# data[].attributes.body
According to Victoria Buzz,

one in eleven families in Greater Victoria are consider low-income.

14% of all local children currently live in poverty.

Why?
The cost of housing is too expensive. Owning a home is less accessible in modern times.

Petrese

# data[].attributes.body
As of 2017, there are 89,250 Victoria resident living with one or more disabilities.

Petrese

# data[].attributes.body
The poverty line in BC for a family of four (two adults and two children) is $40,000 a year.

Families that income is below $25,000 a year receive a full benefit amount.

Petrese

# data[].attributes.body
As of June 22, 2023, the Canadian government passed the bill C-22 to become a law. The law is proposed federal income support to help move disabled families out of poverty. This bill is attended to financial security of working-age Canadians (18-64)  living with disabilities.

Petrese

# data[].attributes.headline
What are the qualifications for disability in Canada?

# data[].attributes.subject
What are the qualifications for disability in Canada?

# data[].attributes.body
In order to qualify for disability support, a person needs to be considered “totally disabled”. The person must be unable to perform all essential and material duties.
The first step is receiving the benefit for two years. After two years, they will have to go through another set of tests to determine if their disability is considered long-term.
A list of possible qualifications for long-term disability benefits:

Arthritis

ADHD

Asthma

Alzheimer’s disease

Bipolar disorder

Bell’s palsy

Cardiovascular disease

Cancer

Depression

Drug addiction

Diabetes

Sleep disorders

Petrese

# data[].attributes.headline
The Queen Alexandra Centre & Children's Health Foundation of Vancouver Island

# data[].attributes.subject
The Queen Alexandra Centre & Children's Health Foundation of Vancouver Island

# data[].attributes.body
The Queen Alexandra Centre is based in Victoria and has been running for 95 years. It specializes in supporting disabled children and their family on Vancouver Island. They offer a number of supports including housing for families travelling for healthcare, enabling access to resources and therapy for young children, providing funding for families with disabled children.

Some of their programs are mildly inaccessible but only require a medical referral.

They are part of the Children's Health Foundation which also has facilities in Sooke and Westshore.

Zara

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Facilities - Children’s Health Foundation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Champions for the health of every Island family

# data[].attributes.headline
What Barriers are there to inclusive childcare in BC? 

# data[].attributes.subject
What Barriers are there to inclusive childcare in BC? 

# data[].attributes.body
The lack of ECEs and places for children in childcare programs poses the risk of a disabled child not being given the assistance and support they need in a childcare program due to overworked and under supported ECEs. One-on-one work between a child and ECE allows for that individual's needs to be met and also fosters a more inclusive environment.

Often even after acquiring a spot in childcare, parents have reported that their children are not allowed to participate with the other children, often pushed aside with a completely separate activity. This has extended to exclusionary instances surrounding play where parents are told their child cannot model for other children how to appropriately play.

Children who do not have a formal diagnosis are often excluded from funding or other disability focused programs. Furthermore, in some cases children have been dismissed from childcare entirely upon gaining that diagnosis.

Being unable to find adequate childcare frequently results in parents having to quit their jobs to be a full-time carer for their disabled child. This increases the strain within a family as the cost of living and housing instability rises. Additionally, this role most commonly falls on the mother who takes on the brunt of emotional and physical labour in the household. This all culminates to a decline in mental health as families are spread thin.

Zara

# data[].attributes.headline
What Support is Given to Low-Income Families with Disabled Children?

# data[].attributes.subject
What Support is Given to Low-Income Families with Disabled Children?

# data[].attributes.body
British Columbia has a number of funding opportunities for low-income families including added funding for families with disabled children. These programs aim to reduce barriers to education, sports, and financial well-being

Some of these resources are:

The Affordable Childcare Benefit

(offers an additional $150 for families with special needs kids)

