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

91裸聊视频淢y son had a relapse this weekend after being clean from drugs for two-and-a-half months,91裸聊视频� said Jamie Jones, a mother who first spoke to the Capital News last year about her struggles with her son91裸聊视频檚 addiction and mental health issues. She91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 been wait-listed and wait-listed to get services and nothing is happening,91裸聊视频� Jones said. 91裸聊视频淗e has social anxiety so high that he can91裸聊视频檛 go to school, anymore. Now this. It91裸聊视频檚 crucial that he get assessed and put on something.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淭he doctor said, 91裸聊视频榶ou should have been seen by a psychiatric pediatrician a long time ago,91裸聊视频� she said, adding that the doctor may have helped make that happen sooner than later by pushing for a referral.

She91裸聊视频檚 hopeful, but she91裸聊视频檚 heard a lot of empty promises as a parent trying to navigate the system.

As is, she91裸聊视频檚 sick of the continual stream of news that kids are overdosing and dying in this community.

91裸聊视频淐hristy Clark said 91裸聊视频榩oor mental health is difficult and finding help shouldn91裸聊视频檛 be,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� said Jones. 91裸聊视频淚 couldn91裸聊视频檛 agree more.91裸聊视频�

She just doesn91裸聊视频檛 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.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e really proud to support it,91裸聊视频� Clark said, adding it91裸聊视频檚 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 doesn91裸聊视频檛 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, she91裸聊视频檚 watched her child be bounced around without ever finding the help he needs and she91裸聊视频檚 been advocating for him at every stop.

If her son didn91裸聊视频檛 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.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e looking at doing a soft launch to the middle of June with a formal opening in the early in the fall,91裸聊视频� he said.

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

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 been some profile around it,91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淚 think within society now, and whether it91裸聊视频檚 because of crises taking place or other factors, mental health is something people are becoming more comfortable discussing,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淐ompared to five or 10 years ago, people are discussing it and it91裸聊视频檚 not hidden in the shadows. It91裸聊视频檚 something we have to act on.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淥ne of the things the Foundry is doing is bringing together all of the organizations and that91裸聊视频檚 one core aspect about what91裸聊视频檚 done,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎lso there91裸聊视频檚 a stepped-care model of service.91裸聊视频�

Gawliuk explained the stepped-care model by comparing it to his son91裸聊视频檚 recent gym injury.

91裸聊视频淢y son hurt his knee on the playground, so he91裸聊视频檚 going to be assessed,91裸聊视频� said Gawliuk.

91裸聊视频淚f he doesn91裸聊视频檛 need surgery, he won91裸聊视频檛 get it. He might need rehabilitation, instead.91裸聊视频�

It91裸聊视频檚 a simple enough thing to wrap your head around, but it91裸聊视频檚 not yet how mental health services work.

91裸聊视频淲hat we want to do is start with the right service at the right time,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频�(Patients) will got to one service, and if that doesn91裸聊视频檛 resolve their issue, then they will go to the next level of care.91裸聊视频�

For Jones it91裸聊视频檚 too late. At the request of her son, she91裸聊视频檚 leaving the life she built in the Okanagan, putting the house up for sale and moving east.

91裸聊视频淲hat can I do? He said he needs this, and I have to do this,91裸聊视频� she said.