Media Contacts

Government Communications and Public Engagement

Ministry of Children and Family Development
250 356-1639

Backgrounders

Rapid Response Team model

Core Rapid Response Team

Working with a Youth Services Coordinator, the Rapid Response Team will consist of a core group of people representing the following organizations:

  • Ministry of Children and Family Development (Coordinator)
  • Ministry of Children and Family Development (Youth Outreach staff)
  • Vancouver Coastal Health – Addiction Services
  • Vancouver Coastal Health – Child and Youth Mental Health Services
  • BC Housing
  • Vancouver Police Department (Car 20)
  • Watari Counselling & Support Services Society (Community Youth Outreach)

The Rapid Response Team meets in person on a weekly basis to review the individual service needs of high-risk youth and to ensure that services are prioritized and provided in a co-ordinated and timely manner. Impromptu meetings will be arranged to co-ordinate and approve urgent service requests.

In addition to this core group, the team is supported by a three-tier collaborative advisory structure.

Primary responsibilities:

  • Any representative from the Tier 2 or Tier 3 advisory groups can identify and bring forward youth who are in urgent need of service.
  • The Rapid Response Team will assess the needs and service requirements of each young person identified, and will prioritize those needs based on identified risk factors.
  • Should the appropriate service to support the young person not be readily available, the Rapid Response Team can contact the appropriate Tier 2 management services representative to accommodate critical requests.
  • Full documentation of the assessed needs of the high-risk youth, and the ability and response time of the required services will inform Tier 1 representatives as to whether changes in services or to the delivery model are required.
  • Once the young person is stabilized, the team will work to ensure available services are transferrable to the young person’s home community.

Director’s Steering Committee Representatives (Tier 1)

Comprised of major funders and decision-makers for agencies that deliver services to youth in the DTES. Will meet on an at least quarterly basis to review the progress of the Rapid Response Team and review the outcome of the program.

Includes representation from:

  • Vancouver Police Department
  • City of Vancouver
  • Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
  • First Nations Health Authority
  • Providence Health Care
  • BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services
  • Vancouver School Board
  • Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society
  • BC Housing
  • Ministry of Children and Family Development
  • Community Living BC
  • Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation
  • Hospitals

Primary responsibilities:

  • Ensuring that the policies and decisions reflect a common approach in addressing high-risk youth in the DTES.
  • Ensuring that resources are in place to support the integration of services for high-risk youth in the DTES.
  • Removing systemic barriers that prevent youth from accessing service in a timely manner.
  • Ensuring that protocols and agreements are in place and working between the partner agencies, including common and explicit information-sharing agreements.
  • Reviewing best practice models from elsewhere and making recommendations on improvements and enhancements to the Rapid Response Team.
  • Establishing outcome objectives and success measures for the Rapid Response Team.
  • Supporting the creation and maintenance of an up-to-date inventory of services for youth.
  • Reviewing the profile of high-risk youth and comparing to the directly provided or contracted services in order to make adjustments for any gaps or overlaps in this service continuum.

Management Service Coordination Representatives (Tier 2)

Comprised of management-level personnel from various service agencies providing direct services to at-risk youth in the DTES. This group will meet twice per quarter and may be contacted directly if there are individual barriers in regard to a young person accessing urgent service.

Includes representation from:

  • Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
  • Providence Health Care
  • City of Vancouver
  • Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society
  • Vancouver School Board
  • Provincial Health Services Authority
  • BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services
  • Vancouver Police Department
  • Ministry of Children and Family Development
  • Watari Counselling & Support Services Society
  • Urban Native Youth Association
  • Pacific Community Resources Society
  • Family Services of Greater Vancouver
  • PLEA Community Services Society
  • Community Living BC
  • Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation
  • Hospitals
  • Connexus Family & Children Services
  • Boys and Girls Club
  • Portland Hotel Society
  • ATIRA Women’s Resource Society
  • Ray-Cam Co-operative Centre

Primary responsibilities:

  • Day-to-day assignment of resources and services to at-risk youth in the DTES.
  • Directing and co-ordinating resources to ensure that a rapid response to the needs of the high-risk youth is available in a timely and focused manner.
  • Ensuring positive working relationships between service providers and ensuring that services are provided in a coordinated and consistent manner.
  • Identifying gaps and overlaps in the existing service structure and developing solutions to best address them within existing resources.
  • Identifying other service agency representatives that need to be involved in co-ordinating a rapid response to the needs of a high-risk youth.

Direct Service Representatives (Tier 3)

Comprised of representatives of agencies or individuals who provide direct service to high-risk youth in the Downtown Eastside. This group will meet on a monthly basis.

Includes representation from:

  • Provincial Health Services Authority
  • City of Vancouver – Parks & Recreation
  • Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society
  • Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
  • Vancouver School Board
  • Providence Health Care
  • BC Housing
  • Vancouver Police Department
  • Ministry of Children and Family Development
  • First Nations Health Authority
  • Family Services of Greater Vancouver – Directions
  • Urban Native Youth Association
  • Watari Counselling & Support Services Society – Youth Resources
  • Community Living BC
  • Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation
  • Hospitals
  • Portland Hotel Society
  • ATIRA Women’s Resource Society
  • Boys and Girls Club
  • Covenant House
  • Connexus Family & Children Services

Primary responsibilities:

  • Identification of, and outreach to, high-risk youth in the DTES.
  • Ensuring that each of these youth have their primary service needs identified and documented.
  • Ensuring that each young person has an advocate or key contact that can assist them in accessing services.
  • Ensuring that each young person has a safety plan in place that is known and can be acted on should the need arise.
  • Ensures that when a young person indicates that they are ready to access service –through the Rapid Response Team – services are accessed in a time-urgent manner.