People looking for skills training and job opportunities in mental-health and addictions care are now able to access free education and paid work experience in the sector. Building on the success of the Health Career Access Program (HCAP), which has trained more than 8,000 people as health-care support workers in long-term care homes, assisted-living facilities, home support and acute-care settings since it began in September 2020, the program is now expanding into mental-health and addictions care. This expansion will help fill crucial roles by offering a fully funded certificate program and an educational stipend through the training. The first group of 30 students started in May 2024 with a second group set to begin in September 2024. The Province aims to recruit and train as many as 500 students across B.C. “Meeting the needs of those living with mental-health and addictions challenges requires a skilled and diverse workforce,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “Providing no-cost training encourages people from all walks of life to help us fill essential roles. This ensures that people are supported by passionate professionals who are equipped with the skills to offer much-needed support.” By welcoming people with varied backgrounds, including those with lived experience, HCAP enriches the health-care community. The program supports education, training and recruitment for roles such as community mental-health workers, peer-support workers and outreach-support workers. Increasing the number of trained staff to fill these critical roles, particularly in a challenging labour market, will strengthen the Province’s expansion of mental-health and addictions services. “Joining the Health Career Access Program has been a life-changing experience for me. I am receiving the training and support I need to grow my career in health care, something I’m very excited about,” said Michelle Newall, HCAP participant. “The on-the-job training helped me understand what this new career will entail, the university certificate gives me the formal education I need, and the practicum will round out my experience and give me the confidence to work in my new role. I’m grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to be able to give back to Interior Health and my community.” Graduates from the program will have the foundational knowledge and hands-on training to work effectively in a variety of mental-health and addictions settings. All graduates agree to work for at least one year in the field so that these training efforts lead to long-lasting improvements in care. “As our population grows rapidly, the demand for health care, including mental-health care, grows with it,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “To ensure B.C.’s health-care workforce is able to meet the diverse care needs now and better support people in their recovery, we are taking significant actions in our human-resources recruitment and retention strategies. That’s why investments in the expansion of the HCAP program to include mental-health and addictions care is critically important.” The HCAP expansion is supported by $43.3 million from Budget 2023 dedicated over three years to train new mental-health and addictions workers. Enhancing supports for people living with mental-health and addictions challenges is an integral part of A Pathway to Hope, B.C.’s road map for building a comprehensive system of mental-health and addictions care for everyone in British Columbia. Read original release from BC Gov News

Merritt and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at the Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Centre due to limited nurse availability.     Emergency services will be unavailable from 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 28 to 8 a.m. on Monday, July 29, 2024. Patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time.   All other inpatient services will continue as normal at Nicola Valley Hospital.   People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.     Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.     The emergency department in Merritt is normally open 24/7.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability.  Emergency services will be unavailable from 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 28 to 7 a.m. on Monday, July 29.  Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.   Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.   The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.  

Williams Lake and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Cariboo Memorial Hospital.  Emergency services will be unavailable from 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 27 to 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 28, 2024. Patients can access care at 100 Mile District General Hospital in 100 Mile House, GR Baker Memorial Hospital in Quesnel, or Bella Coola General Hospital in Bella Coola during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at Cariboo Memorial Hospital. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.   Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.  The emergency department in Cariboo Memorial Hospital is normally open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability. Emergency services will be unavailable from 5 p.m. on Friday, July 26 to 7 a.m. on Saturday, July 27.  Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.  The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.

Williams Lake and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Cariboo Memorial Hospital.  Emergency services will be unavailable from 5:30 p.m. on Friday, July 26 to 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 27, 2024. Patients can access care at 100 Mile District General Hospital in 100 Mile House, GR Baker Memorial Hospital in Quesnel, or Bella Coola General Hospital in Bella Coola during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at Cariboo Memorial Hospital. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.   Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.  The emergency department in Cariboo Memorial Hospital is normally open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The 21 residents evacuated from Cariboo Place long-term care home in Williams Lake on Tuesday, July 23 will be returning home in the afternoon on Friday, July 26. All the necessary supports and infrastructure are in place for the residents to return safely and, barring a significant change in wildfire conditions in the area, transport will proceed as planned. Anyone wishing to confirm their loved one’s current location can call 1-833-469-9800. Call centre operating hours of operation are Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Interior Health continues to support the wildfire response in our region, and our heartfelt thanks goes out to our care partners, first responders, community volunteers and local and provincial governments.  Those requiring support are encouraged to call the BC Crisis Line at 310-6789, KUU-US Indigenous Crisis Services at 1-800-588-8717, or MNBC Métis Crisis Line at 1-833-638-4722. Everyone is reminded to make preparations for wildfires, and smoky skies as air quality deteriorates by visiting: Wildfires | Natural Disasters & Emergencies | IH (interiorhealth.ca) Install the BC Wildfire Service mobile app (Android or iOS) or visit the BC Wildfire Service Dashboard to find information on current wildfire activity: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status  The FireWork Forecast shows maps of predicted smoke impacts over the next 48 hours:https://weather.gc.ca/firework/   

Clearwater and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital due to limited nurse availability.  Emergency services will be unavailable from 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 25 to 7 a.m. on Friday, July 26. Patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops or 100 Mile House District General Hospital in 100 Mile House at this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital. People in the community who need life-saving emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.   Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.   The emergency department in Clearwater is normally open 24/7.  

Interior Health (IH) is responding to the potential for fire-related impacts to health facilities and clients in the community of New Denver.   As a precautionary measure, IH is relocating 28 residents from the Pavilion long-term care home to alternate locations away from the impacted area.   Interior Health is contacting families directly and has established a phone line where they can get updates on the location of their loved ones. That phone number is 1-833-469-9800, and hours of operation are Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Slocan Community Health Centre is not evacuated at this time and will continue regular services until under order to evacuate. Interior Health is also ensuring community clients continue to have access to the services they need.  This is an evolving situation and we are working closely with municipalities, regional districts, and the BC Wildfire Service to ensure precautions are underway to protect patients, clients, and individuals in long-term care. Those requiring support during this crisis are encouraged to call the BC Crisis Line at 310-6789, KUU-US Indigenous Crisis Services at 1-800-588-8717, or MNBC Métis Crisis Line at 1-833-638-4722. Interior Health also continues to monitor wildfire activity across the region.  Everyone is reminded to make preparations for wildfires, and smoky skies as air quality deteriorates by visiting: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/YourEnvironment/Emergency/Wildfires/Pages/default.aspx. Install the BC Wildfire Service mobile app (Android or iOS) or visit the BC Wildfire Service Dashboard to find information on current wildfire activity: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status. The FireWork Forecast shows maps of predicted smoke impacts over the next 48 hours:https://weather.gc.ca/firework/. We will provide updates as new information is available.