Young people and families will have faster, easier access to mental-health and addiction services and primary care with the expansion of Foundry centres to more communities throughout the province.

Through Budget 2023, government will add 12 new Foundry centres to provide young people aged 12-24 and their families and caregivers free and confidential services to fit their unique needs. Supports include mental-health and addiction counselling, physical and sexual health care, peer support and social services.

“Young people struggling with mental health and addictions and their families urgently need support,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “Opening Foundry centres in communities across B.C. means more youth will get the help they need and deserve right in their own community. Foundry centres are a vital part of our government’s work to build an integrated and seamless system of mental-health and addiction care that works for all British Columbians.”

Budget 2023 provides more than $236 million over three years to create more services for young people, including crisis supports, culturally safe wraparound services, enhanced transition services and improved emergency room hospital-based care and discharge planning. This includes nearly $75 million for Foundry expansion and enhanced services.

“For young people and their families, it is easier to take that very difficult first step of asking for help when there is a Foundry in their community,” said Mitzi Dean, Minister of Children and Family Development. “When a youth walks through the door, they get the wraparound, evidence-based care that Foundry BC has become known for, whether that be mental-health treatment, social services, peer support, primary and sexual health care or substance-use services. This announcement means even more young people across B.C. will have access to these vital services.”

This builds on previous investments that supported the expansion of the Foundry network across the province and the creation of the Foundry virtual services for young people who are not able to access a centre. There are 15 Foundry centres open in Vancouver-Granville, North Shore (North Vancouver), Campbell River, Ridge Meadows, Abbotsford, Kelowna, Prince George, Victoria, Penticton, Terrace, Comox Valley, Langley, Richmond and Cariboo-Chilcotin (Williams Lake) and Sea to Sky (Squamish).

An additional eight new Foundry centres are in development in Burns Lake, East Kootenay (Cranbrook), Port Hardy, Surrey, Fort St. John, Tri-Cities, Kamloops and the Sunshine Coast. Foundry's provincial virtual services can be accessed from anywhere through the Foundry BC app, phone or virtually: https://foundrybc.ca/virtual/

“What makes Foundry’s vision so particularly unique is our unwavering commitment to not just provide wellness services to youth, but to really revolutionize the entire health and wellness landscape for young people”, said Karen Tee, associate executive director, Foundry BC. “The well-being of our young people will ultimately determine the well-being of our society. With our eyes set to the future, we want to transform what it means for a young person to take charge of the quality of their life. This expansion is another step towards achieving our goal.”

Enhancing supports for young people living with mental-health and addiction challenges is an integral part of A Pathway to Hope, B.C.’s roadmap for building a comprehensive system of mental-health and addiction care for British Columbians.

Quotes:

Sarah Wood, youth peer engagement co-ordinator, Foundry BC –

“The continued expansion and support of Foundry services across the province is both exciting and increasingly necessary. Having been a youth involved in the implementation of Foundry Penticton in 2019, I look forward to seeing young people and caregivers from across the province lead our expansion efforts to shape services that best meet the unique needs of each community.”

Shyan Baker, family peer support worker, Foundry Cariboo Chilcotin –

“Foundry provides needed services to communities out of one central location. If an individual requires services that are not offered out of the Foundry building, we can help bridge the gap to other partner agencies. I’m excited about the expansion because it creates a safe and supportive environment for youth across the province, as well as opportunities for service providers to collaborate and have a broader reach. Foundry brings light to challenging conversations, reduces stigma and I feel more empowered to tell my story to help create change.”

Learn More:

A Pathway to Hope, government's vision for mental-health and addictions care in B.C.: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021MMHA0049-001787

For more information about Foundry BC, visit: https://foundrybc.ca/