CASA Classrooms
CASA Classrooms bring mental health services closer to where kids live and learn by bridging their mental health and school needs.
The program helps children and youth improve their mental health and, as a result, their success in school. In the 2024-25 CASA Classrooms school year, 90 per cent of patients agreed the program improved their mental health, while 100 per cent of caregivers agreed their child’s mental health improved.
CASA Classrooms are delivered in partnership with the Government of Alberta, school divisions and community partners.
What happens in this program?
Patients attend school while receiving individual therapy, group therapy and daily lessons to support social-emotional skills, all within the same classroom. Patients remain in the program for half the school year, followed by another half-year of transition support. The program isn’t one-size-fits-all; it is tailored to each patient’s unique needs.
CASA Classrooms are staffed by a team of mental health professionals, a specialized teacher and support staff. Families also have access to a specialized medical provider who can diagnose conditions and help manage medication, if needed.
Programming doesn’t stop with the patient. CASA Classrooms staff help caregivers better support their children at home through mental health education and connections to community supports. The patient’s home school staff receive similar support so the patient is empowered to thrive after the program.
What does a CASA Classroom look like?
A CASA Classroom looks just like a regular classroom, but with a few modifications to support healing – smaller class size, sensory items, calming spaces to decompress and private space for therapy. Each CASA Classroom supports up to 12 patients at a time, so every patient has plenty of one-on-one time with the mental health team and teacher.
Who is this program for?
CASA Classrooms are designed for children and youth in Grades 4 through 12 who are struggling with mental health symptoms. Their symptoms might include anxiety, overactivity, poor concentration, emotional outbursts or behaviour issues, but they all have one thing in common – the patient’s mental health is impacting their home, school and social lives.
Patients who come to CASA Classrooms haven’t found meaningful success with previous therapy or other mental health supports. They are under the care of, or open to being under the care of, a health professional like a physician, nurse practitioner or psychiatrist.
Patients must be willing to participate in the program, along with their family.
Allie’s Story – Anxiety
Allie was constantly anxious. She struggled to go to school every day, make friends and finish her homework.
Once she started the CASA Classrooms program, Allie was able to feel safe enough to come to school because of the smaller class size and the focus on helping her regulate her emotions.
Allie learned more about her anxiety and how it got in the way of her friendships and school success. She built confidence and learned how to manage her anxious feelings, and make and keep friends. She even saw academic improvements.
With the support of her mom, the CASA team and her school, Allie was able to take these new ways of coping with her after the program ended.
Kiran’s Story – Emotional Regulation
Kiran was the child that parents were reluctant to let their children play with. He was usually withdrawn and reserved, but would sometimes have outbursts that involved swearing and throwing things, for no apparent reason.
Through the CASA Classroom, Kiran understood his behaviour and outbursts stemmed from unmanaged emotions. He learned to understand and identify those emotions, learned new ways to express them and to ask for what he needed rather than using his behaviour.
After the program, Kiran returned to his school with renewed confidence, and his teachers had better understanding of how to support him to be successful when his emotions got too big.
Dev’s Story – Concentration
Dev could never sit still at school. They had an ADHD diagnosis, but hadn’t seen any meaningful success with the treatment they’d had so far. They were always fidgeting with their pens and distracting others by interrupting, chatting during lessons and leaving the classroom unannounced.
Through Dev’s time in the CASA Classroom, they learned they also had early symptoms of depression. They were prescribed medication that actually worked for them, and built useful skills and behaviours through practice in the classroom and on the playground.
Dev reports feeling more confident and less “scattered,” and they feel like they better understand how their brain works.
How do I access this program?
Families can refer with the support of their child’s school. For more in-depth referral information, contact [email protected].
CASA also offers regular information sessions for caregivers and other community members. You’ll learn how the program works, whether a child is a good fit and how to get a referral started. Sessions are held on the first Tuesday (12 – 1 p.m.) and the third Thursday of each month (4 – 5 p.m.). Registration links are below.
Where are CASA Classrooms?
Schools within a CASA Classroom’s catchment area may refer students.
Northern Alberta
- Cold Lake: Art Smith Aviation Academy (Grades 5-8)
- Fort McMurray: St. Gabriel School (Grades 6-8)
- Grande Prairie: I.V. Macklin Public School (Grades 5-8)
- High Level: High Level Public School (Grades 5-9) *Opening February 2026
- Slave Lake: E.G. Wahlstrom School (Grades 4-6)
Central Alberta
- Daysland: Daysland School (Grades 7-10)
- Lacombe: École Lacombe Junior High School (Grades 7-9)
- Red Deer: Escuela Vista Grande School (Grades 6-8)
- Red Deer: Pines Alternative School (Grades 9-11)
- Red Deer: St. John Paul II Outreach School (Grades 8-12) *Opening February 2026
- Rocky Mountain House: West Central High School (Grades 6-11)
- Wetaskiwin: Wetaskiwin Outreach School (Grades 6-9)
Southern Alberta
- Coaldale: R.I. Baker Middle School (Grades 5-8)
- Medicine Hat: Southview Community School (Grades 4-6)
- Redcliff: Redcliff Alternative Outreach School (Grades 6-9) *Opening February 2026
- Taber: Central Elementary School (Grades 4-6)
Edmonton and Area
- Edmonton: J.A. Fife School (Grades 4-6)
- Edmonton: Rosslyn Junior High School (Grades 7-9)
- Edmonton: St. Gabriel Catholic School (Grades 7-9)
- Edmonton: St. Joseph Catholic High School (Grades 10-12)
- Fort Saskatchewan: Fort Saskatchewan Elementary (Grades 4-6)
- Sherwood Park: Bev Facey Community High (Grades 10-12)
- Stony Plain: High Park School (Grades 4-6)
- Sturgeon County: Guthrie School (Grades 7-9)
- Sturgeon County: Sturgeon Composite High School (Grades 10-12)
Calgary and Area
- Calgary: F.E. Osborne School (Grades 7-9)
- Calgary: St. Cyril School (Grades 7-9)
- Strathmore: Brentwood Elementary School (Grades 4-6)