BC Autism Funding

Caregiver Respite Funding

Child Disability Funding

CKNW Kids' Fund

Down Syndrome Resource Foundation Bursary Program

Goodlife Kids

Home Adaptations for Independence (HAFI) Program

KidSport

Kiwanis Children's Fund

Make-A-Wish Foundation BC

MCFD Special Needs Funding

NSDRC Summer Bursary Program

Student Aid BC

Variety- The Children's Charity

Zara

# data[].attributes.body
There is a BC family benefit (BCFB), which is a payment to families with children under the age of 18.
Each month a family (that income is between 27,354 to $87,533) will receive:

$775 per month for the first child

$750 per month for the second child

$725 per month for each additional child

Petrese

# data[].attributes.body
The Child Disability Benefit is for families that have a child under the age of 18 living with a disability. The family is eligible for $261.41 per month for each child tax-free. A family can apply after getting diagnosed.

Petrese

# data[].attributes.body
Yes! A family can receive both benefits for the same child.

Petrese

# data[].attributes.headline
Victoria Society for Children with Autism 

# data[].attributes.subject
Victoria Society for Children with Autism 

# data[].attributes.body
The Victoria Society for Children with Autism (VSCA) has been serving Victoria for over 50 years. They are a non-profit society that is volunteered led. It entails a $20 per family membership.

Programs offered include:

monthly parent-focused support groups

monthly social gatherings and outdoor activities

access to resources and information about the autism spectrum, with an extensive lending library

Petrese

# data[].attributes.body
Dr Kelly office is the only doctor providing private autism assessment in Victoria. The assess children, youth and young adults from ages 1 to 25.

For their private practice there is a wait list for approximately 8 months.

Since it is a private practice, the assessment cost $2950.

Petrese

# data[].attributes.body
Preschoolers are left on wait list because of the lack of inclusive care educators. This is leaving families not being prepare for kindergarten. Due to staffing shortages, childcare’s will not accept children with disabilities.

Petrese

# data[].attributes.body
There is a lack of knowledge that creates ignorance, prejudice and discrimination towards people that have autism. This discrimination comes from media and in culture. A common misconception of people who have autism is that they will be hard to manage. This is seen in centres leaving children on the wait list because they do not have “extra hands” to manage the student. This stigma also affects the families due to association. People will prejudge the whole family.

To reduce stigma, it is important to create a “autism friendly” place.

Petrese

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Understanding Disabilities | Penfield Children's Center

# data[].attributes.body
Petrese

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Understanding Disabilities | Penfield Children's Center

# data[].attributes.body
Habitat Systems has been adding inclusive parks around Greater Victoria. These playgrounds includes many crawl tunnels, accessible from ground level, as well as slides, climbers, play panels and the Sway Fun glider. This benefits the children’s need for outdoor play.
Inclusive care at parks also looks like communication boards. These provided a bridge for communication gaps for children of all disabilities.

Petrese

# data[].attributes.body
Inclusion Canada surveyed the Canadian's with disabilities in regards to their feelings on the current disability benefits offered by the Canadian government. This infographic highlights how many disabled Canadians who have not experienced poverty feel as though they are "one step away" from poverty and the stigma they face when trying to receive help.

Zara

# data[].attributes.headline
"Poverty makes life hard, not disability.": Inclusion Canada 2/3

# data[].attributes.subject
"Poverty makes life hard, not disability.": Inclusion Canada 2/3

# data[].attributes.body
Inclusion Canada highlights changes to disability laws and regulations, proposed by disabled people, in order to make life in Canada more accessible

Zara

# data[].attributes.body
Frequently the disabled population has their needs assumed and are spoken for without being allowed an input into the system they are inherently a part of, this graphic sheds light on some disabled perspectives in Canada.

Zara

# data[].attributes.headline
Resources for disabled Indigenous families

# data[].attributes.subject
Resources for disabled Indigenous families

# data[].attributes.body
The Jordan's Principle group and RRAP-D aim to bring accessibility to Indigenous families, specifically those living on reservations equal access to tools which improve quality of life for intersectionally disadvantaged families.

Zara

# data[].attributes.headline
Correlation between income and disability: Disability Without Poverty

# data[].attributes.subject
Correlation between income and disability: Disability Without Poverty

# data[].attributes.body
This article explores recent statistical findings in terms of disability and how it intersects with other marginalized communities within Canada. Ultimately: Canada's infrastructure has many gaps between the individual programs provided to disabled people in order to fully meet their needs and improve quality of life.

