Health Care Expands in Northeast Vancouver –

Hastings Sunrise and surrounding neighbourhoods have a new health care hub situated at 2788 East Hastings. The Northeast Urgent and Primary Care Centre, operated by Coastal Health, opened Feb. 16.

Currently, urgent care is available for clients who need medical assistance within 12 to 24 hours but can’t see their own primary health care provider in that time, or do not have one.

Ana Fernandez, the centre’s manager, explains that “the centre is not for life threatening situations, but functions as a walk-in clinic that anyone can access without a referral”. Patients who are unsure if the clinic is suitable for their needs are encouraged to call 811 where a nurse will be able to help them assess where to go.

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Safety Team Moves Into Boundary Area –

Big changes are coming to the East Hastings business area from Cassiar to Boundary Road – and your BIA/CPC partnership will be there to help.

That section of the “East Village” has long been served by the Hastings Sunrise Community Policing Centre (CPC), but now the Hastings North Business Improvement Association (BIA) has expanded eastward to represent this rapidly changing business area.

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New Wage Subsidies –

A wage subsidy program offered by the Vancouver North East WorkBC Centre is an opportunity for employers to re-hire laid-off employees, hire new ones, and connect with WorkBC clients looking for jobs. This is one of the multiple employment support programs offered by MOSAIC BC.

For eligible employers and job-seekers, the new and revised program subsidizes wages for up to 24 weeks. WorkBC staff will help with applications, and then follow up with support and monitoring.

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Mobile Support for Mental Health –

Working at the Community Policing Centre in Hastings Sunrise, our staff and volunteers see more and more people on the streets who live with mental disorders such as schizophrenia or drug-induced psychosis.

Most encounters don’t necessarily pose a threat to the people involved, but supporting people with mental illness can be difficult and confusing. The HSCPC’s goal has been to help people in mental distress as best we can, so we have spent more time on educating ourselves about available resources.

I recently had the chance to spend a shift with Constable Ian Mayne of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) and Kyle Andersen of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH). They are part of the VPD Assertive Outreach Team (AOT) that provides short-term transitional support for clients with complex mental health issues.

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