Meeting the needs of a child with drug and mental health issues is nearly impossible in the Okanagan, says a local mother.

害羞草研究所淢y son had a relapse this weekend after being clean from drugs for two-and-a-half months,害羞草研究所� said Jamie Jones, a mother who first spoke to the Capital News last year about her struggles with her son害羞草研究所檚 addiction and mental health issues. She害羞草研究所檚 asked for anonymity to protect her 16-year-old son from being stigmatized as he grows older, so her name has been withheld for this story.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 been wait-listed and wait-listed to get services and nothing is happening,害羞草研究所� Jones said. 害羞草研究所淗e has social anxiety so high that he can害羞草研究所檛 go to school, anymore. Now this. It害羞草研究所檚 crucial that he get assessed and put on something.害羞草研究所�

When her son was in the emergency room after ingesting cocaine they learned was laced with fentanyl this weekend, she may have found some help.

害羞草研究所淭he doctor said, 害羞草研究所榶ou should have been seen by a psychiatric pediatrician a long time ago,害羞草研究所� she said, adding that the doctor may have helped make that happen sooner than later by pushing for a referral.

She害羞草研究所檚 hopeful, but she害羞草研究所檚 heard a lot of empty promises as a parent trying to navigate the system.

As is, she害羞草研究所檚 sick of the continual stream of news that kids are overdosing and dying in this community.

害羞草研究所淐hristy Clark said 害羞草研究所榩oor mental health is difficult and finding help shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 said Jones. 害羞草研究所淚 couldn害羞草研究所檛 agree more.害羞草研究所�

She just doesn害羞草研究所檛 see what the government has done to improve conditions.

During a campaign stop in Kelowna Clark lauded the opening of the Foundry, a one stop shop for youth mental health and drug issues.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e really proud to support it,害羞草研究所� Clark said, adding it害羞草研究所檚 a model that needs to be implemented across the province.

She explained that when a young person has serious mental health issues, they usually find their way to a hospital and a hospital doesn害羞草研究所檛 have the resources to divert them to where they need to be.

The Foundry will stop that, she said.

Jones is dubious and said the situation should never have deteriorated to where it is today. From the school system to health care, she害羞草研究所檚 watched her child be bounced around without ever finding the help he needs and she害羞草研究所檚 been advocating for him at every stop.

If her son didn害羞草研究所檛 want that help, and wanted to hide his issues, she said, he would have fallen through the cracks long ago.

Mike Gawliuk, director of service delivery and program innovation at CMHA Kelowna, is the driving force behind the Foundry.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e looking at doing a soft launch to the middle of June with a formal opening in the early in the fall,害羞草研究所� he said.

With the opening of the Foundry yet to happen, Gawliuk has seen some change for the better.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 been some profile around it,害羞草研究所� he said, adding the recent fentanyl crisis, as well as a recent series of high profile youth deaths has shone a spotlight on the situation.

害羞草研究所淚 think within society now, and whether it害羞草研究所檚 because of crises taking place or other factors, mental health is something people are becoming more comfortable discussing,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淐ompared to five or 10 years ago, people are discussing it and it害羞草研究所檚 not hidden in the shadows. It害羞草研究所檚 something we have to act on.害羞草研究所�

Gawliuk said that his organization is looking forward to establishing Foundry, and they hope it will bridge the gaps that have arisen in dealing with youth.

害羞草研究所淥ne of the things the Foundry is doing is bringing together all of the organizations and that害羞草研究所檚 one core aspect about what害羞草研究所檚 done,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎lso there害羞草研究所檚 a stepped-care model of service.害羞草研究所�

Gawliuk explained the stepped-care model by comparing it to his son害羞草研究所檚 recent gym injury.

害羞草研究所淢y son hurt his knee on the playground, so he害羞草研究所檚 going to be assessed,害羞草研究所� said Gawliuk.

害羞草研究所淚f he doesn害羞草研究所檛 need surgery, he won害羞草研究所檛 get it. He might need rehabilitation, instead.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 a simple enough thing to wrap your head around, but it害羞草研究所檚 not yet how mental health services work.

害羞草研究所淲hat we want to do is start with the right service at the right time,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所�(Patients) will got to one service, and if that doesn害羞草研究所檛 resolve their issue, then they will go to the next level of care.害羞草研究所�

For Jones it害羞草研究所檚 too late. At the request of her son, she害羞草研究所檚 leaving the life she built in the Okanagan, putting the house up for sale and moving east.

害羞草研究所淲hat can I do? He said he needs this, and I have to do this,害羞草研究所� she said.