Critics slam B.C. premier's involuntary care announcement, cite lack of evidence

The B.C. premier’s announcement to introduce involuntary care for people with serious addiction and mental health issues is being met with pushback from critics who say the decision isn’t evidence-based and will cause more harm.

The B.C. premier’s announcement to introduce involuntary care for people with serious addiction and mental health issues is being met with pushback from critics who say the decision isn’t evidence-based and will cause more harm.

Dr. Kora DeBeck, a professor at the school of public policy at Simon Fraser University, said there is no evidence this approach works.

“Forced treatment doesn’t have the promise we hope that it does, and it sets us up for so much risk,” she said.

DeBeck said some of those risks include further eroding connections and trusting relationships in the health-care system, as well as increasing the risk of overdose.

“Addiction treatment is not a linear journey,” she said. “People often relapse and end up using drugs again. When they have these periods of not using drugs they’re much more likely to overdose and so when people are being forced into either stabilization or addiction treatment, when they get out, they’re at a very high risk of death.”

At a news conference Sunday, David Eby said the decision was in response to the current system “struggling” to respond to people with three overlapping issues: mental illness, brain injuries and addiction to synthetic opioids or stimulants.

According to the premier, the province will create facilities where people can be held after being apprehended and detained under the Mental Health Act. Instead of releasing a person into the community, Eby said there will now be the option of moving them into one of these facilities without their consent. One of the first designated units is set to open on the grounds of the Allouette Correctional Centre.