Media stories for November 23, 2012

“At Home” and thriving, for now, but support from homeless study ends soon
Vancouver Sun
Part 1 of a series: Innovative research project that provides homes and support service to the homeless is praised for saving lives and money, but participants may be left scrambling when it ends.

An urgent need for hospital renewal
The Province – Heartbeat of the city
St. Paul’s Hospital has been ­praying for a $610-million renewal to modernize a facility that is, in parts, more than a century old. CEO Dianne Doyle is quoted.

Care and support go both ways
The Province – Heartbeat of the city
As St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation’s CEO, Dick Vollett has a duty to inspire others to take the cause of helping the hospital to heart.

Doin’ it right, put that cigarette down
Vancouver Sun
No one can say the Vancouver Coastal Health authority isn’t taking a creative approach to getting staff, patients and visitors to stop smoking on hospital properties.

Suicide pact discovered among Vancouver youth
The Province
Dozens of children, mostly aboriginals, formed a suicide pact in a downtown Vancouver community earlier this year that prompted police to step in and have some of them hospitalized for their own safety.

Grey area for mental health
Richmond News – Letter to the editor
I have been seeking help in Richmond for my family and 20-year-old son for many years. Unfortunately, he is too sick to understand he needs treatment and consequently will not seek treatment or apply for disability as in his mind he doesn’t need it. To complicate matters further, if you suffer from severe paranoia, all government agencies are suspect.

A snowball effect on emergency care
Coast Reporter – Letter to the editor
In the last few years I have noticed a decline in the services offered by the emergency facilities at St. Mary’s Hospital. When I made enquiries with the staff as to why this is, they informed me that they had repeatedly complained to the hospital administration about under-staffing without resolve.