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To further support mental health and the well-being of British Columbian children, the province is investing $850,000 in the F.O.R.C.E Society for Kids' Mental Health.
The F.O.R.C.E. society will use the funds to strengthen their supports for B.C. families, including evaluating and enhancing their Parent and Youth in Residence Program developed in 2011. Based on their own lived experience, parents, and youth offer peer support, education, mentorship and assistance to young people, families, and caregivers in navigating child and youth mental health services.
To date, there are 16 parent in residence (PiR) and two youth in residence (YiR) mentors working in the province's five health regions: Vancouver Coastal, Vancouver Island, Fraser, the Interior and the North.
Since 2011, these programs have helped more than 10,000 young people, families and caregivers each year throughout B.C. to realize that they are not alone in their struggles and that there are a variety of supports and services that can help them. In addition, the F.O.R.C.E. also supports a significant number of service providers who are looking for assistance in helping young people and families.
"The Parent and Youth in Residence Program, and the work they do to influence practice and experiences of young people and families in B.C., is deeply personal and integral to improve mental-health outcomes for children and youth in our province. We appreciate the ongoing support of the Province as this work is not possible without its support," said Keli Anderson, founder, and CEO, the F.O.R.C.E. Society for Kids' Mental Health.
Currently, more than 27,000 B.C. children and youth receive community mental health services annually - more than double the number who received services in 2003.
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