Tell BC government to provide safe space and treatment for children in crisis.
by Kelly Bradley, through Change.org
British Columbia hospitals need to start providing in-patient emergency mental health services for children in crisis, when they are self-harming, harming their family are suicidal or in other forms of distress. At the moment hospitals are sending away families and children in crisis who are having crisis mental health episodes. This is a serious gap in critical care in BC that must be recognized.
Our 11 year old adopted daughter has bi-polar. Last week we had to call the police to help us get her to the hospital because she was in a crisis. She was kept in a hospital safe room for four days but then was sent home despite still being extremely unstable.
Please say you’re not OK with the lack of services for our society’s most fragile children.
Twenty hours later we had to call the police again, and the hospital told us to take her home. Two days later she was taken again to Emergency and was discharged before we even arrived. Our daughter begged hospital staff to let her stay because she knew she needed the help, but every time we were turned away.
When did severe mental health problems stop being a medical problem? Where are these fragile children supposed to go for immediate help if the hospital says to go home? There are many families in our position. We know we aren't the only ones dealing with this crisis. We, as a society, are failing our fragile kids and we will be damned if our daughter falls through the cracks!
We are pleading to anyone who will listen. There needs to be a unit at the hospital for children in mental health crisis. Somewhere families can go with their children in crisis and get immediate, safe, inpatient care until they are stable or until another hospital has an opening.
We are pleading you to say you're not OK with the lack of services for our society's most fragile children. Share this, email it, tweet it, forward to everyone. Please help us change this!
Click here to visit Change.org and sign the petition.
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