Volunteers, staff, patients, families and partners – community came to life at the annual general meeting of CASA Mental Health’s board of directors on Sept. 24.
In addition to annual business, a financial report and three awards, outgoing board chair Janet Hancock provided her report on the year, and CEO Bonnie Blakley provided highlights and stories from 2024-25 – including a record-breaking 11,133 patients and family members served through CASA programs.
CASA Classroom student Kenzie and her mom Brittany were two of those people, telling their story in a panel discussion alongside Classrooms team members Caitlin Josey and Jessica Ryan, and Sturgeon Public Schools Director of Learning Services Shelley Greenwood.
“Before CASA, I would refuse to go to school,” said Kenzie. “I had really bad anxiety about going to school. I was miles behind everyone else.”
Kenzie was referred to a new CASA Classroom for a semester of mental health support. In CASA Classrooms, students receive individual and group therapy, psychiatric care, medication and schooling according to their individual need. This is provided by a team of mental health professionals, a specialized teacher and support staff. Students remain in the program for approximately half the school year, followed by another half-year of transition support.
“It was like a boiling pot all the time,” said mom Brittany, about life before the CASA Classroom. “It was huge emotions and then we noticed the way she reacted to things, we could have conversations.”
Mental Health Therapist Caitlin Josey explained what she often sees of students in the CASA Classroom. “They’re angry, they’re anxious, and over the semester their confidence grows and they work through some of the social challenges they’re experiencing. They’re able to use different coping skills they weren’t able to use before, and you really see a light in them.”
“They’re learning how to learn,” adds therapy support assistant Jessica Ryan. “We got reports saying “this is a whole new kid,” she adds, about Kenzie’s return to her home school. “I’m just really proud of her and how far she’s come.”
“CASA was definitely a second chance for me,” says Kenzie. “I actually got honour roll last year and I never thought that would happen. And now I want to be a teacher.”
Learn more about CASA Classrooms, watch the AGM recording and read the 2024-25 annual report for more highlights from the year.
CASA Mental Health’s 2025-26 Board of Directors
Saying goodbye to our board members at the end of their term:
Jill Sheward
John McCaffray
Nick Lilley
Thomas Stewart
Bob McColl
Manraj Deol
Janet Hancock, Chair
Saying welcome to our new board members:
Glen Anderson
Conny Avila
Lindsay Bilkoski
Melanie Ducholke
Christine Kennerd
Barry McNabb
Megan Picard, Treasurer
Jay Williamson
And thank you to our board members continuing on in their terms:
Katie Hayes, Chair
Krystal Gray, Vice Chair
Lara Oberg-Stenson, Past Chair
Bryan Mwaka, Secretary
Bonita Young
You can find a final list of our board members at casamentalhealth.org/our-team-and-board.
