Ongoing Support, Services Benefit Adults With Mental Health Issues

The Province is extending the cash flow for counselling services for adults living with mental-health challenges.

It launched low- and no-cost counselling services in 2019, and the province says since then organizations have provided more than 362,000 counselling sessions, with 72,000 people accessing counselling for the first time.

“When someone takes the courageous step of reaching out for mental-health support, services must be there for them,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health.

“Over the past six years, thousands of people across B.C. have received low- and no-cost counselling, many for the very first time. With this investment, we’re ensuring that people can continue to find affordable, life-changing mental-health care when they need it most.”

The government is investing $6.7 million to continue providing free or low-cost adult mental-health or addictions counselling services.

Forty-four community-based organizations in all health authorities in the province, including urban, rural and Indigenous communities, will receive funding to provide supports.

The most common needs this year have been trauma, grief and loss, isolation, and economic hardship.

The Community Action Initiative (CAI), which is a non-profit organization that provides grant and training opportunities for organizations across B.C., administers the funding through the Community Counselling Fund.

Community counselling is intended to provide flexibility for counsellors to meet clients through outreach, in-person counselling or through virtual support.

In some community agencies, counsellors connect people to other services and supports, such as housing, employment insurance, addictions treatment or attending appointments with them.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.