Keli Anderson knows all too well the frustration of getting the run-around from an unsympathetic bureaucracy.
It's something the North Shore mother experienced first hand after attempting to navigate B.C.'s mental health care system when her son first began showing signs of mental illness 15 years ago.
Anderson's son was only 10 when he was first admitted to the psychiatric ward at B.C. Children's Hospital.
Knowing who to turn to next and how to get help was a confusing and frightening prospect, which years later led Anderson to found the FORCE Society for Kids' Mental Health - a provincial organization that helps families of kids with mental illness. Anderson was also involved in helping to create a new provincial health system to help families that was unveiled Wednesday at North Vancouver's HOpe Centre. Anderson joined B.C.'s ministers of children and family development and health along with North Vancouver-Seymour MLA Jane Thornthwaite at the centre to announce the new system, aimed at helping parents to find the help their kids need and get them into treatment. Under the new system, which has been in a trial mode since January 2014, families can see the array of services offered for young people who may be affected by eating disorders, ADHD, depression, anxiety or drug use on an online map. Once they find the nearest service location, they can meet directly with a clinician and discuss a plan for treatment at that initial visit.
"Under this model, instead of clients waiting weeks to find out if they're even potentially eligible for services, they can now usually find out the same day," Children and Families Minister Stephanie Cadieux said. "This allows families to help their loved ones sooner by finding out what services are appropriate and available to assist their child's specific needs."
Anderson said it was an honour to help design the new intake system, which is based on the knowledge offered by parents who have had to go through experiences like hers. "Trying to reach any destination without instructions or a map is difficult," she said. "This is even more difficult for families who are struggling with mental health challenges with their kids in British Columbia." There are more than 29,000 children and youth across B.C. receiving community mental health services annually, Cadieux said, which is more than double the number from 2003.
But, while it helps patients and their families navigate the front end of the system, the new program doesn't come with any new funding for more "boots on the ground" staff to deal directly with clients.
But Cadieux said Wednesday that shouldn't be a problem. "It is a challenge to meet the demand but it is essential and we're doing it," Cadieux said.
"It's about rebalancing. It's about doing work smarter. It's about this type of work that we've announced today whereby we've simplified the process by which people access services."
Health Minister Terry Lake added that B.C. spends about $1.4 billion per year on mental health and substance abuse issues, which he said is 60 per cent more than the budget in 2001.
The mental health map is available online at: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/mental_health. From there, click on the Youth Mental Health Substance Use Services Map button.