Zara

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2023 disability poverty report card | Disability Without Poverty

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
2023 disability poverty report card A failing grade - I for incomplete This is Disability Without Poverty‘s first annual report card. It looks at our government’s performance towards people with dis

# data[].attributes.body
This infographic displays how the majority of Canadians experiencing financial struggles overwhelmingly overlaps the disabled population of Canada. Average household income suffers when a family is faced with disability.

Zara

# data[].attributes.body
The issue regarding the intersections of disability and poverty is complex and multidirectional.

Experiencing poverty during childhood increases the chance of developmental disorders and unmet needs; experiencing a disability in the family causes extenuating circumstances which push a family towards poverty due to lack of accessible resources.

Zara

# data[].attributes.body
Adults with disabilities are half as likely to get post-secondary degrees

Adults with disabilities have a lower median household income

48% of respondents to Disability Credit Canada's survey believed Canadians were more likely to climb the corporate ladder if they hid their disabilities

only 10% of Canadians with disabilities are fully included in society

more than 1.4M Canadians (aged 15-64) reported needing help with daily physical activities

Zara

# data[].attributes.headline
Parents faced with choosing foster care due to lack of accessible resources

# data[].attributes.subject
Parents faced with choosing foster care due to lack of accessible resources

# data[].attributes.body
14 of 68 people surveyed said they only placed their child in care in order to get their child adequate supports for their needs. Waitlists and lack of placement options/ trained healthcare or childcare professionals contributes to the separation of families.

Zara

# data[].attributes.body
Krista Lee Hanson writes about the struggles for accessibility and inclusion in American education systems & public accessibility for disabled families as a whole. She discusses her families leftist approach to disability parenting and the learning hurdles which accompanied it.

Zara

# data[].attributes.body
Petrese

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Thanks for looking at our project, we hope you have learned something new!

# data[].attributes.body
TAPS is a community support network offering various services to those in dire financial situations. I have personally mad use of their help regarding a residential tenancy dispute. In addition, they also provide:

Aid in accessing and navigating the process of application for disability and income assistance, as well as associated potential benefits

Help with filing taxes and any tax projects

They receive funding both from government and private institutions and are both employee and volunteer operated.

Timothy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Our legal advocacy projects provide help with income assistance and disability matters , and residential tenancy disputes . Our Volunteer Disability Advocate Project (VDAP) provides assistance with the application for provincial disability benefits, and our tax project helps with the filing of income tax.

Please note: At present, we are filing taxes on a pick-up/drop-off basis (no appointment needed.) If you'd like help filing your taxes please drop by our office during open hours (see below), and we can provide you with a tax package to complete.

Some of our projects may be emailed directly, but f or tenancy related requests you must call the above number. Due to volume we are not able to accept new requests by email.

For questions and help with an application for provincial disability benefits (PWD), email:

For questions and help with income security matters for those already on income assistance or PWD, email:

For questions or help with our income tax filing program, email:

For all other general questions about our organization or to get in touch with administrative staff, email:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our legal advocacy projects provide help with income assistance and disability matters , and residential tenancy disputes . Our Volunteer Disability Advocate Project (VDAP) provides assistance with the application for provincial disability benefits, and our tax project helps with the filing of income tax.

# data[].attributes.body
Legal Aid BC offers legal advice for those who cannot afford a lawyer. While they cannot represent a client themselves, they are connected with a network of lawyers sympathetic to their work who will often take cases on a sliding scale fee, based on the client's situation. Very helpful for laypeople trudging through the complexities of our legal system.

Timothy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Legal Aid BC - Free legal help for BC residents

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Free legal information, advice, and representation available to people in British Columbia.

# data[].attributes.body
Also known as USTAT (Urgent Short Term Assessment and Treatment), Outpatient Treatment is an alternative to getting psychiatric aid through a hospitals. It is a branch of Island Health, and provides many things beyond immediate assessment.

