The plan was first publicly presented in 1956 by Dr. F. S. Lawson to the American Psychiatric Association Mental Health Hospital Institute at Denver, Colorado. Briefly, this plan was to bring comprehensive services and facilities to the community with an emphasis on rehabilitation rather than mere custodial care.⁵⁰

Despite its apparent benefits in terms of patient care and flexibility of cost, despite Lawson's enthusiastic support for the concept, and despite petitions from all over Saskatchewan to have these smaller centers built in various communities, the government hesitated.⁵¹ The reason for this hesitation was because the government hoped to have federal hospital construction grants made applicable to the construction of these hospitals before proceeding with any construction. Hence none had been built by the end of the 1950s.⁵²

In a brief submitted to the Province of Saskatchewan in 1959, the SPNA clearly supported the Saskatchewan Plan:

Although Provincial Mental Health Services have been expanding progressively during the past five years, the problem of providing treatment facilities, space and personnel for the care of our mentally ill still presents a formidable task. The extent of this problem is difficult to judge but it is relatively safe to say that the wide scope of mental illness constitutes the largest hospital problem in Canada today. Mental hospitals are still, rather formidable institutions, housing too many patients under one roof, and in general, inadequately staffed to provide the requisite care and treatment.⁵³

The submission went on to state that 'The two mental hospitals in Saskatchewan today house some 1,500 to 1,600 patients each.' The submission also quoted an article which had appeared in Canadian Doctor in April 1959 stating that Ontario had adopted a plan of small, regional hospitals for its mentally ill. In response to this the SPNA wrote,
It would seem as though the province of Ontario has stolen the Saskatchewan Plan before we procured a patient! This is a severe blow to the members of the first professional Psychiatric Nurses' Association in North America. We cannot believe that our government leaders, who have shown so much foresight in the field of mental health, will accept this without some action. To let the pioneer province in improving conditions for the mentally ill now fall behind, we feel would be a setback for this province and for our profession. Thus we must speak in protest 'Let us continue to lead ' inaugurate the Saskatchewan Plan ' Now!!⁵⁴

H. Dickinson states that initially psychiatric nurses did not support the Saskatchewan Plan as it was seen as a threat to their occupational security. In addition, provincial psychiatrists predicted in 1958 that the transformation of psychiatric work associated with the transition to community psychiatry would lead to the disappearance of mental institutions as they were then known. For many, this was good news, heralding the end of the much vilified psychiatric warehouses. Given that the status quo was the only other option, the SPNA really had no choice but to endorse the Saskatchewan Plan.⁵⁵

The Saskatchewan Plan was the main topic of discussion at the SPNA's First Annual Convention at Valley Centre, Fort Qu'Appelle in June 1958. Fifty four delegates attended from the two provincial hospitals, the Saskatchewan Training School and from the psychiatric wards in Moose Jaw, Regina and Saskatoon.⁵⁶

Lee Sonmor welcomed the delegates, saying that some of the objectives of the convention were to foster professional identity, discuss nursing problems in the different localities, discuss the training program in the Saskatchewan Hospitals at Weyburn and North Battleford, get ideas from those in higher authority, and to become better acquainted with staff from other locations.⁵⁷

Speaking at the convention was Dr. D. G. McKerracher, then Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan. McKerracher had a significant message to the SPNA and its members. A commitment to the philosophy of the Saskatchewan Plan was apparent in his speech, and he challenged the SPNA to evaluate their place in the mental health system of today and plan carefully for their role in the future. McKerracher reviewed the history of Saskatchewan's mental health programs and emphasized that

Poor location, poor buildings, overcrowding and understaffing contribute to the mental hospitals' greatest drawback ' adverse public attitude. But public attitude toward mental illness is changing quicker than its attitude toward mental hospitals. People now realize that confusion, depression and withdrawal are evidences of illness and that this illness can be successfully treated like any other illness. So people are demanding that their own mentally ill relatives be treated like any other such person in small modern, well-staffed facilities.⁵⁸

In support of the Saskatchewan Plan, Dr. McKerracher said,

I believe that Dr. Lawson's Saskatchewan Plan offers the best practical solution to the battle. The shape of things to come can be seen ' smaller decentralized units, more active continued treatment, closer contact with general hospitals and early return of patients to the community. All who look at psychiatry of the future see close tie-up with the community. All see much earlier discharge, more extensive rehabilitation and a much smaller load of chronic patients permanently housed.⁵⁹

He then asked where the psychiatric nurse fit into this new scenario. As the attentive audience listened, he said, 'I am certain the prestige of the psychiatric nurse will increase rather than diminish. Better surroundings, recognition of the therapeutic effectiveness of skilled nursing, upgrading of mental disorder to the status of illness, all of these will improve the socio-economic standing of the psychiatric nurse in the community.'⁶⁰

Then the challenge was issued:

But hurdles exist which must be overcome. As an organization you seem to lack confidence, cohesion and a plan. Somehow you have got to develop more pride in your job. Too often psychiatric nurses think of themselves as a lower grade of general nurse. The way nursing is set up this is not so. The general nurses look after the physically ill and neurotic. But you look after the psychotic and the mental defective. These are different tasks, equally difficult and equally rewarding. To have confidence in yourself and your destiny, you must know where you are going. Then you would be in a position to contribute to the planning of a curriculum which would prepare the psychiatric nurse for her changing role in the changing psychiatry. Your acceptance as a profession will come with your professional competence and maturity. Now is the time to translate this group into action. This takes wise planning. It also takes working in co-operation with other professions. Professional respect cannot be negotiated ' it must be earned. ⁶¹