Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story has been corrected. The article now clarifies that facilities are targeted at people with co-occurring mental health and addiction needs. An earlier version said these facilities were for severe addicts or the mentally ill. We regret the error.
British Columbia will open a secure facility for involuntary treatment under the Mental Health Act for people with severe addictions who suffer from mental illness, the premier announced Sunday, just days before a provincial election campaign begins.
David Eby pledged to change the law in the next legislative session to “provide clarity and ensure that people, including young people, can and should receive care when they can’t find it on their own.”
“People with the challenges of addiction, brain injury and mental health issues need compassionate care and direct and assertive intervention to help them stabilize and rebuild meaningful lives,” he said in a news release.
“This announcement marks the beginning of a new phase in our response to the addiction crisis. We respond to people who are struggling like any family member. We are working to provide them with the care they need to keep them safe, and in doing so, keep our communities safe as well.
His announcement comes after a spate of unknown attacks in the province allegedly carried out by the mentally ill.
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A man was arrested in Vancouver earlier this month in attacks that left one person dead and another’s hand amputated. Police later said the suspect was suffering from a mental disorder.
Eby said the first site offering that care will open in Maple Ridge on the grounds of the Alouette Correctional Center, which plans to expand across the province “in the coming months.”
The premier’s promise comes as the official launch of the provincial election campaign is expected Saturday, where concerns over the drug crisis are expected to play a significant role, three months after he appointed Dr. Daniel Vigo as B.C.’s first chief scientific adviser. Psychiatry, toxic drugs and co-occurring disorders.
The government indicated it would issue “clarifications” from Vigo on how he believes the Mental Health Act can be used to provide voluntary and involuntary treatment for people with addiction disorders.
Eby said the province will also establish a designated mental health unit at a BC correctional facility, starting with a 10-bed facility at the Surrey Pretrial Services Center to provide rapid treatment for people with mental health and addiction challenges. kept in custody.
&Copy 2024 The Canadian Press
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