Hospitals filled with patients that have mental health issues

The first tree hugging session of the 2015 season will start shortly  Download a one page PDF(158K) that has the scheduled walks, also visit the RHCS website, since sometimes there are other walks not listed in the schedule.  First walk this year is dedicated to the memory of Sue Haberger, read the local newspaper article about the event:  The first Riverview tree walk of 2015 will honour the memory of Sue Haberger

Sue Haberger is second on the right, and her mother is seated, she is also now deceased.  This photo was taken at the closing ceremony event for the staff in June of 2012, where the Raging Greenies, seen here crashed the event to provide some inspirational singing devoted to the preservation of the Riverview Hopital site.  Read the previous blog article about this event.

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 And now for the headline article:

B.C. has higher rates of hospital stays due to mental illness than the rest of Canada
     More treatment needed, Vancouver experts say, but not in psych wards.

The article refers to a report:  CIHI releases top 10 reasons for hospitalization and surgery

And a reply to the Vancouver Sun article:  excerpt from an opinion piece in the Vancouver Sun  printed below in its entirety.

opinion:   Seriously mentally ill left out in cold

Re: B.C. has higher rates of hospital stays due to mental illness than the rest of Canada, March 5

Increasing community resources and telephone access to talk therapy may be important for people with mental illness, but it cannot substitute for a dedicated centre like Riverview hospital.

It will not address the needs of those experiencing first-break psychosis, those relapsing, and those with treatment-resistant psychosis.

Community care also cannot meet the needs of individuals struggling with complex concurrent disorders whose needs could be met if Riverview was available as a one-stop shop for mental illness and substance abuse.

Focusing on people with mild-to-moderate problems may seem like a really good way to spend smart — but it leaves our most seriously ill and most vulnerable citizens out in the cold. In the long run this will cost not only more money, but more lives as well.

ANA NOVAKOVIC

BC Schizophrenia Society, Richmond