Health system still failing Vancouver's mentally ill: report
Police say much has changed since it was written
Jesse Johnston Sep 12, 2011 17:07:29 PM
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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - Vancouver police insist they're making progress dealing with people who are mentally ill, despite a report to the contrary released Monday.
It says little has changed since 2008, when another report found a lack of capacity in the mental health system was failing Vancouver's mentally ill and draining police resources.
Deputy Chief Warren Lemcke says the new report is actually a year old - but was first leaked to the media today.
He says a lot has changed since it was written.
"Some of the biggest improvements so far have been around how hospitals are dealing with the increased influx of people that we're directing to the hospitals," Lemcke said.
"There is a drain on police resources, but that's the byproduct. If you can improve the lives of people with mental illness, chances are they'll be victimized less."
The report's author, Insp. Scott Thompson, says police officers are getting extra training because they are acting as de facto mental health workers.
"We're the 24-7 service and it's not just for mental health, it's for social services and a whole range of things," Thompson said. "That's part of the reality that policing in general has to accept that this is what's occurring on the street and that's why we have to increase our training."
Thompson is making several recommendations to improve the system.
He wants to see better information sharing between Vancouver Coastal Health and hospitals in Vancouver to prevent suicides.
He also says the Coroner should review all suicide cases where the patient received psychiatric or mental health treatment within 30 days of their death.
Vancouver Coastal Health Director of Mental Health Anne McNabb says they're also trying to improve the system on their end.
"Although there is criticism in the report, we also know that we need to come alongside the rest of our community and continue to focus on trying to provide what is the best care for people," McNabb said.
"We need to be nimble, we need to change service delivery models and we can't do that alone. What this has provided us is a little bit of a focus, I think, to move us forward in that way of thinking."
The entire report can be found here. |
發表於 2011-9-12 18:45
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