James

Carole James believes in the value of home care
for the province and the people who use it, and
will increase funding to home support services
that will enable one more visit each week for up
to 25,000 new and existing home care users.
Making this investment will allow people to
live independently, saving acute and long-term
care beds for those with more complex health
care needs.
Invest in community based
mental-health and addiction
services, especially for people
living on our streets
Prevention services work. Cutting those services
deepens the cycle of poverty, homelessness and
addiction – it may save money today, but it will
cost more tomorrow. And in both cases, it
punishes people at their most vulnerable.
The overnight searches by the City’s Tenant
Assistance Program estimate that at least
two-thirds of the street homeless have severe
addictions to drugs and/or alcohol.
Homeless Action Plan
City of Vancouver 2004
Campbell government’s
attitude: Not my problem
When confronted with the question of
increasing homelessness among people with
mental health problems, the Campbell
government washed its hands of the problem:
“If Vancouver needs more housing to get
the mentally ill off the streets, then the
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority should
look at ways of making that happen.”
Over the past four years, the number of British
Columbians who have found themselves
on the streets or grappling with mental health or
addiction problems has grown significantly. The
services they rely upon to meet these challenges simply haven’t kept pace.
Minister responsible for mental health,
Gulzar Cheema
January 26, 2004 to the Vancouver Sun
Carole James believes that public health and community-based programs are not only
a necessary feature of a compassionate society, they make economic sense. The New
Democrat health plan offers a more holistic approach that includes:
• Earlier identification and support for people at risk through expanded outreach programs
• Investments in crisis management and detox beds to support people in times of their greatest
need
• Expanded community-based recovery support and counseling for people who are
transitioning back into the community
The municipalities and community agencies are ready to contribute – it’s time the
provincial government met its full obligations. The New Democrat plan would double
the mental health and addictions services budget, particularly in the areas of prevention
and public health services.
12 BCNDP Platform 2005