A local child psychologist says the recent exodus of psychologists from the public health system appears to have stopped, but the provincial government needs to do more to help attract and retain psychologists.

Dr. Janine Hubbard was responding to the recent evaluation report on Towards Recovery, the province’s new mental health and addictions report.

Hubbard acknowledges that a lot has been done to improve access to mental health care and support, but a lot more needs to be done.

The Association of Psychologists of Newfoundland and Labrador sounded the alarm some time ago about the alarming number of psychologists who were abandoning the public system for private practice.

Hubbard says the situation seems to have stabilized, but government needs to do more to attract and keep psychologists in the public system.

She says in many places they’re still hovering at about 50 per cent vacancy rates, with some psychologists citing a lack of consultation as a reason for their departure from the public system.