The BC government seems to think a one-size-fits-all approach to helping people in crisis is the way to go. But saving lives is not just a dollars-and-cents business.
The government plans to cut funding and replace the six community-based crisis lines on Vancouver Island with one central call centre. It claims this is a "best practice" that "makes a lot more administrative sense."
But will it help save lives?
Will it cost more in the short-term in immediate expensive emergency response services? Will it cost more in the long-term if fewer people get the follow-up support services they need?
And how do you calculate the cost of even one person's life lost to suicide, if they don't get the right help at the right time?
The government doesn't know.
It hasn't done any consultation with Vancouver Island communities, service providers, or crisis line clients. That is not what I'd call a best practices approach.
Join me in calling on the government of British Columbia to reverse the mounting cuts it's making to mental health services around our province.
