On September 21, Vancouver-based mining company Goldcorp Inc. announced a $5-million donation towards two unique mental health and addiction programs servingVancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES).
This gift enables medical teams behind the VCH Assertive Community Treatment Program (ACT) and theSt. Paul’s Hospital Goldcorp Fellowship in Addiction Medicine to combine efforts and improve the health and lives of people and families struggling with mental health and addiction issues.
ACT will receive $2 million of the Goldcorp gift. The program is an intensive 24/7 outreach service that supports people in the DTES struggling with severe mental illness and addiction.
“ACT has been in operation for more than a year and proven to be very successful in reducing frequencies of hospitalization, and improving people’s ability to live on their own,” said Anne McNabb, Director of Mental Health and Addiction Services, VCH.
The remaining $3 million will establish the St. Paul’s Hospital Goldcorp Fellowship in Addiction Medicine, which will provide specialized training to medical professionals.
“This generous leadership gift from Goldcorp has enabled all parties involved to work collaboratively. Our combined efforts will deliver greater benefits to the community than our individual actions,” said Ron Dumouchelle, President and CEO, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation.
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