Comox Valley residents experiencing a mental health or substance-use crisis will now have a service to connect to the support they need.
The BC Government announced the Crisis Response, Community-Led (CRCL) will serve people aged 13 and older suffering a crisis which might include self-harm, feeling of grief, or panic and anxiety.
Minister of Health Josie Osborne said the service will help people in crisis get timely and compassionate support from someone who understands their experience.
“By combining clinical expertise with the knowledge of people who have lived through similar challenges, this community-led approach offers a more empathetic and effective response that can make a real difference in someone’s path to recovery.”
The service allows people to contact CRCL directly for support or friends, family, or bystanders may reach out if they’re concerned about the well-being of someone else.
The team is made up of responders with a combination of mental-health experts and people with experience who are trained in providing trauma-informed crisis support.
The team will help de-escalate the situation, ensure plans for the safety of the person in crisis, and connect them to the support services they need for their long-term health.
The service will help policing resources focus on crimes and frees up demand on hospital emergency departments.
K’ómoks First Nation Elected Chief Councillor Nicole Rempel said the program is a step toward a different approach which recognizes strength and wisdom in the community.
“We’ve lost too many of our people to trauma, addiction and a system that wasn’t built for us.”
The service was soft launched in October 2024 to focus on providing care to the K’ómoks First Nation, before expanding to the rest of the Comox Valley in December 2024.
The service will be operated by AVI health and Community Services in partnership with the K’ómoks First Nation and support from the Canadian Mental Health Association.
