Involuntary treatment facility in Maple Ridge, B.C. could take 1st patients this month [Video]

British Columbia’s first involuntary treatment facility for people who are not in the criminal justice system will begin accepting patients as early as this month, the province says.

The Alouette Homes facility in Maple Ridge is equipped with 18 beds and will take patients with “severe and persistent mental-health disorders, often combined with other challenges, such as addictions and brain injuries, which may impact their behaviour and ability to interact safely with others,” according to the Ministry of Health.

Patients will have to meet the criteria for involuntary treatment under the Mental Health Act.

“We want to ensure people are getting the right care, especially when they are unable to make that decision for themselves,” Health Minister Josie Osborne said. “These beds are a vital part of government’s work to build a continuum of care that works for everyone.”

The facility, which is being operated in partnership with Vancouver Coastal …