(UPDATE) Fort St. John youth mental health program filling ‘vital gap’ faces cancellation
Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy urged Northern Health to retain its inpatient/outpatient contract with Saplings Mental Health Services during Legislative Assembly of British Columbia’s question period on October 9th.
Updated, October 14th, 11:30 a.m.: This story was updated to make clear the program facing cancellation is only Saplings’ inpatient/outpatient program.
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Peace River North’s MLA has urged the province to reconsider the cancellation of a youth mental health inpatient/outpatient program in Fort St. John.
During the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia’s question period on October 9th, Jordan Kealy called on health minister Josie Osborne to renew the inpatient/outpatient contract with Saplings Mental Health Services, which has offered counselling and other programs in partnership with Northern Health since 2021.
In a statement to Energeticcity.ca, Saplings’ director Julia Hintermeister said the organization has worked with Northern Health through its Northern Health Stabilization Program, which offers children and youth in acute mental health or substance use crisis immediate psychiatric care, individual counselling, care team coordination and group programming, as well as support for their parents.
“While Northern Health has renewed its youth substance use contracts for ages 12–24 with Saplings and continues to support this vital work, the gap lies in community-based outpatient mental health services for children and youth under 19,” she said.
Later, she added: “Currently, there are no immediate, in-person mental health services in our community available to children and youth once they leave acute care.”
During the Legislative Assembly’s question period, Kealy said the programs have filled a “vital gap” in the region, serving more than 100 young people annually.
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“This leaves children and youth who need ongoing mental health support with no services, essentially returning to the very crisis that led to Saplings’ creation in the first place,” Kealy said.
According to Kealy, Northern Health will terminate the inpatient/outpatient contract with Saplings in March 2026. Energeticcity.ca sought confirmation of this with Northern Health and will update this story if more information becomes available.
Responding to his question, Osborne thanked Kealy for raising the issue and acknowledged the importance of youth mental health supports, particularly in rural regions.
“Northern Health takes this issue very seriously, as do I,” Osborne said. “[We are] committed to working with [Kealy], learn more about the particular situation that he raises and continue to build out a system of care that enables early intervention and prevention.”
Osborne pointed to broader provincial efforts to strengthen youth mental health services, including the establishment of Foundry centres and integrated child and youth teams across B.C.
In a statement to Energeticcity.ca, Eryn Collins, Northern Health’s regional director of public affairs and media relations, said the health authority appreciates its ongoing partnership with Saplings, while also outlining future plans for youth mental health support in the region.
“Northern Health has implemented a new child and youth mental health and substance use regional support team,” Collins said.
“[This] provides virtual assistance to emergency departments, including in Fort St. John, for assessment, treatment planning, consultation and resource navigation to support children, youth and their families who are experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
“As consultation for treatment transitions to Northern Health’s regional support team over the coming months, children and youth in Fort St. John will continue to receive the right care, at the right time, in their home community.”
Following the question period, Kealy reiterated his commitment to advocating for the inpatient/outpatient program in a Facebook post.
“I look forward to working with Josie Osborne to find a solution to make sure our youth are protected,” he wrote. “I will continue to fight tooth and nail for our region.”
Hintermeister told Energeticcity.ca: “We invite our community members, partners and government agencies to stand with us in building a stronger, more responsive mental health system, one that prioritizes continuity of care and ensures that every child and youth has access to the support they need, when and where they need it most.”
She also praised the “dedicated professionals” at Northern Health and their “tireless commitment and compassionate leadership” to ensure “hundreds and hundreds of youth and their families have received timely, high-quality care.”
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