City of Fort St. John looking to establish Situation Table to address social issues

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Fort St. John wants to create a Situation Table of multiple agencies to address complex social issues.

During a council meeting on November 27th, staff were directed to begin establishing the Situation Table and apply for funding from the provincial government to do so.

According to CAO Milo Macdonald’s report to council, the Situation Table model has been used in other communities across the province, which may offer an opportunity to address the issues surrounding drugs, mental health and homelessness in Fort St. John.

Macdonald’s report says a Situation Table would consist of local representatives from agencies such as the RCMP, health authorities, social services, housing providers, mental health organizations and community organizations.

Councillor Sarah Macdougall said that based on what she’s heard, she’d hope people with lived experience would be involved in the Situation Table or at least consulted with as well.

The purpose of the table would be to identify individuals who are at risk, assess their needs comprehensively and develop coordinated interventions.

Referrals can come from various sources, including police, outreach workers, healthcare professionals, schools, community members, or self-referrals.

Macdonald’s report states information sharing will be critical, but confidentiality protocols will be in place to protect the privacy of personal information.

Examples of how the Situation Table could be used include responding to individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health crises, substance use challenges or domestic violence.

According to Macdonald’s report, there is general support for the model within the community from various agencies that may be involved.

Specifically, the Fort St. John RCMP sees the value of a collaborative approach to social issues, said Macdonald.

In addition, the province of B.C., through the police services, has offered support to get the Situation Table going in the community, such as providing funding to train agency participants and a coordinator.

The city’s role will be to handle the administrative side of the initiative, as well as provide a meeting space, according to Macdonald’s report.

According to the city, a staff position has been identifed to support a Situation Table, as well as other operational aspects, such as bylaw operations and Emergency Support Services. The position will be brought forward during the 2024 budget deliberations.

The Situation Table could be operating as early as the spring of 2024.

The full request can be viewed below: