Young people in the West Shore and Sooke will soon have a new one-stop shop for health and wellness.
The provincial government is putting up $1.5 million for a new integrated youth health centre in the area seeking to better support young people’s wellness by combining various types of health care and social services.
The centre is part of a provincewide initiative called Foundry that aims to offer non-judgemental, all-around care, and avoid the challenges people have when they must continually re-tell their stories to new providers who don’t necessarily know their case history.
“Foundry centres provide a welcoming, stigma-free place where young people can connect to health and wellness supports so they can address mental health and addiction challenges before they become roadblocks,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, in a B.C. government news release.
The centres care for people ages 12 to 24 and their families, offering a range of services that include mental health and addiction counselling, physical and sexual health care, peer support, and social services.
The new West Shore-Sooke centre is part of a $75 million provincewide expansion of Foundry, with 10 more centres to be added to the 16 already in operation.
“When you’re in need of care, a welcoming, stigma-free space can make all the difference,” said Langford-Juan de Fuca MLA Ravi Palmer in an NDP press release. “For young people in our community, having a Foundry in their area will mean they will know where to turn when it’s most important.”
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