Family Support and Involvement

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)’s MHSU Family Support and Involvement Team

Helps families with resources, education, information, and support, as well as facilitating the inclusion of family in the care of their loved ones. The team supports the inclusion of family advisors in staff education, quality improvement initiatives, interviews and important decisions, such as the planning of the Joseph and Rosalie Segal & Family Health Center. The team works collaboratively with the VCH Community Engagement team to include family advisors and supports the Vancouver Family Advisory Committee.

Family Support and Involvement Team Services

• For an overview of the services we most frequently provide to families
  • Please see our October 2020 newsletter for the top ten services we provide
• Family Support Group
  • The FSI team facilitates the Family Connections Support group for families/supporters of people with mental health/substance difficulties. It is drop-in – no need for signup.
    • Meets every 1st Thursday and 3rd Monday of the month from 6-8pm. Please note there will not be a session on Thursday, Dec 5th, 2024.
    • Location: UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE THESE SUPPORT GROUPS WILL BE DONE ONLINE VIA ZOOM. Please contact familyconnections@vch.ca for a zoom invitation
    • More support groups, not facilitated by VCH staff, can be found in the latest newsletter.
• Family Support Resource Guide
  • A PDF of the most up-to-date Resource Guide. This includes support and educational groups, web sites, and places where you can receive one-on-one counselling, often at a reduced rate.
• Family Newsletter
  • Our Family Involvement Newsletter can be accessed here. You can sign up for the newsletter and other related news at the bottom of the Spotlight on Mental Health home page.

VCH MHSU Family Involvement Policy and Communication Protocol

• An introductory document on Family Involvement within VCH Mental Health Services.
• The Vancouver Coastal Health Family Involvement Policy.
• Communication Protocol for Individuals Receiving Services at VCH, an article about the details of VCH mental health professionals communicating among themselves, and with patients, families and family physicians.

Overview of the VCH Mental Health and Substance Use Services

•  An article depicting a  Journey Through the Vancouver Coastal Health Mental Health “System”.
• A brochure for families of VCH’s “community” mental health and substance use services (aka mental health teams)
• A brochure for families of VCH’s emergency, urgent and inpatient mental health and addiction services.

Books Family Members Often Find Helpful

• Families often hear us talk about a Xavier Amador’s book “I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help”.  Here is a link to it, as well as a short version of it.
• In terms of substance use, one of the books we recommend is Beyond Addiction by Jeffrey Foote and colleagues. Click here for examples from the book of approaches families can take to substance use.

Relevant Articles

• Families often ask about the difference between supporting and enabling. Here’s an article that explores that topic.

Family Connections Support Group

Twice a month the FSI team facilitates a Family Connections Support group for families/supporters of people with mental health or substance difficulties. It’s drop-in, with no need to signup.

Learn More

Family Advisory Committee

Since its inception 2004, the role of the Vancouver Family Advisory Committee (FAC) has been to represent the diverse voices of families within Vancouver Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) services and act in advisory, advocacy and educational roles to improve the care experience.

More information about the FAC and membership