Individual therapy

Group education courses on mental health

Other community resources available

Connecting clients with other available treatment options

Besides their main office in Victoria, there are eight other locations serving cities across the island.

Timothy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Urgent and Adult Short Term Assessment and Treatment

Short Term Assessment and Treatment programs provide specific therapy to deal with acute mental health issues. Clients are assessed by a clinician and may receive brief problem focused one-to-one or group therapy and/or psychiatric consultation. If appropriate, individuals may be referred on to other services.

Urgent Short Term Assessment and Treatment (USTAT) Victoria

Urgent Short Term Assessment and Treatment (USTAT) provides short-term individual psychotherapy for patients in crisis, at risk, or in severe distress. With this service, clients are assigned to a primary therapist who does an initial assessment and establishes treatment goals. A team of psychiatrists is available as needed for consultation and follow up.

1250 Quadra St.
Victoria, BC V8W 2K7
Phone: 250.519-3544
Fax: 250.519.3545
Access to USTAT Victoria is via a primary care provider referral faxed to Intake.
Adult Short Term Assessment and Treatment (ASTAT)

The Adult Short Term Assessment and Treatment (ASTAT) team provides short term services to adults with serious mental health conditions. Staff members are educated in both mental health and substance use issues. Attendance is voluntary. A clinician works with individuals to help them achieve their mental health goals.

Services Provided:

Individual therapy

Group psycho-education

Community resource information

Connecting individuals to other appropriate services

Counselling Services - Community Based

In partnership with community-based service providers, Island Health is expanding access to counselling services for people experiencing moderate severity mental health and/or substance use concerns. A range of counselling services are available depending on the contracted service provider. Services include in-person and/or virtual counselling. Counselling sessions are time limited: Up to 12 sessions are available. These services are in addition to counseling services provided through MHSU programs.

Referrals to these counselling services is required. This occurs through the local Island Health intake office.

Mental Health Counselling Services:

For youth and adults aged nineteen (19) and older who require mental health counselling and support services to manage issues of moderate severe mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety and situational crisis.

Clients with mild mental health concern may be referred for services in order to address the concern before it escalates in severity; these are assessed on a case-by-case basis as capacity for services permits.

Substance Use Counselling Services:

Services to youth and adults aged nineteen (19) and older who require substance use counselling and support services to treat or manage substance use issues of moderate severity. This is defined based on the DSM 5 as individuals with three to five (3-5) symptoms, indicating moderate substance use disorder.

Clients must be interested and able to engage in addictions counselling in regards to their substance (ie able to attend sessions not in withdrawal or intoxicated).

Port Hardy
Port Hardy Mental Health and Substance Use Services
7070 Shorncliffe Avenue
Box 1290
Port Hardy, BC
V0N 2P0
Phone: 250-902-6051
Fax: 250-902-6052

Port McNeill
Port McNeill Mental Health and Substance Use Services
2750 Kingcome Place
Box 548
Port McNeill, BC
V0N 2R0
Phone: 250-956-4461
Fax: 250-956-6813

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Short Term Assessment and Treatment programs provide specific therapy to deal with acute mental health issues.

# data[].attributes.headline
Mental illness in metropolitan, urban and rural Georgia populations

# data[].attributes.subject
Mental illness in metropolitan, urban and rural Georgia populations

# data[].attributes.body
Study conducted in 2013 in the United States, comparing populations across economic demographics and the prevalence of one or more mood disorders.

More statistical than analytical, the numbers nonetheless do support the theory of increased disposition towards mental health disorders amongst those struggling with poverty.

However, it should be noted the results came from self-disclosure, and took no data on familial histories, comorbidity with other illnesses or substance abuse, or other extenuating factors. The authors recommended follow-up to further break down the components of respondents'' conditions.

Timothy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mental illness in metropolitan, urban and rural Georgia populations - BMC Public Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Background Mental illness represents an important public health problem. Local-level data concerning mental illness in different populations (e.g., socio-demographics and residence - metropolitan/urban/rural) provides the evidence-base for public health authorities to plan, implement and evaluate control programs. This paper describes prevalence and covariates of psychiatric conditions in Georgia populations in three defined geographic areas.

