B.C. mental health funding frustrates advocates

Mental health advocates are urging theB.C. government to do more to help those battling mental illness, followingaCBC Go Public report on the dilapidated conditions of the psychiatric ward at Vancouver General Hospital.

Several families with loved ones at the psychiatric facility at Vancouver General Hospitalhave told CBC Newsthe aging facility is decrepit, overcrowded, ineffective and lacks basic security for patients.

And critics saydespite at least one generous donationthe government is not acting quickly enough to replace the aging and crowded facility.

Almost a year ago, real estate developer Joe Segal donated $12 million to help build a new mental health facility atVGH.

But that donation has gone untouched because theB.C. governmenthas not yet committed the remaining funds needed for the project, Segal told CBC News.

"I'm a very patient individual but this thing should be moving hopefully within the next short period," Segal said Tuesday.

Abattle to catch up

The failure of the B.C. government to act on Segal's donation comes as no surprise to Herschel Hardin, an advocate with the North Shore Schizophrenia Society.

'It's an eternal battle to bring the system up to speed.' Herschel Hardin, mental health patient advocate

Hardin has been battling for proper mental health funding since the 1980s,when the Social Credit government came up with a plan to close Riverview, the region's main mental health facility in Coquitlam,and attempt to integrate mental health patients back into communities.

After the Socreds were out of power, things only got worse, he said.

"The NDP in the 1990sthey tended to listen to families and were trying to slow down the process, but ultimately they went on with slowly closing downRiverview and since the Liberals came into power, they've accelerated the process."

Hardin said a few new facilities have been built, but not nearly enough to catch up with a quarter-century of neglect.

"For us, it's an eternal battle to bring the system up to speed and to get sufficient dollars into the system," he said.

PsychiatristDr. Bill MacEwen saysmental illnessesare considerably widespread, butthey are often nottalked aboutenoughor acted on soon enough.

"These are illnesses that can be treated. This is stuff we could do for these individuals and you don't have to be ashamed of this," he said.

Spending up 52%

The B.C. Ministry of Healthhas said that it increased spending on mental health and addictions issues by 52 per cent since 2001. In the last fiscal year,spending on these areas wasaround $1.3 billion.

About $138 million went tocapital projects,such as the building of a new facility on Riverview lands and the Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addiction.

The ministryalso said it has almost doubledthe total number of mental health beds since 2001 by adding 3,854.

Health Minister Mike de Jong said he would address morequestions on mental health programs and spendingin an interview with CBC News on Wednesday.