CMHA National response to BC government announcement regarding involuntary treatment

Sep 24, 2024

CMHA National is concerned about the government of British Columbia’s decision to establish “secure care for people with brain injury, mental illness and severe addiction.” We stand in support of our colleagues at CMHA BC who are calling for a comprehensive review of BC’s Mental Health Act conducted by an independent commissioner to ensure that it’s being used appropriately and only in the most serious cases, and for improved access to free, on-demand, community-delivered supports including preventative and early intervention services. 

Together, we want to create communities that are safe. This means addressing the longstanding gaps in access to mental health, addictions, and substance use health supports. We urge the federal government to amend the Canada Health Act to include mental health, addictions, and substance use health services to ensure those services become part of provincial and territorial health insurance plans and are funded adequately. We further call on the federal government to work with provinces and territories to ensure access to housing, income and other supports people in recovery need to stay well.