# data[].attributes.headline
Poverty and mental health: policy, practice and research implications

# data[].attributes.subject
Poverty and mental health: policy, practice and research implications

# data[].attributes.body
This study was conducted in Glasgow, Scotland, which "contains some of Western Europe's areas of greatest concentrated poverty and poorest health outcomes."

The researchers provided three main suggestions to address the issue:

Reinvigorate social psychiatry and influence public policy

Tackle intersectional stigma and disadvantage

Embed poverty-aware practice and commissioning

These priorities can easily translate cross-culturally and be applied in any Western society struggling with such public distress. The next question is how.

Timothy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Poverty and mental health: policy, practice and research implications

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This article examines the relationship between poverty and mental health problems. We draw on the experience of Glasgow, our home city, which contains some of Western Europe’s areas of greatest concentrated poverty and poorest health outcomes. We highlight…

# data[].attributes.headline
Unemployment, Mental Health and Substance Use

# data[].attributes.subject
Unemployment, Mental Health and Substance Use

# data[].attributes.body
Page from the CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association)

Mental health leads to stress, stress leads to difficulty finding and maintaining work, unemployment leads to deteriorating financial circumstances.

The page has simple information on the costs of unemployment to the individual and the community, as well as explains why people struggling with mental health (or addictions issues) are an underemployed demographic.

It also offers some suggestions for individuals in those situations to overcome their hurdles, more than just "get a job". The page has recommendations on alternatives to working should the barrier be too much, as well as ways to better live one's life when unemployed, which in turn improves mental health and opens up possible employment abilities down the line.

Timothy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Unemployment rates among people living with mental health problems are incredibly high-even among people who want to work. Seventy to 90% of people living with serious mental illnesses in Canada are unemployed. Unemployment rates among people living with depression or anxiety can be over 30%. Research tells us that most people living with a serious mental illness want to work, but few do find work-and, often, the work doesn't meet their goals or abilities. Even people with former substance use problems may have a hard time finding or keeping work because of stigma or discrimination.

The bigger picture

Unemployment is one of many factors that influence health. Other factors like housing, income and a lack of social support also have a huge impact on overall well-being. It's also easy to see how these factors are related. Unemployment can lead to a low income, which can lead to poor housing, which can change social networks, which can limit access to social supports, and so on. All of these social factors are related to mental health and substance use. But this also means that positive changes-like meaningful employment-can help add to a livable income, decent housing and good social support. These can help promote health and well-being, help people recover from mental health problems, and help people avoid substance-related harms. Finding meaningful employment won't solve all problems, but it's a very important part of the bigger picture for many people.

What else do we know about employment and mental health?

There is a lot of research that shows working can be an important part of well-being. Some of the benefits of work include:

Income and financial stability, which are important parts of quality of life

Daily routines and a sense of structure

Social activities and social supports

Personal achievement

A sense of purpose

A sense of status and identity

For people living with a mental illness, employment may bring a lot of well-being and may even help promote recovery. And studies show that people living with a substance use problem are more likely to seek help when they're employed.

But we also know that not all jobs are good jobs-and not all jobs or workplaces are good for our well-being. The quality of work is very important. People living with mental illnesses are often left with minimum-wage jobs that offer fewer benefits and little job security, and may only have part-time, temporary or contract work. These types of jobs offer fewer opportunities to advance and are at particularly high risk as the economy changes.

Individual costs of unemployment

Unemployment also has a big impact on well-being. Studies found that unemployed people who received the same amount of income assistance as they earned when they worked still experienced a loss of well-being. Here are some ways that unemployment, especially when you didn't plan it, affects your well-being:

Higher stress

Lower self-esteem

Fear about the future

Social isolation

Stigma

Increased risk of problematic substance use

Increased risk of a mental illness

Worsening symptoms of a mental illness

Community costs of unemployment

Unemployment costs communities because people aren't contributing to the economy. It costs the Canadian economy billions of dollars. But the cost of unemployment to a community is about more than money-it affects the well-being of the entire community. Some of these costs include:

Lower life satisfaction across the entire community-as unemployment rates rise, people across an entire community feel less satisfied with their own quality of life, even those with jobs

Rising health problems-a Canadian study found that a 10% rise in unemployment would increase number of people dying from heart disease by almost 2%. Suicide rates would go up by just under 1%, and just over 4% more people would be admitted to psychiatric hospitals

Why are some people with mental illnesses and former substance use problems unemployed?

