Final Report into HRSB Actions Released
The province has accepted all 13 recommendations of an expert panel that looked into how Halifax Regional School Board and associated agencies handled events leading to the death of high school student Rehtaeh Parsons.
Debra Pepler and Penny Milton delivered their final report to the province today, June 14.
"Rehtaeh's story is not an easy one to listen to, but it's important that we hear it," said Marilyn More, lead Minister for the Action Team on Sexual Violence and Bullying.
"Dr. Pepler and Ms. Milton have written a thorough report on her experiences and implementing their recommendations will help prevent another tragedy. This is not the end of our work; far from it. The review and its recommendations will be added to the efforts currently underway."
Ms. More met with the Parsons family this morning. The family has been involved throughout the review and has had a chance to read the report.
The province has asked the Department of Health and Wellness to prepare options to review the IWK Health Centre's mental-health programs, services and policies as it relates to Rehtaeh's case, a move supported by the reviewers.
The province is conducting an independent review by out-of-province experts into the actions of the Public Prosecution Service and police. This will begin immediately after police release the results of their criminal investigation.
An action plan in response to the all of the recommendations will be completed in the next few weeks.
"If there is one message we want to emphasize, it is this: work together. Good relationships will be essential for finding solutions that work," Dr. Pepler and Ms. Milton said in their report. "We need to listen, learn from each other, and build a body of evidence that will help us all to respond effectively in crisis situations."
The reviewers were appointed by the province April 18. It was one of the first actions by the Action Team on Sexual Violence and Bullying, which was created by Premier Darrell Dexter after Ms. Parsons's death.
Dr. Pepler is a professor of psychology at York University. She is co-founder of PREVNet, Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network, and has been on the Ontario Minister of Education's Safe Schools Action Team since 2004. One of her research areas is bullying.
Ms. Milton is former CEO of the Canadian Education Association and a former deputy minister of the Premier's Advisory Council on Health, Wellbeing and Social Justice in Ontario. Her primary area of interest is the engagement of young people in learning.
The report can be found at www.ednet.ns.ca .
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