Notice to the Membership: Referendum

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Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Mental Health Program Referendum

For many students who want to seek mental health support, it can be challenging to find timely, accessible, and affordable support. Long waiting lists, limited hours of operation, and high fees are among the obstacles that students may face when seeking support.

Your Students’ Association is considering the implementation of a comprehensive mental health program that provides access to counselling and therapy sessions with mental health and medical professionals within 24 hours, at no additional out-of-pocket costs per consultation. Initial triage is available 24/7, and consultations are available during the day, as well as evenings, weekends, and holidays. This means you don’t have to be waitlisted to get mental health support or be limited to a clinic’s limited hours of operation.

Implementation of this new comprehensive Mental Health Program for SARDP members would cost an annual fee of $40.00 per year, with the option to opt-out.

Referendum Timeline

Referendum Question

You will see the following referendum question on the ballot during the SARDP General Election:

With the knowledge that you can unconditionally opt-out of this program by the deadline and have the fee waived from your RDP student account, do you agree to the establishment of a Mental Health Program fee of $40 per student, per year, starting September 1, 2026, to provide students with uncapped access to comprehensive mental health supports at no additional out-of-pocket costs?

This fee can only increase by a maximum of 4% per year, if necessary, and in accordance with the Students’ Association’s policies and procedures.

Yes – I am in favour of establishing a Mental Health Program fee.

No – I am not in favour of establishing a Mental Health Program fee.

Online voting will open at 7:00am on Monday, March 9, and close at 5:00pm on Thursday, March 12. To access your ballot, log into your MyRDP account or the direct link sent by email to your RDP email address.

Program Overview

Initial triage is available 24/7, and consultations are available during the day, as well as evenings, weekends, and holidays. This means you don’t have to be waitlisted to get mental health support or be limited to a clinic’s limited hours of operation.

To access the program virtually, students would create an account on the platform’s mobile app or web page and book an appointment from the privacy and comfort of their home.

If students prefer in-person sessions, they can book those through the 24/7 call center.

Students are connected to a care team member within minutes and have access to a multidisciplinary team of therapists, psychologists, physicians, nurse practitioners, mental health specialists, and coaches.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the key features of this program?

  • Consultations & Therapy until remission (uncapped utilization)
  • $0 out-of-pocket expenses per consultation
  • Virtual & In-Person Appointments
  • Appointments available in multiple languages
  • 24/7 initial triage with same-day or next-day appointments
  • Appointments are available from 8:00am to 8:00pm on weekdays and 8:30am to 5:00pm on weekends, including statutory holidays, based on the time zone of the student
  • Medical Support from Physicians & Nurse Practitioners including:
    • Mental health related Medical Diagnosis can be provided, if needed
    • Mental health related Issuing and/or Renewing Prescriptions
  • Multidisciplinary team: Therapists, Psychologists, Mental Health Specialists, Psychotherapists, and Coaches.

Q: Can I choose my therapist or are they assigned to me?

Members have the option to choose their own mental health provider based on their unique needs and preferences, including gender, cultural background, 2SLGBTQIA+, neurodiversity, and more. Although the top priority is ensuring you get the care you need on time, being able to select a provider may impact the speed of service and will depend on availability.

Q: Is Artificial Intelligence used during the initial intake/triage process?

No

Q: Does this program cover Physicians and Nurse Practitioners?

Yes, this service also provides virtual medical support from physicians, specific to diagnosing mental health conditions as well as issuing and/or renewing mental health-related prescriptions. Physicians and therapists work together to bring patients to remission.

Q: Can the Doctor or Nurse Practitioner be utilized for other maladies (i.e. cold/flu, illness, infection, reproductive care)?

The scope of this service is limited to treat mental health conditions only.

Q: Is this Mental Health Program covered on my Student Health Plan?

No. This is a separate program, with a separate fee.

Q: How much would it cost?

The fee for the Mental Health program is $40.00 per year. This fee would be automatically charged with your RDP tuition and other fees.

Q: Could I opt out of this fee/program?

Yes, if you don’t want this service, you can opt-out unconditionally by the deadline and get the full fee waived/credited back to your RDP student account.

TIMELINE COVERAGE PERIOD OPT-OUT DEADLINE
Continuing & Returning Students (September 2026) September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027 September 15, 2026
Begin studies September 2026 September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027 September 15, 2026
Begin studies January 2027 January 1, 2027 to December 31, 2027 January 15, 2027
Begin studies May 2027 May 1, 2027 to April 30, 2028 May 15, 2027
Begin studies July 2027 July 1, 2027 to June 30, 2028 July 15, 2027

Q: If I decide to opt-out of the SARDP Health & Dental Plans, will I be opting out of this Mental Health Program as well?

No. The SARDP Health and Dental Plans and the SARDP Mental Health Program are separate programs with separate fees. You can choose to opt-out of the Health Plan, the Dental Plan, and/or the Mental Health Program – or you can choose to maintain all three.

Q: Will my dependents have access to his service?

Yes. Your spouse and/or children will have access to this service at no additional fee.

Q: Where and when can I vote?

Students can vote via the secure link sent to their student email address or through their MyRDP account. The voting period is from March 09 – 12, 2026.