Re: “Lack of mental-health services endangers kids at risk: families,” Feb. 6.

Kudos to Owen and Kelly Bradley for having the courage to step forward and fight to find a solution for their child. Their story is one that needs to be heard and yet it seems there is a general lack of action from our mental-health services.

The response from the Vancouver Island Health Authority in that article and the accompanying article is to duck and weave their way out. One quoted comment from VIHA in this article was “no one in acute crisis is turned away” and yet the Bradleys have told us this is exactly was happened to them.

The other VIHA quote (which seems to be their mantra) is “we’re certainly working on that.” I don’t buy it and I suspect neither does the public at large.

I guess the bigger question that needs an answer is whether it is VIHA or the provincial government that is not forthcoming with funds for critical health-funding issues such as this. My sense is it’s the latter. Maybe the next government will step up and do a better job.

Chuck Dickson

Victoria

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