Variety BC supports youth with mental health and addictions centre
Daily Hive is proud to be partnered with Variety for its 51st annual Show of Hearts Telethon on February 12. For more information, visit them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. You can donate online, over the phone at 310-KIDS, or by texting “KIDS” to 45678.
It doesn’t feel like a hospital.
When you walk in the four-storey building, you’re greeted by exposed wood beams, open spaces, and natural light. And there’s a coffee shop where you can grab a foamy latte while you chat with a mentor or meet up with an acquaintance.
Even though it doesn’t feel like it, it’s true – you’re inside the Lions Gate Hospital’s HOpe Centre, a mental health and addictions centre on the North Shore.
The coffee shop you’re sitting in is staffed by people living with mental illness, and working towards wellness. The men and women walking through the halls are on their way home to take part in the Acute Home Based Treatment program, where they can get mental health support from their own homes. Some are nurses and doctors, helping people in the inpatient unit, or in the central intake program.
And soon, there will be youth in the halls on their way to the Carlile Youth Concurrent Disorders Centre – thanks in part to a $250,000 donation by Variety BC.
What it offers
The new youth centre is being built on the third floor of the HOpe Centre, and it will have 10 beds for patients between the ages of 13 and 18. But it won’t look anything like a hospital – just like the rest of the HOpe Centre.
The youth centre will feature private bedrooms for patients, and give the youth access to a gym, lounge, and kitchen. There will also be areas where families can spend time with their children in the centre.
The centre will provide assessments and stabilization for youth, as well as offering withdrawal management, treatment initiation, and specialized therapeutic programs.
But most importantly, it will offer individual care plans that keep the youth and their families actively engaged in their wellness.
The centre is still under construction, although the staff are all hired. They’ll begin their training next month and the centre is scheduled to open in April.
Why it matters
“We’re thrilled to be able to support so vital a support centre,” said Kristy Gill, Variety BC’s executive director.
“The challenges our youth are facing today need innovative and intensive support, and that’s what the new youth mental health unit in Lions Gate Hospital’s HOpe Centre is going to provide, both for the kids battling with mental health issues and addiction, and their loved ones.”
Louise Campbell, the director of development for the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation, said the Variety donation will go a long way to helping youth in the community.
“The new Youth Mental Health Unit in The HOpe Centre will represent just that – hope for youth and families dealing with the incredible challenges that surround concurrent mental health and substance use issues in our region,” she said.
“The contribution from Variety BC ensures that we can provide the best care for our patients, their families, and provide this community with an unprecedented level of support.”
About the donation
The $250,000 contribution from Variety BC was made possible by donations given to the charity throughout the year.
Variety hosts a number of different fundraisers to help raise money for these kinds of causes – and the by far the best known one is the Variety Show of Hearts Telethon.
Now in its 51st year, the telethon shows off local and international talent in an all-day media show. This year, the telethon will feature artists Dan Mangan, Dallas Smith, the Washboard Union, and Angela Kelman.
For more information on the Variety Show of Hearts Telethon, check it out on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. You can donate online, over the phone, or by texting “KIDS” to 45678.
Variety Show of Hearts Telethon 2017
When: Sunday, February 12
Time: 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
Where: Hard Rock Casino – 2080 United Blvd, Coquitlam
Price: Tickets to the event are free and you can watch the telethon on Global BC and online
Daily Hive is a proud media sponsor of the Variety Show of Hearts
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