People in Vernon and the North Okanagan will have improved access to expanded mental-health and substance-use services as the Province moves forward with a new, state-of-the-art in-patient psychiatric unit at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. “Our government is committed to improving access to mental-health care and addiction supports around the province, including in Vernon and the North Okanagan,” said Premier David Eby. “That’s why we’re committed to building a new in-patient psychiatric unit in Vernon. It will offer safe and dignified care to more people in crisis. This is part of our co-ordinated approach to supporting people who are living with mental-health challenges. It will benefit people in Vernon for many years to come.” The new unit will provide 44 single-occupancy patient rooms, replacing the 30 beds at two existing in-patient psychiatric units located at the hospital, as well as a more modern environment for patients, while meeting the capacity needs of the community. This also includes a new four-bed pediatric psychiatric stabilization unit. “Increasing access to psychiatric care is critical to the health and well-being of people experiencing mental-health and substance-use issues and supporting their path to mental wellness,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “That’s why this project is so important. By continuing to invest in the expansion of mental-health services, we are taking action to help more people get the care they need faster and closer to home in communities like Vernon.” The project will also integrate the community-based crisis and hospital services team that is spread out across multiple locations in the city. Co-locating the in-patient psychiatric unit and the services team will alleviate travel time between multiple sites for patients, caregivers and health-care providers, resulting in more seamless and efficient delivery of care. The project also includes an 81-stall parking structure on the site. The new unit is expected to be built on underutilized land adjacent to the hospital and will be connected to the main building via an underground tunnel. Construction is expected to begin in 2026. The building is expected to be ready for occupancy by 2029. “During my work at the Vernon Jubilee Hospital, in community as a registered nurse, and in talking to my health-care colleagues, I have seen first-hand the need for expanded mental health and substance-use services in our communities,” said Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Monashee. “The new in-patient psychiatric unit at Vernon Jubilee Hospital will address this need, encourage recruitment of health-care workers, and help so many people in our community get high-quality, patient-centred care. As an advocate for this expansion for many years now, I look forward to watching this project come to life and am grateful that our government is taking action to address the needs of our communities.” This project is part of the work to expand treatment options for people living with mental-health and substance-use challenges and is an integral part of the government’s work to address the toxic-drug crisis in B.C. Through Budget 2023, the Province invested $1 billion to increase and facilitate access to mental-health and addictions care, including early intervention and prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery services, and complex-care housing. Quotes: Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions – “People have been dealing with a lot over the past few years, and there’s an increased demand for psychiatric services as a result. This project means we can make the most of existing facilities and get people connected to the care they need sooner, so they can focus on their wellness now and in the longer term.” Diane Shendruk, vice-president, clinical operations, Interior Health North – “This investment in expanding psychiatric care at Vernon Jubilee Hospital is great news for the community. As we move forward with planning this project, I know our staff are looking forward to the new modern environment that will better support their work, as well as our patients who access care.” Kate McBrearty, executive director, VJH Foundation – “A modern psychiatry building with co-located resources is an important part of the solution to improve mental-health and substance-use services for our North Okanagan community. Beyond the obvious benefits for patients and families that this investment brings, it will also help to retain and recruit the dedicated health professionals who are key to providing people with quality care, close to home. I know that our donors will be excited by this news.” Jillian Shaw, patient care co-ordinator, Vernon Jubilee Hospital – "As a psychiatric nurse, I welcome and applaud the commitment of the Province and Interior Health to address the need for additional mental-health services in Vernon. Bringing together the crisis and hospital services team will have such a positive impact on both patients and staff, helping contribute to the overall well-being and health of our community. I believe this new psychiatric unit be a valuable contribution to the overall mental-health landscape.” Kevin Acton, chair, North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap Regional Hospital District – “I am excited to see a modern environment and safe working conditions for our amazing health-care professionals in a new facility that can make a real difference in people’s mental-health and addiction struggles. 2029 can’t come soon enough!” Learn More: To learn about mental-health and substance-use supports in B.C., visit: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca/

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 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 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.

