Kamloops is experiencing a critical lack of access to specialized mental health and addictions care for people with severe, overlapping mental health and substance-use challenges, including acquired brain injuries from repeated toxic-drug poisonings.

People who are unable to recognize they need treatment deserve timely psychiatric and medical care. Without it, they continue cycling in and out of the correctional and health-care system without getting the care they need.

This places unnecessary strain on individuals, their families, Royal Inland Hospital, paramedics, Kamloops Fire Rescue, RCMP, Community Service Officers, and other frontline services responding to the same crises day after day.

Helping those with the greatest needs first gives them the opportunity to receive appropriate care while reducing pressure across our health-care, emergency response, and public safety systems. It also helps improve safety and quality of life for residents and businesses by reducing the impacts of homelessness, repeated mental health crises, street disorder, drug use, and crime in our community.

The Province has committed to a new 72-bed secure mental health and addictions care facility in Prince George. As it continues expanding this model of care across British Columbia, Kamloops should be among the next communities selected.

We, the undersigned, respectfully call on the Government of British Columbia to establish a secure involuntary mental health and addictions care facility in Kamloops.