Home / Health / Community Voices Shape Prince George's Future Treatment Facility
Community Voices Shape Prince George's Future Treatment Facility
23 Jul
Summary
- An open house gathered over 100 perspectives for Prince George's new involuntary care centre.
- The facility, formerly a youth custody centre, will offer 72 beds for treatment.
- Feedback aims to decolonize the facility and ensure therapeutic design and programming.
More than 100 people gathered in Prince George on Wednesday for an open house to share their views on the development of an involuntary care centre. The facility is being established in the former Prince George Youth Custody Centre, which will be renovated to accommodate 72 beds for treatment purposes.
Organizers aimed to gather perspectives from social workers, Indigenous peoples, and individuals with lived experience. The goal is to use this input to inform programming and the overall design and atmosphere of the facility, moving away from its former custodial appearance towards a more therapeutic environment.
Feedback is also being sought from 55 First Nations within Northern Health. The centre will offer both voluntary treatment and care for individuals admitted under the Mental Health Act, addressing concerns about involuntary treatment while ensuring compliance with legal conditions.
Participants expressed the importance of wrap-around support for individuals seeking help. The new facility is expected to more than double the current number of treatment beds in Prince George, significantly enhancing mental health and substance use services in the region.