To help people in crisis and to free up police resources to focus on crime, a new crisis response team is now operational in Penticton. The new Mobile Integrated Crisis Response (MICR) team is staffed with Interior Health (IH) mental health professionals and RCMP officers to help people in crisis who need appropriate health-care services when police have been called.  “When people are in distress because of a mental-health emergency and they call police, we need to take the right steps to provide them with the care they need to stay safe and meet them where they are at,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “With the new Mobile Integrated Crisis Response team in Penticton, people in crisis will be met with appropriate, compassionate and comprehensive care, and a clear path to the help they need, supporting them on their road to wellness.” MICR health-care workers can provide immediate support and mental-health assessments to those in crisis and connect people with local resources for ongoing help. This initiative, a collaboration between local law enforcement and health services, strengthens community safety by ensuring a rapid, care-focused response to mental health emergencies. “When police officers work alongside mental-health experts, it best serves those who are in a moment of crisis or distress,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “By combining front-line worker’s expertise, Penticton’s MICR team is strengthening the ability to respond to public safety challenges, better protecting communities, while connecting people in crisis to the appropriate services they need, when they need them. This initiative is a crucial component of our ongoing efforts to create a safer, more inclusive province.” “We have had ongoing discussions with the City of Penticton and RCMP about how we can work together to support individuals in crisis,” said Susan Brown, President and CEO for Interior Health. “The collective goal with our partners is to foster an inclusive, supportive, and understanding environment, where individuals who struggle with mental health or substance use feel empowered to seek help and compassion without fear of judgment or stigma.” Expanding MICR teams is part of the Province’s Safer Communities Action Plan, and supports the plan’s goal of creating safe, healthy communities for everyone. This initiative is part of the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions’ historic $1 billion dollar investment through Budget 2023 to urgently expand access to mental-health and addictions care, including increasing early intervention and prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery services, supportive and complex care housing, and more. RCMP Superintendent Beth McAndie, Officer in Charge, Penticton Detachment Quote: “The launch of Penticton’s Mobile Integrated Crisis Response team marks a significant milestone in our community’s commitment to innovative public safety strategies, where safety and compassion go hand in hand. By embedding the expertise of mental health professionals alongside our Integrated Crisis Response Team (ICRT) officers, we’re not just responding to crisis, but rather providing a focused strategy to support those in need. This dedicated response will ensure those experiencing a mental health crisis receive appropriate care in a timely manner and will allow frontline police officers to concentrate on investigating and proactively preventing crimes in our community.” Penticton Mayor, Julius Bloomfield Quote: “This is an important milestone for Penticton, as we continue to work towards a safer and more resilient community. Having this program up and running will provide support for those in crisis and also allow RCMP to focus on serious crimes. We’ve been advocating for this program over the last two years and we are very happy to see this partnership provide a much needed service to our community. We know there is more we can all do and this program can act as a prototype for future shared efforts.” Quick facts: In B.C., one in five interactions with police involves someone with a mental health disorder. The Province has committed $3 million to launch MICR teams in nine communities throughout B.C: Vernon's was announced on Dec. 1, 2023, Penticton’s on Jan. 22, 2024, and there are teams upcoming on the Westshore and in Prince Rupert, Squamish and the Lower Mainland. MICR teams operating in Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam, Burnaby, Abbotsford and Chilliwack recently launched. Teams have previously been established in Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George, Fort St. John, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, North Shore, Nanaimo and Victoria. Learn More:  To learn more about ways the Province is making communities safer for everyone, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/safer-communities To learn about mental-health and substance-use supports in B.C., visit: Help Starts Here See a PowerPoint presentation about the progress the Province is making in the Building a Mental Health and Substance Use System of Care report. 

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 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20 to 7 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 21. 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.

Please see the attached document to learn more about the look, contamination, and risk associated with the current drug alert.

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 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12 to 7 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13. 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.

A period of significantly colder weather will begin to affect the province from Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024 to Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. It is expected that we will see temperatures plummeting to well below average with the coldest air lingering over Central & Northern B.C. There will be a combination of cold, snow and wind-chill.    Interior Health is reminding people that the increasing cold temperature heightens the risk of cold-related injuries and illnesses, especially regarding the unhoused population. Please continue to monitor your local forecasts for the most up to date temperature and snow information. Ministry information You can also receive weather alerts and updates on the Government of Canada’s weather alerts. It is important to know about different resources that are available. If you, or someone you know, needs to find shelter from the outside conditions, you can access services through your community municipality. Check out the BC Housing shelter locations or view the BC Emergency information interactive map.  More resources Cold Temperature Exposure | HealthLink BC  Extreme cold - Canada.ca  Cold-Related Emergencies: Staying Warm and Safe in Canadian Winters - Canadian Red Cross  BC Gov | People encouraged to prepare for winter weather People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care 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 811, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.       Learn more about cold-related injuries and how to prepare for the cold

Please see the attached document to learn more about the look, contamination, and risk associated with the current drug alert.

Please see the attached document to learn more about the look, contamination, and risk associated with the current drug alert.