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Because your voice matters.

Member, West Shore Mental Health and Substance Use Same Day Access Clinic Working Group

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Open to Vancouver Island Region, Patient partners from Victoria and the West Shore

Last updated

Island Health is creating a new mental health and substance use service in the West Shore. This interdisciplinary team will provide intake assessment, single session counselling, group counselling, referral, and linkages to community supports for people with mental health and substance use problems. We are looking for patient partners who self-identify as having mental health and/or substance use issues to join our working group and help to inform service development, communication strategies and future planning.

Open to: Patient partners from Victoria and the West Shore

Lead Organization or Department

Island Health, Mental Health & Substance Use

Aim

The goal of this project is to provide same day access to mental health and substance use services for people over the age of 19 who experience some problems in managing daily life. We are looking for patient partners who self-identify as having mental health and/or substance use issues to join our working group meetings, to inform service development, communication strategies and future planning. We would like patient partners to share their stories of what does and does not work when accessing services. We also want patient partner participation to help plan for future services in the West Shore.

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of involve on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care partner will work with you to ensure that your ideas and concerns are reflected in recommendations and provide feedback on how your input affected the decision.

Eligibility

  • Open to patient partners from the West Shore (Colwood, Langford, Highlands, View Royal and Metchosin) and Victoria
  • Experience (personal or family) with mental health and/or substance use issues.
  • Over the age of 19
  • Experience working in a smaller group (up to 10 people) and willing to share personal experiences in a group setting.
  • Some familiarity with mental health and substance use services on the South Island
  • Ability to reflect on and share personal experiences in a way that respects and is relevant to the scope of the project. An open mind and capacity to respectfully acknowledge opposing viewpoints will be required.
Please note: This opportunity is not open to patient partners who are currently employed by Island Health. The placement process for this opportunity may include an informal interview between the volunteer and the health care partner. Applicants must have previously attended a PVN orientation session and completed the Volunteer Agreement. If you have not attended an orientation session but you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Ashley Clark directly to see if accommodations may be possible.

Logistics

Number of vacancies: 5 Date, Time, Location: We would like patient partners to join us for up to four meetings in 2019.  Meetings will be held on Thursdays at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in early 2019, and in the West Shore in later 2019. In-person participation is preferred, but teleconference is also an option. Commitment: One-year with the option of extending as mutually agreed to by the patient partner and working group chair.

Reimbursement

Pre-approved transportation and parking costs to attend meetings will be reimbursed by Island Health.

Background

This initiative is part of the Ministry of Health's focus on patient care networks.  Working closely with primary care providers, staff at the clinic will provide assessment, referral, consultation, short-term individual and group counselling to people with mild to moderate mental health and substance use problems.  Other members of the committee include project manager, director, representatives from mental health and substance use operations. Please note: direct care providers (doctors, counselors, nurses, etc.) are not part of this working group.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Ashley Clark
Engagement Leader, Patient & Public Engagement | Vancouver Island
250.812.8908
aclark@bcpsqc.ca

From Our Community

Ovey Yeung

Patient Partner, Vancouver

Ovey Yeung

Being involved in the Patient Voices Network has broadened my understanding of the system and helped me empathize with health care challenges and limitations. What matters to me is to walk away feeling that my experience matters, that I matter!