Leading-edge mental health and addictions care model launches at St. Paul’s Hospital

July 17, 2018

VANCOUVER – The next step in innovative care for people living with mental health and addictions challenges has been unveiled at St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver.

The St. Paul’s Hospital HUB, a first-of-its-kind health-care model in Canada, provides a protective umbrella of wraparound services designed to support patients, no matter where they are on their journey to wellness and hope.

On July 17, 2018, the Emergency Department HUB (HUB ED) and Vancouver Police Foundation Transitional Care Centre (VPF TCC) officially launched, joining the recently opened St. Paul’s Rapid Access Addiction Clinic (RAAC) and the Overdose Prevention Site (OPS). These four components create a specialized, multi-faceted model designed to meet people’s individual needs.

“A mental health and addictions system of care where every door is the right door, and where people ask for help once and get help fast, is the system we are building toward in British Columbia,” said Judy Darcy, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “The wraparound services being provided through the St. Paul’s Hospital HUB brings the right doors together in one judgement-free location, connecting people to the supports and services they need to effectively and seamlessly help them along their pathway to hope and healing.”

This model is well-suited for St. Paul’s Hospital, which treats the largest number of patients with mental health and/or substance-use challenges in British Columbia, including nearly 11,000 mental health and/or substance-use related emergency department visits each year.

The HUB ED has up to 10 beds dedicated to rapid assessment, treatment and stabilization of mental health and/or substance-use-related disorders. This will not only provide better care to people in need, it will also decrease emergency room congestion and wait times. Patients in the ED can then be connected by a referral to the RAAC, which provides outpatient medical support for people with substance-use disorder, or to the Overdose Outreach Team, an existing service that connects people who have recently experienced and/or are at high risk for overdose, to addictions care and support.

Patients may also be referred to the VPF TCC, a post-release, safe short-stay facility that connects people to community care and social supports, like housing and income support, before they return to the community. Just outside of the hospital is St. Paul’s OPS. In partnership with RainCity Housing, the OPS provides access to trained staff and peer support workers who assist people with safe substance use in a judgment-free setting, and connect people with emergency care, if needed.

A key component of this model is ensuring that Indigenous peoples receive culturally appropriate and culturally safe care through the integration of the Indigenous health team and connections to Aboriginal healing programs. In addition, Indigenous artist Jerry Whitehead has partnered with Providence Health Care to create safe spaces through artwork for the HUB ED, VPF TCC and the RAAC. The art fosters a warm and welcoming environment for all, and reflects the importance of Indigenous culture in the hospital and care model.

The St. Paul’s HUB is the product of the investment and innovation of a number of partners, including the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, the Ministry of Health, Providence Health Care, the City of Vancouver, Vancouver Coastal Health, the Vancouver Police Department and Vancouver Police Foundation, St. Paul’s Foundation and Streetohome Foundation.

Learn More:

High-resolution photos and computer-generated video detailing the wraparound services and locations that are part of the St. Paul’s Hospital HUB can be viewed here: http://www.providencehealthcare.org/media/b-roll

Two backgrounders follow.

Contacts:

Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions
Communications
250 893-7136

Vancouver Police Department/Vancouver
Police Foundation
Media Relations
media@vpd.ca

Elaine Yong
Providence Health Care/St. Paul’s
Foundation/Vancouver Coastal Health
eyong@providencehealth.bc.ca
604 837-6003

City of Vancouver
Corporate Communications
media@vancouver.ca
604 871-6336

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BACKGROUNDER 1

July 17, 2018

What people are saying about St. Paul’s Hospital HUB

Dick Vollet, president and CEO, St. Paul’s Foundation –

“We are grateful to all of our donors who helped make this transformative health-care model possible, and who support innovation so Providence can continue to deliver exceptional and leading care, research and teaching.”

Adam Palmer, chief constable, Vancouver Police Department –

“The HUB came together after the Vancouver Police Foundation received $750,000 from a generous donor. The donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, requested that the money be used to help alleviate the mental-health and addiction crisis in the city. Mental health and substance use are complex, deep-rooted issues for our city, and there is an urgent need in Vancouver for integrated services to assist people in crisis. A facility like this can only become a reality when police, business, public health care and different levels of government work together.”

Dr. Dan Kalla, head of emergency, St. Paul’s Hospital –

“This suite of wraparound services brings emergency care, rapid-access addiction treatment, harm reduction and a transitional care centre together to reduce overdose deaths and ease turbulent transitions to community care. This innovative approach can also be used at the new St. Paul’s.”

Dr. Patricia Daly, chief medical health officer, Vancouver Coastal Health –

“We need to continue working with our partners and keep collaborating on new and innovative ways to help those who are facing mental-health and/or substance-use challenges. The HUB is a unique care model that will add to our complement of services aimed at helping these vulnerable populations.”

Rob Turnbull, president & CEO, Streetohome Foundation –

“Streetohome supports the introduction of innovative and promising practices that address gaps in the current system to meet the housing, addiction, education and employment needs of vulnerable individuals who are homeless, have lived experience of homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. The HUB will serve those living with substance-use disorder and mental-health issues, offering an improved care pathway that will change lives and build better futures for all.”

Gregor Robertson, mayor, City of Vancouver –

“The HUB at St. Paul’s will help stop the revolving door with mental health and addictions services, filling a critical gap in care for our most vulnerable citizens. The suite of wraparound services for mental-health and substance-use patients is a crucial next step to tackle a provincewide crisis with mental health and addictions that needs urgent, dramatic action. Supported by a contribution of $1 million from the City of Vancouver’s innovation fund, the HUB will benefit people struggling with issues relating to mental health and addictions by helping to improve connections to care. There’s a desperate need for more treatment-on-demand and personalized care for our most vulnerable residents because addiction is a health issue, not a criminal one.”

Contacts:

Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions
Communications
250 893-7136

Elaine Yong
Providence Health Care/St. Paul’s
Foundation/Vancouver Coastal Health
eyong@providencehealth.bc.ca
604 837-6003

Vancouver Police Department/Vancouver
Police Foundation
Media Relations
media@vpd.ca

City of Vancouver
Corporate Communications
media@vancouver.ca
604 871-6336

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BACKGROUNDER 2

July 17, 2018

Emergency Department HUB (HUB ED)

Contacts:

Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions
Communications
250 893-7136

Vancouver Police Department/Vancouver
Police Foundation
Media Relations
media@vpd.ca

Elaine Yong
Providence Health Care/St. Paul’s
Foundation/Vancouver Coastal Health
eyong@providencehealth.bc.ca
604 837-6003

City of Vancouver
Corporate Communications
media@vancouver.ca
604 871-6336

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