An innovative initiative at Vancouver Coastal Health-Richmond is beginning to make a difference for mental health and substance use care clients and their families.
“As a system, we’ve tended to isolate the individual and not include the family,” says Ann Greene, the implementation lead recruited for Person and Family Centred Care at Mental Health and Substance Use Services in Richmond. “If your son or daughter or your partner had a health emergency and you went to the doctor or hospital you would expect to be informed and be part of what is going on and what is going to happen next. We need to do the same thing in mental health.
Two years ago, Vancouver Coastal Health-Richmond began a shift to Person and Family Centred Care, which embraces the fact that individuals and families have a critical role to play in health promotion and recovery. Better treatment results when both patients and their families are able to be true partners in developing, delivering and evaluating care.
Some major changes include new Person & Family Centred Care Standards and Relationship & Service Standards, reflecting core concepts of dignity & respect; information sharing; participation; and collaboration.
Clients and family members from mental health and substance use programs are participating on committees and advising on issues such as revision of program procedures; input on facility design; participating on interview panels for employee and physician vacancies; and co-facilitating a monthly Family Support Group. Greene said one client serving on a committee told her: “I just feel so valued and I don’t feel like a patient when I'm there and I'm not seen as a patient--I'm seen for my expertise and what I can bring.”
Future goals include further development of person and family centred care education tools and resources for staff, continuing development of a university research partnership to share outcomes of best practice throughout Vancouver Coastal Health services, and continuing to implement what has been learned.
“We've been building this foundation,” Greene says. “We're really embedding person and family centered care as a way of delivering services. What started out as a number of tasks is now about transforming the culture.”
Thanks to support from donors, programs such as this are making a difference to health care in Richmond. Last year more 215 people hiked Grouse Mountain for Grind® for the Mind in support of Mental Health Services in Richmond. Through the support of sponsors, Ampri Group raised $70,000 for Richmond Hospital Foundation.
On Sept. 11, Grind® for the Mind hopes to raise $100,000 for this important cause. See richmondhospitalfoundation.com for more information.
Join Ampri Group Sunday, September 11, and participate in the Grouse Grind®to supportRichmond Hospital Foundation and improve mental health in Richmond.
See grindforthemind.com for details.
.jpg;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
