Young people in Richmond will have access to more mental-health and substance-use services with the opening of the Foundry centre’s permanent location.
Foundry Richmond provides young people 12-24 and their families free and confidential age-friendly services to fit their unique needs, such as mental-health and substance-use counselling, medical services, peer support and social services.
“Young people have been dealing with immense pressures and health challenges made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, the toxic drug crisis and climate emergencies,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “Foundry Richmond is a beacon for young people where they can get the help they need, when they need it, right in their own community.”
Foundry’s roots at St. Paul’s Hospital
Foundry Richmond is operated by Vancouver Coast Health, and after providing limited services at a temporary location, the centre is fully operational at 101-5811 Cooney Rd. The Province is providing $700,000 in annual funding for operations and services at Foundry Richmond.
“The Foundry community acknowledges the tireless efforts by Vancouver Coastal Health, Richmond Addictions Services Society and their partners to bring integrated youth services to Richmond,” said Steve Mathias, Foundry’s executive director. “We also express our gratitude to the young people and caregivers who came together to co-design this amazing space and create a communication strategy to connect with youth in Richmond.”
Foundry began in St. Paul’s Hospital in 2015 and has grown into a network of care for young people across the province.
There are 13 Foundry centres open throughout the province in Vancouver-Granville, North Shore (North Vancouver), Campbell River, Ridge Meadows, Abbotsford, Kelowna, Prince George, Victoria, Penticton, Terrace, Comox Valley, Langley and Richmond.
10 new Foundry centres in develepment
An additional 10 new Foundry centres are in development in Burns Lake, East Kootenay (Cranbrook), Port Hardy, Sea to Sky (Squamish), Surrey, Cariboo-Chilcotin (Williams Lake), Fort St. John, Tri-Cities, Kamloops and the Sunshine Coast. Foundry services can also be accessed from anywhere through the Foundry BC app, phone or at: foundrybc.ca/virtual
Enhancing supports for youth living with mental-health and substance-use needs is an integral part of A Pathway to Hope, B.C.’s roadmap for building a comprehensive system of mental-health and addictions care for British Columbians.
Read the full news release about Foundry Richmond here.
