Nurse practitioners in B.C. can now assess crisis patients for involuntary admissions – CBC
Feb 23, 2023
Nurse practitioners in British Columbia now have expanded authority to assess people in crisis for involuntary admission to a treatment facility under the Mental Health Act.
The New Democrat government says it changed the Mental Health Act last spring to help people get care during a mental health crisis, while respecting their legal rights.
Jennifer Whiteside, B.C.’s mental health and addictions minister, says giving nurse practitioners authority to approve involuntary admission for a patient will reduce pressures on emergency departments and help people get faster treatment.
She says when a person is in a mental health crisis, they require timely, compassionate and appropriate care.
“We want to make sure that the right care is available to individuals at the right place, at the right time,” Whiteside said.
