Mobile mental health program expanding to local communities
Posted February 5, 2013 4:27 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – In an effort to move out of traditional facilities, a mobile mental health program is hitting the streets of New Westminster and the Tri-Cities.
Denise Houde with Fraser Health says this program started in Surrey and has been very successful, that’s why it’s being expanded.
She says the team of doctors, social workers, nurses and mental health professionals will find people in shelters, parks, community centres or wherever they can.
“They tend to not be compliant with treatment unless our staff are able to meet them in their own environment,” explains Houde.
Shayne Williams with Key Housing and Health Solutions in Surrey says he works with people needing Assertive Community Team treatment on a daily basis.
“The ACT team comes into our shelter, sits down and gets to know people before they even offer service. We have a housing outreach team, that team can basically call the ACT coordinator and they’ll send out folks,” says Williams.
“It’s quite likely that many of them wouldn’t be getting that primary mental health care without a program like the ACT, adds Williams.”
Houde says $2 million is going towards the expansion which will support up to 100 people, and this will decrease emergency room visits and lengthy hospital stays.
