Editor:
Re: Still not plans for police mental health car in Burnaby, NOW News
I just read the article in the Feb. 10 paper concerning an issue that the Burnaby RCMP have been trying to deal with for some time, after being involved in just such an issue with some neighbours in my condo complex that could benefit greatly from having a mental health expert attend, rather than the police.
I will state unequivocally that, as is the usual with administrators who have no knowledge of what the situations are in the decisions they make, that the real reason that the Fraser Health Authority continues to reject the RCMP proposal is money.
It seems that nothing makes them move on critical issues like this until there are bodies, and we all know that that is too late. This is always the same with any public service - I've seen it in health care, as I'm a retired nurse.
We don't need any more studies or statistics. There even is more than ample proof that it is much more economical to provide a mental health specialist in a police vehicle, than to deal with the aftermath of an unfortunate encounter that could have been avoided.
It's past time for administrators to quit boasting about how much funding they are providing to mental health care, much of which, I would posit, goes to fellow administrators, and instead fund programs like the "Car 67."
Penny Oyama, Burnaby
