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B.C. Opens Burnaby Centre for Mental Health & Addictions

Feb. 22, 2008

BURNABY – Premier Gordon Campbell today announced that the Province will open a new Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addictions – the first of its kind in British Columbia – to provide services for people suffering from the most severe addiction and mental health illnesses.

“The new Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addictions will help people with a complex range of mental health and addictions challenges by providing a stable environment with on-site medical, nursing and psychiatric care as well as addiction care, counselling, and trauma support,” said Campbell. “This centre will help us meet our commitment to provide the kind of intensive, sustained treatment required to guide people suffering from these kinds of challenges to a healthier life, and supports our 10-year Mental Health and Addictions Strategy.”

The centre will provide approximately 100 treatment beds, with the initial 30 of them to open in the summer of this year, the same time as the expected opening of the community court. The remaining 70 beds are anticipated to be ready by the end of the year. The provincial government will provide $14 million annually in operating costs in addition to approximately $3.5 million one-time capital costs to retrofit the existing Willingdon facility.

“We have good mental health and addictions programs in B.C.,” said Health Minister George Abbott. “What we are building on is the need for this very serious group that is frequently involved in the justice system or ends up in hospital emergency rooms. The Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addictions will help us to provide the right kind of environment to care for these individuals.”

Clients will include people with complex mental health and addiction challenges. First-stage clients will stay an average of one month, although it may be longer. Patients in the second-stage may stay an average of six to nine months, and that may be longer depending on the severity of their situation.

“The centre will benefit people who may otherwise be at risk of being homeless,” said Minister responsible for Housing Rich Coleman. “This is another good example of the work we are doing to address the issues surrounding homelessness for high-risk population groups.”

The lifespan of the retrofitted Willingdon buildings is expected to be about five years, and during that time, government will be planning for a long-term replacement facility to be located either at the Willingdon or Riverview sites. The experiences learned from the initial project at Willingdon will inform the location, structure and operations of the permanent facility.

Since 2001, government has spent more than $1.1 billion to support mental health and addiction services in British Columbia, an increase of 30 per cent. In that same time period, housing supports including community mental health beds for people with serious mental and substance use disorders have increased by 44 per cent.
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Authorized By Jim Pipe, Financial Agent BC Liberal Party.
Tel: 604.606.6000, 1.800.567.2257