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Home » News » CMHA BC selects Peer Assisted Care Team Service Providers in Comox Valley, Prince George, and Kamloops  

CMHA BC selects Peer Assisted Care Team Service Providers in Comox Valley, Prince George, and Kamloops  

Information Bulletin 

The Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division (CMHA BC) is pleased to confirm the selection of successful proponents for the service “Peer Assisted Care Teams,” (PACT) a mobile community-led crisis response funded by the Province of BC operating in Kamloops, Prince George and Comox Valley. In the Summer of 2023, CMHA BC released an expression of interest calling for service providers to complete an application to demonstrate their ability to provide mobile crisis response service in the selected community. After a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation process conducted in Fall 2023, we have identified local service providers who will work in partnership with CMHA BC and join the PACT network of service providers providing accessible and high-quality mobile mental health crisis response to more British Columbians.  

The selected proponents are as follows:   

  • Kamloops
    • Lead Agency: Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society 
      • Partnership with ASK Wellness Society   
  • Prince George
    • Lead Agency: Prince George Native Friendship Centre   
  • Comox Valley (Courtenay, Comox, and Cumberland)
    • Lead Agency: AVI Health and Community Services 
      • Partnership with K’ómoks First Nation​  

Each proponent was chosen for their community presence and expertise, person-centered and trauma-informed approach, commitment to lived experience to inform this work, and alignment with PACT’s core values of compassion, trust, and self-determination to mental health crisis care.  The new service providers listed above will be commencing community engagement, recruitment, and training, intending to launch teams in Late Spring/Early Summer 2024. CMHA BC will be supporting the implementation of these new mobile community-led crisis response teams in each community.   

We extend our sincere gratitude to the panel who supported this process and to all applicants who submitted their expressions of interest. The three selected service providers will be joining our existing three service providers offering this service in North Vancouver, Victoria, and New Westminster. Together, we look forward to a future where quality mental health support is accessible to all.  

For more information about Peer Assisted Care Teams, please visit https://bc.cmha.ca/peer-assisted-care-teams/   

For media inquiries, please contact: media@cmha.bc.ca   

Additional Information and Resources  

Quotes from Community   

Comox Valley   

  • “The partnership between K’ómoks First Nation and AVI Health & Community Services (AVI), with funding from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA BC), in securing support for the Peer Assisted Care Teams (PACT) program marks a significant step towards addressing mental health needs and crisis response in our community. Through mutual respect and a culturally informed framework, we anticipate that PACT will not only benefit the K’ómoks First Nation but set a positive precedent for mental health support and crisis intervention in the greater Comox Valley.” – Susan Savoie, Councillor of K’ómoks First Nation 
  • “Our government is taking action on the biggest challenges we face to keep people safe and communities healthy and thriving. The Peer Assisted Care Team will help many vulnerable people in our community when they are in crisis, while freeing up police to focus on crime and law enforcement.”  – Ronna-Rae Leonard, MLA for Courtenay-Comox 
  • “Our council has been advocating for support at the provincial level for members of our community who are experiencing distress and needing help, and we are thrilled this incredible program is going to be launching in the Comox Valley. The PACT will provide compassionate and informed care on the ground with local expertise and involve those with lived experience. This will be a truly community-led and driven initiative, and we’re so excited to see it coming to fruition.”  – Wendy Morin, Acting Mayor of Courtenay and Director of Comox Valley Regional District 
  • “I have advocated for PACT and believe this model will benefit every community in B.C. There are complex and well-documented social and economic determinants of poor mental health in communities. By integrating the perspectives and support of both peers and mental health professionals, a Peer Assisted Care Team can provide a powerful and comprehensive response to mental-health crises, promoting recovery, resilience, and well-being.”  – Gord Johns, MP for Courtenay-Alberni 

Kamloops  

  • “We are very happy for the support of the provincial government in choosing Kamloops with the PACT program we really appreciate it and are looking forward to working together to help make a better life for everyone.”   – Kamloops Mayor Hamer-Jackson 
  • “Peer Assisted Care Teams represent another step closer to supporting the mental health and well-being of community members in Kamloops. We at city hall hear about the gaps in our community and have learned how PACT can play a vital role in supporting us to bridge these gaps in service. PACT should be in every community in B.C.”  – Dale Bass, City Councillor, City of Kamloops 
  • “The PACT model of care addresses the gaps that currently exist for those in need of mental health supports. Removing barriers and meeting the individuals where they are at, this offers care that is anchored by compassion and focused on the individuals’ needs.”  – Natasha Marshall, Interim Associate Executive Director, Secwepemc Child and Family Services 

Prince George   

  • “We are so happy the Province has chosen Prince George as one of the next PACT communities. We are pleased to have this program launch in our community to assist our citizens with increased support when they are experiencing a mental-health crisis, when previously they may not have reached out to anyone. We are looking forward to rolling this out within our community over the coming months.”  – Simon Yu, Mayor, Prince George 
  • “Responding to people experiencing a mental-health crisis as a friend, rather than a force, is the first step towards healing our communities most vulnerable populations.”  – Brandi MacAulay, Director of Health, Prince George Native Friendship Centre 
  • “The community of Prince George would benefit greatly from a PACT. Currently, we have many gaps in the crisis-care continuum negatively impacting our ability to provide the highest quality trauma-informed care at the lowest barrier possible. In the absence of peer-assisted solutions we rely on police intervention, costing resources for the community and often times, the trust of our services users. The Crisis Centre for Northern BC supports the development of a PACT without reservation.”  – Riley Skinner, Executive Director, Crisis Centre for Northern BC 

Facts: 

  • In B.C., one in five interactions with police involves someone with a mental health disorder. 
  • The first PACT launched in November 2021 on Vancouver’s North Shore, operated by CMHA North and West Vancouver. 
  • In 2023 CMHA BC selected service providers and launched teams in Victoria (AVI Health Community Services) and New Westminster (Purpose Society).  
  • There are 200+ programs worldwide that provide civilian mental health mobile crisis services. 
  • A Rapid Investigation into Repeat Offending and Random Stranger Violence in British Columbia Report recommended: “the Provincial Government continue to invest in civilian-led (non-police) mental health crisis response teams in collaboration with community service providers (e.g., Peer Assisted Care Team Model).”