The Government of British Columbia says it is developing 10 new Foundry Centers across the province to give young people and their families faster and easier access to mental health and substance use services.
Foundry is a comprehensive health and wellness service for people ages 12 to 24.
The new center will provide primary care, counseling, early intervention, prevention and addiction support, according to a state announcement.
The province has earmarked nearly $75 million for foundry expansion, with new centers in Burnaby, Chilliwack, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Quesnel, Sooke Westshore, South Surrey, Vancouver, Vanderhoof and the West Kootenays. It says it will be built.
There are 16 foundry centers open in the state and nine more in development.
Foundry executive director Steve Mathias said 35 centers are expected to open by 2027 in addition to virtual services.
Mental Health and Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside made the announcement on Monday at the Surrey Foundry Center site, saying it is expected to be operational by the end of the year.
Mr Whiteside said additional services are provided when young people are facing significant stress or anxiety.
“They have lived through a global pandemic that has dramatically affected their social lives, how they learn, their access to communities, their family relationships…And on top of that, we are in the midst of a major disaster. The climate emergency poses unique anxieties for young people.”
Whiteside said the recently released BC Youth Health Survey paints an alarming picture of young people’s mental health.
The survey, released by the McCreary Center Association, posed questions to approximately 38,000 students in grades 7 to 12 to provide a glimpse into the lives of B.C.’s teens.
The latest edition of the survey, which has been conducted every five years for the past 30 years, was published last month. It found that 24% of young people had reported self-harm, up from 16% in 2018 and 15% in 2013.
It also found that young people were more likely to suffer from eating disorders and experience sexual abuse compared to previous survey years.
Mr Whiteside said: “We know that young people feel that their own mental health is declining.”
The Foundry says on its website that it is “committed to providing safe, non-judgmental care, information and resources to reach young people earlier, before health problems become problems.” Says.
The state says 75% of serious mental health problems begin before age 25.
According to the state, more than 17,000 12- to 24-year-olds and their families accessed Foundry services in the 2022-23 school year, with the majority of those accessing services in-person at centers, and those accessing services online. It is said that there were only a few.
