Would Dad survive our mental health care?

Would my Dad survive our mental health care system? Doug Todd shares his own father’s health struggles and examines the addiction, homelessness and mental health research of Dr. Julian Somers.

“A study involving 500 British Columbians with serious mental illness conducted by Somers and others, called At Home/Chez Soi, found virtually none wanted to live in the often-grim Downtown Eastside.

Despite campaigns devoted to a “safer” drug supply, decriminalization, supervised-injection sites and anti-stigma programs, opioid deaths have only skyrocketed since 2016. A near-record 2,272 British Columbians died of toxic street drugs last year, mostly men.

There is significant hope for recovery for most people with serious mental illness, even those who have spent a decade homeless, according to Somers’ studies. But it can’t be realized without support and treatment.”

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