensure they continue to receive the support and services they need while we transition services,” Juma said.

Trustees criticized Fraser Health at Tuesday’s board meeting for poor communication.

Trustee Danielle Connelly said she hopes this kind of situation can be avoided in the future. She proposed the board send a letter to Fraser Health outlining its concerns “with the lack of communication regarding changes to the school drug and alcohol counselling staff, and that in the future all decisions affecting staff and students will be made in consultation with New Westminster school district and parents and students.”

Trustees supported the motion, adding that right now the focus is on students.

“We’re all concerned about whether in fact the experience of youth accessing this service is going to be the same, or will it feel quite different,” trustee Maya Russell said.

Juma said Fraser Health has “heard the concerns raised by the New Westminster School Board and appreciates their commitment to working with us to support youth and families living in New Westminster.”

“They are an important partner and we will ensure closer collaboration with them when it comes to service changes that impact them and our mutual stakeholders,” Juma said.

Fraser Health is also working with New Westminster MLA and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Judy Darcy to connect with concerned residents.

With files from Cornelia Naylor