Mental Health

If you or someone you know is at risk or showing signs of a mental health concern, these resources and services may help.

• Our help lines fact sheet contains links to trustworthy help lines to support and guide you to other resources
• Our mobile apps/virtual treatment fact sheet provides a list of virtual supports that can be accessed through an internet connected device 
• Public Health Services provides early childhood screening plus services for teens as well as specialized programs, services and resources for adults and seniors
• Child and youth mental health services are available throughout B.C. through the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
   

If you or someone you know is experiencing an acute mental health or substance use crisis, these crisis services may be available in your community:

• Crisis response
• Substance use connections
• Parkview Child & Adolescent Mental Health Centre provides urgent assessment, intervention and referral for children and youth aged six to 18 in acute care and emergency departments at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops
• RCMP partnership teams in Kamloops and Kelowna respond to mental health and substance use emergencies
• Aboriginal Patient Navigator services

Counselling helps! We offer the following short-term community counselling services if you’re experiencing moderate to severe mental health problems.

• Counselling & treatment services
• Group counselling & education
• Perinatal counselling services

If you need ongoing illness management, and/or support and recovery services for a serious and persistent mental illness, we offer:

• Intensive case management
• Assertive community treatment
• Treatment, support & recovery
• Therapeutic volunteer program
• Supported employment services
• Clubhouse

You can get an assessment and counselling and treatment services if you have a specific moderate to severe mental health disorder. We can refer you to:

• Seniors mental health & substance use services
• Early psychosis intervention
• Eating disorders treatment services
• Developmental disability mental health services
• Interior Health children’s assessment network

Inpatient psychiatry units include team to provide personalized care that is focussed on recovery, empowering people and building a sense of hope. The team provides medication management, education and recreational programs and supports for discharge planning to help you and your family feel confident in your recovery journey.

• Pediatric psychiatry inpatient unit
• Acute psychiatric services
• Acute psychiatry short stay
• General psychiatry services
• Neuropsychiatry

Tertiary psychiatric services are specialized mental health services designed for people with severe mental illness who have not responded to other treatment and have had difficulty managing their illness and living in the community. The goal of these programs is to provide treatment and rehabilitation in a flexible and interactive community setting, followed by return to their home community as soon as possible. Admission to these programs is by referral only.

• Adolescent psychiatric unit 
• Adult tertiary psychiatry
• Geriatric psychiatry program
• Tertiary psychiatric services
• Tertiary rehabilitation and recovery program

Mental illness and substance use issues can be treated. Help is available. Talk to your health-care provider or a professional counsellor. There are also phone and online resources. If you’re in crisis, call the Interior Crisis Line Network at 1-888-353-2273 for immediate assistance (24 hours, 7 days per week).

• View our help lines fact sheet for a list of trustworthy help lines to support you and guide you to other resources
• View our mobile apps/virtual treatment fact sheet for a list of virtual supports that can be accessed online
• Foundry virtual services - available for young people 12-24 and their care providers

If you’re affected by mental illness, or if you are a caregiver, our survival kit may help you better understand and cope with it.

• Major mental illnesses signs and symptoms
• What is happening to me? Answers to questions about my journey with a mental illness
• Roles of mental health professionals 
• Asking questions: questions to ask preparing and meeting with your mental health care professional
• Your rights as a person with mental illness 
• What is happening to my loved one? 
• Understanding and coping with mental illness for family and friends 
• Planning your recovery 
• After hospital discharge: on to recovery for people with mental illness
• Caregiver resources

• First Nations Health Authority MHSU culturally safe and trauma informed resources including crisis lines, suicide prevention and residential school survivor supports.
• Mental Wellness Resources for Aboriginal Partners