There are many reasons for high unemployment rates among people living with a mental illness. The symptoms of these health problems can make it difficult to work. Side effects of treatments and time spent on recovery may also affect work. And people with former substance problems may experience job loss or have problems when they look for work if they reveal that they've been in treatment. But there are bigger factors that affect unemployment. Lack of education or training, system-wide issues like laws, and discrimination also play a big part.

Lack of education or training

Mental illnesses and substance use problems may start to affect older youth and young adults, right around the time they finish high school or start post-secondary education like university. Some people may not finish their education or complete the skills training they need. In a study of people living with schizophrenia, finishing high school was the biggest predictor of future employment.

System-wide issues

The move from government assistance to paid work can be complicated. Rules around assistance like disability benefits can make it harder to do paid work than to continue receiving assistance. Finding a job may take away some of your assistance and it can affect added benefits like access to low-cost health care or low-cost public transit. Some people lose income by working and may feel "punished" for finding a job. And people who want to move to paid work may be pressured to accept any job-even if it's a poor job-instead of a job that fits their needs.

Stigma and discrimination

Some employers may be reluctant to hire people living with a mental illness or people with a former substance use problem. But negative attitudes come from other places, too. Some mental health professionals don't encourage people to work in order to avoid the stress of finding a job and working. Some people doubt their own abilities and believe that they can't work or can't handle the stress of work. These kinds of "low expectations" can add a lot of barriers to recovery and employment.

Is employment the only goal?

Mainstream employment (permanent full-time work) may not be a goal for everyone. Some people find meaning from unpaid activities like volunteer work. Others find that part-time work is a good fit for them. And some people work during wellness but lessen their work responsibilities when they're not feeling well. What's important is choice. Everyone's end goal and journey to wellness is unique. But we do know that many people who want to work have a hard time finding meaningful work.

What can I do about it?

Look at different employment programs

Many community organizations and agencies offer employment programs. Some offer unpaid work and focus on building skills and experience. Others offer paid positions and focus on securing permanent mainstream work. Here are a few examples that you might find in your community:

Unpaid work experience or job trials-Short, unpaid job placements in an area that interests you. Job trials may help you gain current work experience and practice your skills. They may also be a good way to see if you're ready to go back to work.

Transitional employment-A series of different jobs that move from short-term, entry-level positions to a long-term job in a field that interests you. This may be a particularly good option for people that don't have a lot of job experience or people who haven't been in the workforce for a long time.

Supported employment-A permanent, mainstream job with access to extra support if you need it. Supported employment believes that anyone can do meaningful work.

Volunteer

Many people who are unemployed for any reason find that volunteering is a good first step. These unpaid positions may be a good way to explore different kinds of work, refresh your job skills, build networks and boost your resume. They're also a good way to rebuild self-esteem and ease into the workforce at your own pace. If you're considering a volunteer position, it's important to make sure you won't be penalized for volunteer work by your assistance provider.

Learn to cope with unemployment

Establish a daily schedule including a regular time for job search activities

Set daily goals that you know you can accomplish. Go for a walk, go to the library or call a friend. Write your plan for the next day before you go to bed

Keep busy and stay active outside your home. Isolating yourself at home will not get you a new job and can lead to additional stress

Reward yourself on a regular basis for your efforts

Pursue the hobby you always wanted to try

Check into new career opportunities or the possibility of continuing your education

Look into courses or other educational opportunities to keep your skills up-to-date

Where do I go from here?

If you or someone you love is dealing with unemployment, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor, mental health practitioner or mental health team. They may refer you to a program that fits your needs. Other places to find information include:
BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information
Visit www.heretohelp.bc.ca for more info sheets and personal stories about working and unemployment and related issues like stigma and discrimination.
Open Door Group (formerly THEO BC)
Visit www.opendoorgroup.org or call 1-866-377-3670 for more information about training, education and job placement services for British Columbians living with disabilities.
Canadian Mental Health Association Employment Services Inventory
Visit www.staging.cmha-bc.flywheelsites.com/how-we-can-help/adults/employment to access the Employment Services Database. The directory lists more than 4500 services from 540 agencies that can help you find employment supports in your community.
Ministry of Social Development, Employment and Assistance Programs
Visit www.gov.bc.ca/hsd for information on assistance programs, employment programs, help for people with disabilities, fact sheets and other publications.
Service Canada
Visit www.servicecanada.gc.ca for helpful information about income support, finding a job and upgrading your skills. You can also learn about your rights in the workplace.

© 2014

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Unemployment, Mental Health and Substance Use - CMHA British Columbia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Seventy to 90% of people living with serious mental illnesses in Canada are unemployed. Research tells us that most people living with a serious mental illness want to work, but few do find work-and, often, the work doesn't meet their goals or abilities.Continue readingUnemployment, Mental Health and Substance Use

# data[].attributes.body
The Umbrella society is a free community resource service offering a variety of services, including:

Drop-In Counselling for both addictions and/or mental health

Crisis phone calls

Housing access and advocation

Outreach

Connecting clients with relevant support groups

Another personal recommendation here.

Timothy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How We Can Help

Umbrella has been providing mental health and substance use supports to individuals, and their loved ones, since 2000.
Our services include outreach, recovery housing, counselling, groups, harm reduction and education.
Our team meets people wherever they are at in their journey and we provide meaningful support to help them achieve their personal goals.
Together, we can reach recovery.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Umbrella Society - Substance use issues? We can help.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Established in Victoria, BC in 2000, Umbrella Society provides you with support you need from people who have experienced your struggle firsthand.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a scholarly article which concludes that "a fundamental shift is needed in the perception of fitness for work; specifically, the commonly held idea that it is not appropriate for people to work unless they are 100% fit and healthy."

This is in line with my other post from the CMHA, who suggest alternatives and graduated exposure to the work force.

Timothy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mental health and employment: much work still to be done | The British Journal of Psychiatry | Cambridge Core

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mental health and employment: much work still to be done - Volume 194 Issue 3

# data[].attributes.headline
Perspectives in poverty and mental health

# data[].attributes.subject
Perspectives in poverty and mental health

# data[].attributes.body
Rigorous and in-depth study comparing and contrasting poverty rates and mental health guidelines between OECD countries.

It also examines the interaction of the neighborhood on an individual's mental health for those in the "absolute poverty" bracket, i.e the exacerbation of stress-induced mental illness in communities where poverty is pervasive.

Timothy

# data[].attributes.headline
How The Loss Of U.S. Psychiatric Hospitals Led To A Mental Health Crisis

# data[].attributes.subject
How The Loss Of U.S. Psychiatric Hospitals Led To A Mental Health Crisis

# data[].attributes.body
Though this NPR article is specifically about the phenomenon in the US, we experienced (and still do) the same thing here in Canada.

The widespread closure of Psychiatric Hospitals in North America had both an immediate and lingering effect. Firstly, when they closed, the cities were flooded with patients who had been otherwise deemed incapable of functioning in society due to the severity of their mental illness. The closings offered little to no follow-up, support, or treatment options to those discharged, meaning the vast majority immediately fell into metropolitan homeless populations. Secondly, with no new facilities built, the few which remained open stay at capacity and have no available space or resources for future generation who find themselves in similar circumstances.

While it is true that the conditions in some of these facilities were horrible (Thanks Geraldo), this was not consistently the case and their shutdown, along with the fallout that came with it, has undeniably changed society.

Timothy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A severe shortage of inpatient care for people with mental illness is amounting to a public health crisis, as the number of individuals struggling with a range of psychiatric problems continues to rise.

The revelation that the gunman in the Sutherland Springs, Texas, church shooting escaped from a psychiatric hospital in 2012 is renewing concerns about the state of mental health care in this country. A study published in the journal Psychiatric Services estimates 3.4 percent of Americans - more than 8 million people - suffer from serious psychological problems.

The disappearance of long-term-care facilities and psychiatric beds has escalated over the past decade, sparked by a trend toward deinstitutionalization of psychiatric patients in the 1950s and '60s, says Dominic Sisti, director of the Scattergood Program for Applied Ethics of Behavioral Health Care at the University of Pennsylvania.

"State hospitals began to realize that individuals who were there probably could do well in the community," he tells Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson. "It was well-intended, but what I believe happened over the past 50 years is that there's been such an evaporation of psychiatric therapeutic spaces that now we lack a sufficient number of psychiatric beds."

A concerted effort to grow community-based care options that were less restrictive grew out of the civil rights movement and a series of scandals due to the lack of oversight in psychiatric care, Sisti says. While those efforts have been successful for many, a significant group of people who require structured inpatient care can't get it, often because of funding issues.

A 2012 report by the Treatment Advocacy Center, a nonprofit organization that works to remove treatment barriers for people with mental illness, found the number of psychiatric beds decreased by 14 percent from 2005 to 2010. That year, there were 50,509 state psychiatric beds, meaning there were only 14 beds available per 100,000 people.

"Many times individuals who really do require intensive psychiatric care find themselves homeless or more and more in prison," Sisti says. "Much of our mental health care now for individuals with serious mental illness has been shifted to correctional facilities."

The percentage of people with serious mental illness in prisons rose from .7 percent in 1880 to 21 percent in 2005, according to the Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights.

Many of the private mental health hospitals still in operation do not accept insurance and can cost upwards of $30,000 per month, Sisti says. For many low-income patients, Medicaid is the only path to mental health care, but a provision in the law prevents the federal government from paying for long-term care in an institution.

As a result, many people who experience a serious mental health crisis end up in the emergency room. According to data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, between 2001 and 2011, 6 percent of all emergency department patients had a psychiatric condition. Nearly 11 percent of those patients require transfer to another facility, but there are often no beds available.

"We are the wrong site for these patients," Dr. Thomas Chun, an associate professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics at Brown University, told NPR last year. "Our crazy, chaotic environment is not a good place for them."

Most hospitals are unable to take care of people for more than 72 hours, Sisti explains, so patients are sent back out into the world without adequate access to treatment.

In order to bridge the gap between hospital stays and expensive community-based care options, Sisti argues for "a continuum of care that ranges from outpatient care and transitional-type housing situations to inpatient care."

While President Trump and others have claimed a connection exists between mental illness and the rise in gun violence, most mental health professionals vehemently disagree.

"There is no real connection between an individual with a mental health diagnosis and mass shootings. That connection according to all experts doesn't exist," says Bethany Lilly of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.

Sisti says the stigma around mental health is "systematized" in our health care system, more so than in the public view.

Health care providers are "rather leery about these individuals because these people are, often at least according to the stereotype, high-cost patients who maybe are difficult to treat or noncompliant," he says. "I think the stigma that we should be really focused on and worried about actually emerges out of our health care system more than from the public."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How The Loss Of U.S. Psychiatric Hospitals Led To A Mental Health Crisis

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The evaporation of long-term psychiatric facilities in the U.S. has escalated over the past decade, sparked by a trend toward deinstitutionalization of mental health patients in the 1950s and '60s.

# data[].attributes.body
In conclusion, we feel as a group that disability and poverty are connected because living with disabilities can be a barrier in people's lives, which potentially leads to financial hardships. We found resources that are for people living with disabilities in British Columbia. In addition, we found resources for families with children who have disabilities. These resources span across housing accessibility, educational grants and tools, athletic opportunities and more. We also discovered barriers children may face while having a disability, such as a lack of well-qualified and supported ECEs and a lack of social inclusion in childcare spaces. We hope to show our class the importance of inclusive care throughout our pedagogical practices as well as to raise awareness surrounding the problems which disabled families are facing within British Columbia as financial stability is becoming increasingly strained.

Petrese & Zara