Lesser Slave Lake MLA Danielle Larivee, middle, with Lethbridge-East MLA Maria Fitzpatrick, right, Piikani Child & Family Services director Kelly Provost.

Lesser Slave Lake MLA Danielle Larivee announced major support to prevent child suicide in her role as children’s services minister.

The Alberta government has strengthened kinship care assessments, provided funding for suicide prevention and proposed legislative changes to improve Alberta’s child intervention system, states a news release June 28.

The province committed $4.3 million to implement actions this fiscal year to improve services, address funding on reserves and increase supports for children, youth and families.

“We are stepping up with an action plan that creates a multi-year roadmap to help Indigenous children, families and communities,” Larivee says.

“Every child in Alberta deserves access to the same resources, no matter where they’re born.”

She says it also builds on frontline expertise and includes steps to hold the federal government accountable.

A new Indigenous advisory body will be created to guide the program in local communities.

The plan addresses all 26 final recommendations released in March by the Ministerial Panel on Child Intervention.

Developed with Indigenous leaders, communities and frontline partners who work directly with vulnerable or at-risk children and youth, it includes short- and long-term actions to complete by 2020 and 2022.

The action plan also includes changes that will require additional time to plan, budget and implement:

-Additional supports for foster and kinship caregivers.
-Increased mental health and addiction services.
-Strengthened services for children with disabilities.
-Improved post-secondary opportunities for youth.
-Equitable funding for First Nations and Métis child intervention services.