Conservative MLAs React to NDP Announcement of Involuntary Care Beds at the Surrey Pretrial Services Centre
“British Columbia needs compassionate intervention legislation for involuntary care which combines community-based programs, and bed-based involuntary treatment when necessary, for people who are a danger to themselves or others because of drug use.”
-Elenore Sturko, MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale and Opposition Critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety
Victoria, BC – Conservative MLAs Elenore Sturko and Claire Rattée say the NDP government’s 10 new beds at Surrey Pretrial Services Centre is a limited expansion of existing services, and will not assist people who do meet the criteria for involuntary care under the Mental Health Act but are not in the custody of B.C. Corrections.
Claire Rattée, Critic for Mental Health and Addictions, says the announcement also fails to reflect the real scale and urgency of B.C.’s mental health and addictions crisis.
“B.C. is sorely lacking in prevention and early intervention supports to help people before something violent happens or they end up in the justice system,” Rattée said. “Thousands of British Columbians are begging for help with mental health and substance use and can’t access it. This government must urgently scale up treatment for people who need support, fix the broken system that keeps turning them away, and focus on addressing root causes like trauma, poverty and mental health disorders.”
MLA Sturko is calling on Premier David Eby to urgently introduce compassionate intervention legislation that can address the exigent need for care in circumstances outside the criteria of the BC Mental Health Act.
“Many individuals, including kids at risk of harm to themselves or others don’t meet the criteria of the Mental Health Act. But they still need help,” she said. “British Columbia needs compassionate intervention legislation that combines community-based programs, and bed-based involuntary treatment when necessary. This is the care that desperate families have been looking for.”
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