The Hanover School Division is poised to reinstate an addictions counsellor to serve students in the school division.

According to Superintendent Randy Dueck, the position had to be eliminated in April due to budget shortfalls. The counsellor had been provided by Addictions Foundation Manitoba.

Due to additional funding from the provincial government, a half-time counsellor will be rehired in time for the next school year. Dueck says he is grateful for the funding, which totals $40,000, as he realizes that addictions counselling is an area of particular need.

It has been reported that the previous counsellor observed a significant increase in meth use among the division’s students.

After the counsellor was let go in April, Dueck says the division had decided to address the service shortfall by training their existing counsellors and social workers to fill this role. He now says the additional training will continue even though the addictions counsellor position has been retained.