Our priority is providing appropriate accessible services for adults with serious mental illness and/or addictions. We provide services in the context of a wider support network including other government agencies, aboriginal health organizations, community partners, public agencies, friends and families.
VIHA's Child and Youth Mental Health and Youth and Family Addiction Services are delivered separately.
Adult Mental Health and Addiction Services
Click on the links below to learn more about these services.
Access services
Crisis and emergency services
Acute and short-term services
Ongoing illness management, support and recovery services
Intake services provide a timely point of entry for all adult Mental Health and Addiction Services in a given area. Areas with central intake may also have other entry points so that services can be easily accessed in multiple ways.
Areas with central intake services are:
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Acute Inpatient Care
Acute psychiatric hospitalization provides multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment services to stabilize acute symptoms in a safe environment. After stabilization, inpatient services link the patient to community mental health and addiction services for follow-up and continued treatment and recovery.
Areas with acute inpatient services are:
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Crisis Response and Emergency Mental Health Services
Provide immediate response to psychiatric emergencies. Services may include 24 Hour crisis lines, mobile crisis outreach, critical incident stress management, walk-in crisis counselling and emergency room psychiatric consultation.
Vancouver Island Crisis Line - Transition Information
Areas with crisis response and emergency services are:
- Victoria/Southern Gulf Islands
- Cowichan Valley
- Nanaimo
- Oceanside
- Port Alberni
- Westcoast
- 24-Hour Crisis Line 1.800.588.8717
- Comox Valley
- Campbell River
- Mt. Waddington
- 24 Hour Crisis Line 250.949.6033
- walk-in to main office
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Urgent and Short Term Treatment
Short Term Assessment and Treatment programs provide specific therapy to deal with acute mental health issues. Clients are assessed by a clinician and may receive brief problem focused one-to-one or group therapy and/or psychiatric consultation. If appropriate, individuals may be referred on to other services.
Areas with urgent and short-term services are:
- Victoria
- Cowichan Valley
- Nanaimo
- Oceanside
- Port Alberni
- Westcoast
- Comox Valley/Campbell River
- Mt. Waddington -- Mental Health and Addiction Services main office
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Withdrawal management (detox) services provide a range of medical and support services in safe environments that allow for the physical withdrawal from specific drugs and alcohol. Withdrawal management may be achieved through inpatient services, day programs or in-home services.
Areas with withdrawal management services are:
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Addiction services provide outpatient services to individuals who have been negatively affected by substance use. Services may include individual and group counselling and support, psychiatric assessment, education for clients and families and linking clients to other appropriate services.
Areas with addiction services are:
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Assertive Community Treatment
The Assertive Community Treatment Team focuses on individuals and their recovery for clients with serious mental illnesses who are complex and have significant functional impairments.
Areas with Assertive Community Treatment Teams
Case Management
Case management services provides individualized support and coordination of care. Case management is closely connected with families, psychiatric services, community programs and acute inpatient services.
Outreach case management provides assertive community treatment to monitor and improve clinical status and reduce the need for hospitalization among individuals needing intensive support.
Clinical case management is based on rehabilitation and personal strengths models and enables individuals with less intensive needs to improve functioning, residential stability and independence.
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Early Psychosis Intervention
Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) services focus on early recognition and intervention for young people who appear to be experiencing a decline in function related to early psychosis. Treatment is most effective when it is started early.
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Provides outpatient psychiatrist consultations and/or ongoing care for adults. Services are generally provided in the context of a multi-disciplinary assessment or treatment team.
Areas with psychiatric outpatient services are:
- Victoria
- Cowichan Valley
- Nanaimo
- Oceanside
- Port Alberni
- Westcoast
- Comox Valley/Campbell River
- Mt. Waddington -- contact Mental Health and Addiction Services main office for visiting psychiatric consultation.
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Provides rehabilitation for people with severe and persistent mental illness and co-occurring addiction disorders. Psychosocial rehabilitation may include illness education and management, skills for daily living, health promotion and return to meaningful activity including leisure and employment.
Areas with VIHA operated psychosocial rehabilitation programs are:
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Residential, Housing and Supported Living Services
Provides varying levels of supported living from tertiary care to residential facilities to group homes. May also provide a variety of community-based support programs to enable individuals to live as independently as possible.
Also see: Residents' Bill of Rights for British Columbia (PDF)
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Provides services to people aged 65 and over who are mentally ill or experiencing age-related changes in behaviour.
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