Sylvie Paillard
[email protected]
The Sea to Sky is receiving a badly needed expansion to its mental health and addictions services, according to Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH).
In Squamish, a six-bedroom recovery house in Brackendale is receiving much of the attention, but that's just a small segment of new services, said Claudia Frowein, VCH manager, mental health and addiction services.
A 100 per cent funding increase for the corridor will result in the addition of 20 community mental health clinicians, addiction counselors and rehabilitation workers providing care and service to the Sea-to-Sky communities.
In Squamish, positions are being added to address increased demand for access to assessment and treatment for the chronically mentally ill and those working through alcohol and substance issues. The five core areas to be addressed are crisis stabilization, phone access, an adult short-term assessment treatment program, an adult community support recovery program, a geriatric outreach program for dementia and community residential programs for mental health.
Frowein said that every month, 14 per cent, or 2,000 Squamish residents require some form of mental health help. There were 600 new first time callers in the last nine months. There were also 170 substance abuse-related calls to Sea to Sky Community Services (STSCS), the VCH service provider in Squamish. Approximately 72 per cent of the callers wanted help with alcohol or marijuana.
"The goal is to have a healthier community," said Frowein. "We're hearing the need from families. In the past 10 years it's been consistently identified as a need."
Currently there are two full time staff members for alcohol and drug services outpatient treatment in the entire corridor. One staff member services Squamish and the other is based in Pemberton, according to Lois Wynne, executive director of STSCS. With the new funding, Squamish will receive one additional full time staff member and one full time school based prevention staff member. Hiring for the expanded services has begun with full implementation of all new programs expected by early summer.Whistler and Pemberton will see the addition of rehabilitation services to the chronically mentally ill, therapists to provide assessment and treatment to individuals with mood and anxiety disorders, along with a youth addictions prevention worker. A clinician will provide support to seniors, while an additional nurse will provide crisis stabilization services. VCH is also beginning to expand its mental health and addictions program into local aboriginal communities.
For access to the services, contact the centralized intake number at 604-892-6365 or toll-free at 1-866-892-6365.
