File Photo (Credit: CFJC Today).
From
Mental health and substance use
July 7, 2023 | 11:48 a.m
KAMLOOPS — Kamloops will soon have a new community-led crisis response team for residents experiencing a mental health crisis or substance crisis.
In a news release Friday morning (July 7), the British Columbia government said it and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) will be bringing a new Peer Assisted Care Team (PACT) to Kamloops. A specific timetable was not given.
According to the province, PACTs are mobile, community-led crisis teams trained to de-escalate mental health crisis situations and provide trauma-informed and culturally safe support. PACTs are made up of like-minded people with life-experienced mental health professionals who serve residents ages 13 and older by meeting them where they are, providing person-centered care and connecting them with aftercare support.
In 2022, the province allocated US$10 million for new and existing PACTs. According to the province, existing PACTs on Vancouver’s North Shore, New Westminster and Victoria provided assistance to people through more than 700 calls between January and May 2023 with minimal police intervention.
“Travel aficionado. Twitter scholar. Writer. Extreme coffee guru. Evil pop culture fanatic.”