The BC Government is making changes to help keep British Columbians safe, launching a new Safer Communities Action Plan. On November 20, 2022, Premier Eby announced the Province’s commitment to expansion of mental health crisis response teams into more communities. These teams will be based on the Peer Assisted Care Team (PACT) model: a civilian-led, community-based team that responds to mental health crisis calls.
CMHA BC has been leading and advocating for the PACT initiative in British Columbia, with CMHA North & West Vancouver as the first pilot team operating since November 2021 and this year adding two more pilot teams in Victoria led by AVI and New Westminster led by Purpose Society.
With this newly announced investment from the Province, a total of 12 teams will be operating throughout BC, including some that are Indigenous-led. Responses range from crisis counselling and de-escalation to advocating for the person in distress and connecting them to appropriate resources and services.
This means when people experience a mental health crisis, they will be met early on by a mental health professional and a trained peer with lived and/or living experience of mental health and/or substance use challenges. Learn more about Peer Assisted Care Teams.
“We know when a person is experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, what they need and want, is the support from someone who knows what they are going through. That is the heart of the Peer Assisted Care Team (PACT) model. We are very excited to lead this transformation of crisis care with partners in British Columbia. Today marks a bold commitment by this government to support mental health for all. A community-led care response, informed by people with lived and living experience, operated by local organizations is part of the transformation we need.”
Jonny Morris, CEO, CMHA BC Division
“The North Shore of Vancouver is home to many diverse populations, including local First Nations communities from the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, and other Indigenous communities from across Canada. Systemic issues stemming from the traumas of the Residential School system, mistrust of police and poor treatment in the medical system (as outlined in the In Plain Sight report), and intergenerational trauma have resulted in higher callouts for mental-health related issues and crisis calls. The PACT is able to provide culturally informed, community-based, empathic and relevant care to those in need. I welcome continued investments in PACT teams across the province and hope that one day soon all communities and Nations will be resourced to have their own care teams to respond to community members.”
Skyler Oxley, mental health professional, North Shore PACT
“The North Shore of Vancouver is home to many diverse populations, including local First Nations communities from the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, and other Indigenous communities from across Canada. Systemic issues stemming from the traumas of the Residential School system, mistrust of police and poor treatment in the medical system (as outlined in the In Plain Sight report), and intergenerational trauma have resulted in higher callouts for mental-health related issues and crisis calls. The PACT is able to provide culturally informed, community-based, empathic and relevant care to those in need. I welcome continued investments in PACT teams across the province and hope that one day soon all communities and Nations will be resourced to have their own care teams to respond to community members.”
Andrew Van Eden, community safety manager, Tsleil Waututh Nation
For more on the news:
- Read the full announcement from the BC Government: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022PREM0090-001743
- Watch the full announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv-rRdWeEwY
- Learn more about Peer Assisted Care Teams: https://bc.cmha.ca/peer-assisted-care-teams/