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Accountability

BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority. We are also accountable to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.

Woman in office

British Columbia's mental health and substance use care system

As part of PHSA, we operate within the context of a larger mental health and substance use care system in which several organizations and stakeholders play key roles:

  • Ministry of Health
  • Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction
  • Ministry of Child and Family Development
  • Ministry of Public Safety and the Solicitor General
  • B.C. Office of the Auditor General
  • Regional health authorities
  • Criminal justice system
  • Community partners and agencies
  • Unions
  • WorkSafe BC
  • Patients, clients and families

Strategic direction

Working with PHSA, BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services supports these provincial health care goals as defined by the Ministry of Health:

  • Support the health and well-being of British Columbians 
  • Deliver a system of responsive and effective health care services across B.C.
  • Ensure funding is managed effectively

Strategic priorities

In support of these goals, and in alignment with the PHSA, BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services has seven directional priorities for 2022/2023:

1. Pursue the highest quality of care and an exceptional client experience

  • Quality improvement
  • Client experience
  • Patient partnership
  • Cultural responsiveness and safety

2. Build strategies to support Indigenous health

  • Accountability
  • Engage Indigenous patients, families and communities
  • Evaluation, learning and literacy
 

3. Develop and support a strong, capable and vibrant workforce

  • Recruitment and retention
  • Professional development
  • Care for people
  • Staff capacity 
4. Advance a culture of learning, innovating and sharing knowledge 

  • Research
  • Academic and Indigenous partnerships and teaching
  • Continuous learning
  • Improve access to meaningful information about BCMHSUS
  • Innovation
  • Learning with communities with lived experience
 

Improve academic partnerships and affiliations and expand opportunities for student internships, practicum placements, fellowships and other initiatives.

5. Improve capacity to respond to crises and increased needs 

  • Pursue interventions to toxic drug crisis 
  • Reach the hard-to-reach and those with increased need
  • Disaster preparedness and emergency response

6. Expand digitization and virtual health

  • Access of care through virtual health
  • Crisis line enhancement
  • Clinical System Transformation (CST)

7. Strengthen the service continuum and provincial system of care

  • Service continuum
  • Health literacy
  • Provide strategic leadership to strengthen the provincial mental health and substance use system of care

Directional plans

For more information on the strategic direction and priorities of BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services, download and read the refreshed BCMHSUS 2022-2023 directional plan (PDF).

Previous direction plans: BCMHSUS 2019-2022 directional plan (PDF).

Our place in B.C.'s continuum of mental health and addictions care

Our strategic priorities and directions are directly related to our place in the provincial continuum of care for British Columbians with mental health or substance use concerns. This continuum includes various levels, or tiers, of care for people according to their needs. Most people need only lower-tier services available through their regional health authorities. These might include consultations with family doctors and specialists, counselling, psychology, and residential treatment for mental health and substance use issues.

A lesser number of people need higher-tier, specialized services because they suffer from more complex and severe mental health and substance use concerns. Their needs go beyond what the local health authorities offer.

Our strategic priorities and direction serve these clients and patients, who need the most specialized services available.

This diagram helps illustrate our place on the continuum:

Accountability BCMHSUS.jpg.png









To learn more about our systems work in B.C., including the care continuum, visit Leading the Response to the B.C. Auditor General.

This diagram helps illustrate our place on the continuum:


 

Side tabs/web parts

 







To learn more about our systems work in B.C., including the care continuum, visit Leading the Response to the B.C. Auditor General.


Our role

BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS) operates within the context of a larger mental health and services system in which Regional Health Authorities, the Ministry of Child & Family Development, the Criminal Justice System, Community Agencies, Patients and Families all play important roles.

For people who need care, there is a continuum of primary, secondary and appropriate tertiary mental health services in place in each geographic health authority – all linked to the specialized services provided by BCMHSUS, which are accessible to all residents of BC. Patients move between services as dictated by their individual needs. Access is not delayed by a lack of capacity and care is provided in the most appropriate setting.

Strategic direction

Strategic direction

As an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), BCMHSUS supports PHSA’s goals that align with the three broad goals articulated for the health care system by the BC Ministry of Health:

  1. Support the health and wellbeing of British Columbians. 
  2. Deliver a system of responsive and effective health care services across British Columbia. 
  3. Ensure value for money.

BCMHSUS - Strategic Priorities (2020)


In support of PHSA’s goals, BCMHSUS organizes its goals and planned initiatives in three areas:

graph2.jpg

BCMHSUS is dedicated to improving the quality of services for patients and families through Accreditation Canada’s Qmentum program and by continuously monitoring and addressing:

  • Effectiveness
  • Efficiency
  • Access
  • Safety
  • Acceptability
Strategic direction

Strategic direction

As an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), BCMHSUS supports PHSA’s goals that align with the three broad goals articulated for the health care system by the BC Ministry of Health:

  1. Support the health and wellbeing of British Columbians. 
  2. Deliver a system of responsive and effective health care services across British Columbia. 
  3. Ensure value for money.

BCMHSUS - Strategic Priorities (2020)


In support of PHSA’s goals, BCMHSUS organizes its goals and planned initiatives in three areas:

graph2.jpg

BCMHSUS is dedicated to improving the quality of services for patients and families through Accreditation Canada’s Qmentum program and by continuously monitoring and addressing:

  • Effectiveness
  • Efficiency
  • Access
  • Safety
  • Acceptability










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