Twelve community mental health worker program spaces will be available at Vancouver Island University, thanks to money from the provincial government.
The Ministry of Advanced Education announced Thursday that close to $101,000 will be provided to the university's Nanaimo campus to open up spots in the program.
According to the ministry, the one-time grant will help address the immediate needs of Nanaimo so that supply of trained professionals is in line with demand.
In all, the ministry handed out $600,000 to support 78 new health-care spaces at three post-secondary institutions on Vancouver Island.