Island Savings Steps Up for Mental Health
Pictured, left-to-right: Tom Siemens, Board Secretary, Victoria Hospitals Foundation; Avery Brohman, Executive Director, Victoria Hospitals Foundation; Kendall Gross, President, Island Savings; Dr. Wei-Yi Song, Department Head of Psychiatry and Medical Director for Mental Health and Substance Use Services for Island Health
Because mental health affects everyone, we are deeply grateful for the local champions who step forward to make an impact. With their support, our hospitals are stronger and our community is healthier. We all benefit.
Compelled by the focus on mental health and their desire to build better lives in the community, Island Savings is kick-starting the Equipped to Heal campaign with a generous pledge of $120,000. Like Island Savings, donors to the new fundraising campaign will equip a newly opened Sub-Acute Unit at RJH which increases psychiatric inpatient capacity by up to 35%.
“Helping our communities thrive is a part of who we are, and we know that an individual’s mental health plays a key role in that. As a member-owned financial co-operative, it’s the support of our members that enables donations like this to happen and we’re proud to partner with the Victoria Hospitals Foundation to help strengthen mental health resources on the Island.”
Kendall Gross
President, Island Savings
Equipped to Heal will fund equipment for the newly opened Sub-Acute Unit in the Eric Martin Pavilion at Royal Jubilee Hospital. The unit—the first of this kind for Island Health—focuses on patients’ psychosocial rehabilitation. Offering a new level of care, it helps re-integrate patients into the community by completing a recovery plan with strategies to achieve goals; connecting patients to Mental Health and Substance Use community services for continuity of care; and engaging family, friends, and peer support workers for ongoing support.
The Foundation is grateful to Island Savings and the many donors who have generously supported mental health care at Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals over the years. It also acknowledges the bravery of our local caregivers and patient spokespeople who will be sharing their healthcare journeys in the coming months.
