Notice to the Membership: Referendum
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.
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I would like to acknowledge that the Students Association operates on Treaty 7, Treaty 6, and Métis ancestral lands, which are home to many Indigenous peoples. I have been a part of the RDP community for a number of years, and have had four different majors during that time, proving that you don’t need to have a clear and defined path as soon as you enter…
students to support their educational success as the Vice President External!
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My name is Erin Bast; I am a wife and a mother of 3, all under ten years old. I was born in Red Deer and raised in a small town called Elnora. I graduated from Delburne Centralized High School in 1999, which officially makes me old.
through the University of Calgary collaborative program at Red Deer Polytechnic. She is currently in her 1st year of Justice Studies at RPD and plans to complete a PhD in Forensic Psychology. She has been an active councilor on the Student Association Student Council since 2019…
Hello! My name is Lovejeet Kaur, an international student pursuing Business Administration at Red Deer Polytechnic. Being a Commerce student, I have a passion for accounting and management, and I have planned to build my Carrer in Human Resource because I know I want a job that allows me to be around people and provides a chance to change their lives in a better way. Moreover, Human Resource…
mentally healthy and happy balance”; that is Larissa’s platform during this election.
and I’m currently a 3rd year Business Administration student focusing on Accounting. I started here way back in 2017 when it was still RDC, and business was at the DSB downtown campus. In Fall 2021, I joined the student council and have loved being involved with decisions that impact every student!…
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I would like to acknowledge that the Students Association operates on Treaty 7, Treaty 6, and Métis ancestral lands, which are home to many Indigenous peoples. I have been a part of the RDP community for a number of years, and have had four different majors during that time, proving that you don’t need to have a clear and defined path as soon as you enter post-secondary schooling. I’m in my 4th year of my BA Psychology program through the University of Calgary. One of the main advantages that I can offer to students is that by being a long term student at RDP I have a great understanding of what resources, opportunities, and programs are available to student members, in addition to the struggles that they face as part of their education. This means that a large part of what I will be doing at the Students Association will be to help advocate for student’s mental health resources and letting students know that there are various learning supports available to them. While making sure to advocate for the Polytechnic students’ voice in the province and nationally. Over the past few years you might have found me helping students in the library as a peer tutor at the Writing Skills Centre, visiting classrooms and helping organize the Agora Undergraduate Conference, editing papers for the Agora Journal, and being the student voice on the School Council. If you see me on campus I’m more than willing to stop and chat, especially if it ends up being an issue that affects your education.
Hi, my name is Logan Garbanewski, but I like to go by Logan Beauchamp. I am running for the position of Vice-President External because I want to represent you and all your needs and interests in a productive and thorough manner to all external organizations and government bodies. 
Thank you so much for taking the time to ‘meet’ me. I’m Kareen Lambert, and I am running for the position of Vice President External (VPX). This is my first year attending Red Deer College in the Social Work Diploma program. I was drawn to social work, and to Red Deer College, through my extensive work and volunteering in diversity, inclusion, and advocacy. I have been involved with a wide variety of community organizations and coalitions in Red Deer, collaborating with and advocating to all levels of government in various capacities. Some of the highlights of my community involvement have been with the Red Feather Women, the Central Alberta Poverty Reduction Alliance, the Red Deer Welcoming & Inclusive Community Network, the Trans & Nonbinary Aid Society, the Central Alberta Pride Society, the Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership, and the Lifelong Learning Council of Red Deer. My personal life, my career life, and my student life are all proudly centred around ensuring people are as supported as possible. Taking on the role of VPX would be no different; support, care, and connectedness are always at the core of what I do. 
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Brenan has been a part of the RDC community for a number of years, and has had four different majors in that time, proving that you don’t need to have a clear and defined path as soon as you enter post-secondary schooling. Brenan is in their 4th year of their BA Psychology program through the collaborative with the University of Calgary. One of the main advantages that Brenan can offer to students is that by being a long term student at RDC they have a greater understanding of what resources, opportunities, and programs are available to student members, in addition to the struggles that they face as part of their education.
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