The province is funding research to develop and design a regional centre for excellence for children and youth to address mental health and wellness issues.
Premier David Eby made the announcement alongside Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dolleen Logan at the University of Northern B.C. on Tuesday.
“People in northern BC, parents of kids, find it harder to access services that are taken for granted in other parts of the province,” said Eby. “This is particularly true for Indigenous kids in our province and the needs of Indigenous kids include the need for culturally appropriate services to meet them where they are at.”
He said the centre is the vision of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and it is one that the province is proud to support and bring to reality.
“We know what happens when we don't support kids. When they're in crisis, whether it's around mental health or addiction or some other challenge that they're facing, they can end up down the road in Moccasin Flats,” said Eby.
“When we intervene early, we can set kids on a different course for the rest of their lives. We can improve society for everybody, but especially for those who are most vulnerable.”
The province is committing $675,385 for engagement and consultation run by the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation to determine the services and the supports that are most needed.
The engagement stems from a proposal by the Lheidli T’enneh that envisions a centre offering a multitude of services, such as mental health and addictions services, neurocognitive assessments and other wellness programs for children and youth.
Feedback will help determine the types of programs and services that could be offered through the proposed centre.
Logan said these services will complement existing services and the Lheidli T’enneh has already been working toward this centre for the past three years.
“Lheidli T’enneh and our neighbors in Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities across the north have had a vision for some time of establishing the regional centre of excellence for children and youth and it needs to be done here in the north for all of the north,” said Logan.
She said the premier’s announcement is the first step in the path of making their vision a reality.
She said by first doing consultation with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, service providers, and clinical and research specialists, they will begin to understand the needs that will inform the future of the centre.
“Prevention, treatment, recovery, takes many forms and there will be a blend of program and services that will be unique to the needs of the people in the north,” she said. “We must find ways to help kids before they fall between the cracks ensure our communities and children are strong and resilient.”
Logan said the centre will serve those residing in north-central B.C., covering 69 per cent of the BC’s landmass as well as almost 60 per cent of the province;s indigenous population.
“Barriers to service are particularly pronounced for the northern BC families. On the average a family waits 80 weeks to access critical assessments,” said Logan. “Wait times to access critical services in the north, like neuro-cognitive assessments, mental health supports, and substance use, the treatments are way too long. This is where we're losing them. This is where the kids are falling through the cracks.”
She said the announcement is about seizing the opportunity to engage with indigenous and multiple municipal, public, and private partners across the north.
Lheidli T’enneh has also established a research team to guide the study and that includes former Prince George mayor Lyn Hall.
“Challenges in accessing specialized care for children and services and therapies exist everywhere but I would agree with Premier Eby that it is profound, and the impact is profound, in northern rural and remote indigenous communities,” said Dr. Kirsten Miller, medial lead for Northern Health for Child and Youth Services.
She said the approved funding will allow the project team to move forward by spending time in community, communicating with community members to find out what they want and need in children's services in our region.
Dr. Miller added that the centre will not only enable residents of the north to feel supported when they need specialist services, such as therapies or diagnostic treatment, but it will also entice future pediatric healthcare providers to join us in the north.
The Lheidli T'enneh First Nation will lead the community consultation process, beginning in late spring. Feedback will help determine the types of programs and services that could be offered through the proposed centre.
The Lheidli T'enneh First Nation will collect feedback through virtual outreach, in-person meetings and a digital platform.
Logan said hopefully by the end of summer they will have an idea of what is actually needed in the centre and a proposed location for the building.
This information will be included in a final report and proposed service model plan will be developed based on feedback received during the engagement.
"Through this funding, we are enabling the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation to lead a thorough consultation process," said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.
"It's essential that any future services are shaped by the voices and experiences of those they are meant to support, particularly Indigenous youth in northern B.C."
