Mayor’s Task Force on Mental Health and Addictions releases first repor

September 10 2014

“Untreated mental illness and addictions continues to be an issue that our City confronts, whether it’s through our social services, policing, or schools,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson

The Mayor’s Task Force on Mental Health and Addictions released its first report today, outlining 23 priority actions to improve the health and housing needs of Vancouver residents living with mental health issues and addictions.

“Untreated mental illness and addictions continues to be an issue that our City confronts, whether it’s through our social services, policing, or schools,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “Through the work of the task force, the City is committed to mobilizing the support of stakeholders and senior levels of government to address the challenge of mental illness and addictions, and help our most vulnerable residents get the support they need.”

Report recommendations

The report “Caring for All: Priority Actions to Address Mental Health and Addictions” includes recommendations to:

Bring together an advisory group to create concepts for aboriginal healing and wellness centres in Vancouver
Build academic partnerships with SFU and UBC to design a collaborative, real-time, data-sharing model as part of a collective impact approach that involves: people with lived experience, family members, and health- and community-service providers
Enhance training and outreach with the Vancouver Police Department on working with people with lived experience
Increase community awareness of mental health and addiction by expanding the City Dialogues project to discuss the impact of poverty and stigma of mental illness

This report will be presented to City Council next week.

Read the report

About the task force

The Mayor’s Task Force on Mental Health and Addictions, building on the success of the Four Pillars Coalition, was initiated in October 2013 to mobilize leaders from a broad range of sectors to address the ongoing crisis in Vancouver.

To identify high priority, feasible actions, the task force brings together 60 leaders from:

The City of Vancouver
Vancouver Coastal Health
BC Housing
The Vancouver Police Department
Non-profit organizations
Other related sectors

Since the first official meeting in December 2013, the task force has held 11 meetings and workshops, including special sessions on stigma, addictions, and aboriginal and youth populations.

What we spend on mental health and addictions

The City currently spends an estimated $30 million per year on mental illness and addictions in Vancouver through policing and emergency response, housing, and social services.

Next steps for the task force

Next steps will include: