A community protest took place outside one of VCH’s Vancouver offices yesterday afternoon. As a result, the following note was sent to all Vancouver Community staff and we are sharing it across the organization to help address any questions that may arise.
Yesterday, staff and clients from Portland Hotel Society (PHS) undertook a protest at VCH’s Vancouver Community offices at 520 West 6th Avenue, accusing VCH of abandoning the supportive recovery program for women at the Rainier Hotel in the Downtown Eastside.
Unfortunately, the protest spread comments and opinions that were false and misleading. It is important that we clarify their misinformation and share the facts.
- VCH is not the funder of this recovery program. It was fully funded by Health Canada. It is that agency which is discontinuing funding.
- Health Canada funded the pilot project for former sex-trade women living in the DTES with mental health and addiction issues with $4.9 million, channeled through a number of partners. Money for this particular initiative was funneled through the BC Ministry of Health, to BC Housing, to PHS on Health Canada’s behalf.
- The pilot project began in April 2009 with a specific end date of November 1, 2012, and Health Canada has not confirmed any further long-term funding, although it has agreed to an arrangement that will provide short-term bridge funding until mid-December. This will ensure support for women while they transition to other services.
- With the end of Health Canada funding, the women in the Rainier program may receive services via a different VCH service delivery model. However, all will continue to remain in treatment and have housing. BC Housing has confirmed it will continue fund the Rainier as a supported housing site even after the HC funds conclude.
- Knowing that change is inevitable, VCH has been working with PHS and BC Housing to develop a different model of care (in-reach care) that we expect will be provided by the same VCH staff along with additional support from physicians and psychiatrists. Our goal is clear: Continuity of as many treatment and housing services as possible, under the most sustainable model possible.
- Given the November 1 end date for the pilot paired with just a short-term extension from Health Canada, transition planning for the women in the Rainier program has been ongoing for months. Individual care assessments are being undertaken for each woman. These will allow VCH to present options about other existing services that might better meet their needs.
- PHS states that funds for the Rainier have been diverted by VCH to the Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addictions. This is totally untrue. Given the cessation of Health Canada funds, VCH is providing care and supports for women in the Rainier Program within existing resources and with no change of funding.
- VCH is actually providing PHS additional transition funding to support the program as an interim measure in the hope that the program will be able to secure additional funding.
It is unfortunate and disappointing that PHS chose to take this confrontational approach to spread misinformation. Of even greater concern is the suggestion that VCH is abandoning women in the DTES. The care, safety and well-being of the people we serve each and every day remains paramount to us and to suggest otherwise is offensive to everyone at VCH.
We value our working relationships with contracted agencies, but the actions taken yesterday appear more reflective of resistance to changing financial models than concern for the well being of the clients we aim to serve together. We do not condone or endorse this kind of behaviour.
As always, we thank all staff for their continued dedication and commitment.