Mental Health and Substance Use Services

Victoria – Island Health, in partnership with PHS Community Services Society (PHS), has submitted a second application for a supervised consumption service in Victoria. If approved by Health Canada, the service will be the first on Vancouver Island to embed supervised consumption services into a housing facility for vulnerable, high risk individuals. It will be open to building residents and registered guests only.

Victoria – Island Health has been given approval by Health Canada to open a supervised consumption service (SCS) in Victoria. The service will help reverse overdoses and connect people with treatment services in Victoria, which has B.C.’s third highest rate of drug overdose deaths.

Primary health care delivered with understanding and compassion for people who use drugs is the focus of a new Greater Victoria patient-oriented research study funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). 

Music festivals can be the highlight of the summer. Since more than music is shared at these events, if you do use drugs, follow a few simple steps to stay safe. We know many drugs are contaminated with fentanyl, increasing the possibility an overdose (i.e. cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, and meth have been found contaminated with fentanyl).

Island Health wants festival goers to roll safe this summer:

Vancouver Island - BoosterBuddy, a mobile app for youth dealing with mental health challenges, has been updated to improve the game experience, through funding from Coast Capital Savings. Users will now be able to check in multiple times per day, schedule repeating to-dos in the calendar, and participate in enhanced quests.

VICTORIA – A new Rapid Access Addiction Clinic (RAAC) is open in Victoria to support people who use opioids such as morphine or heroin and who are ready for treatment and beginning a path to recovery.

PORT ALBERNI—As part of the response on Vancouver Island to the overdose public health emergency, the Port Alberni Shelter Society and Island Health have implemented an overdose prevention site at 3699 3rd Avenue in Port Alberni.

DUNCAN – As part of the Province’s response to the overdose emergency, Island Health will be implementing a temporary Overdose Prevention Services site in Duncan at 715 Canada Avenue. This is Island Health’s 9th overdose prevention site to open since December 2016. Overdose prevention services are available from Victoria to Campbell River.

VICTORIA – Island Health has issued two separate Requests for Proposals (RFPs) inviting community service providers to submit proposals to provide Harm Reduction Workers and Persons With Lived Experience (PWLEs) for the Island’s first Supervised Consumption Service (SCS). The service is expected to open late spring 2018.