AAC now open

With the opening of its doors to the public earlier this week, the new Access and Assessment Centre (AAC) marked the completion of its third and final phase of work. Over the past year and a half, staff, physicians and leadership have worked diligently towards the vision of providing a 24/7 central point of access for Mental Health & Substance Use (MHSU) services in Vancouver. This week saw the realization of that vision.

The AAC is a service for Vancouver residents (adults 17+) that will provide MHSU triaging for clients with urgent, non-urgent and non-emergent conditions. These clients can and have begun to be seen at the AAC instead of presenting at the Emergency Department.

Clients and their families benefit

Already in their first few days, the AAC has helped clients and their families directly access MHSU services.

“I am very excited about the AAC opening its doors, says Isabella Mori, Family/Consumer Support and Involvement Coordinator. “There is so much pain in the lives of families who got help from the system in only the most extreme crises. Now they can have a more proactive approach. Everyone wins!”

Families are excited about the opportunities provided by the AAC too. At the annual family conference on April 23, family members expressed the following hopes about how the AAC will benefit them:

~ “My loved one will likely use AAC when they next go off meds and suffer their 9th relapse…The family will look to AAC for creative answers”

~“When a person’s mental state needs help to cope, to ‘normalize’, AAC will follow through and not let the person fall through the cracks and disappear in the revolving door”

~ “Outreach is a huge, important component. This cannot be underestimated”

Open House makes impression

Along with sharing this new service at the family conference, VCH Vancouver staff were invited to an Open House on April 21 to tour and learn about the services being provided by this new program.

There was a great turnout and several guests commented on the welcoming atmosphere of the space.

“It was refreshing to see a space that was re-purposed to provide patient centered care to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis,” said Lori Korchinski, Patient Service Manager for the VGH Emergency Department. “The area was open and bright and the staff were warm and welcoming. We felt like we could have stayed there a little longer.”

Several renovations took place over the past few months to open up the client waiting room and to create a welcoming and safe place for clients. The VGH & UBCH Foundation and several staff members donated artwork to the space and the project manager was spotted early one morning doing a bit of gardening at the front entrance.

Thank you!

We want to take this opportunity to recognize the hard work and perseverance shown by the staff who have made this day possible and who will lead and provide services to our clients in need at the AAC into the future.