The BC First Nations Health Authority’s counselling service eligibility rules have undergone major changes.
The health authority said only residential school survivors and family members with status cards can receive free counselling, effective April 15.
Existing clients without status cards will be cut off at the end of the month.
One of those clients is Faelina Robinson, who is a Nisga’a woman living in Coquitlam. She said she is receiving counselling as a descendant of a residential school survivor.
She said she has been using counselling services for two years.
“It’s a sudden change,” she said. “It was a lot more open (and available) until we got that email.
“For people that are not status … the funding is completely cut. People that are Métis, Inuit or self-governing nations also get cut and that is where the confusion came in for (me) because I am from a self-governing nation.”
Robinson said she talked with her current counsellor, who also was reportedly confused at the changes.
“It is really confusing to know where I stand. My counsellor didn’t have any answers because she doesn’t know anything either. She was also blindsided by this.”
The health authority said on its website: “While our federal partners have been able to fund the deficits incurred by the FHNA due to increased usage and expenditures over the years, this practice will no longer be possible.”
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B.C. Premier David Eby said the province is aware.
“We’ll be advocating with the federal government around ensuring supports are available for residential school survivors and we’ll look at what we can do to backfill as much as possible to provide that support that we know they need to deal with that trauma,” he said.
“There’s a really serious issue of mental health and addiction right across this province and we see it particularly acutely in Indigenous communities both on and off reserve.”
Current clients who do not meet the new eligibility requirements are offered up to four counselling sessions until the end of April to support the transition.
In addition to eligibility changes, there have also been changes for service providers.
New service providers must have a minimum of five years of counselling experience and three years of experience in counselling with Indigenous people.
All First Nations Health Benefits and Services clients will now be under one mental health and counselling program.
For clients who do not meet the eligibility requirements, FHNA said a resource list of “other health and cultural supports available across the province” is available online.
Global News has reached out to the BC First Nations Health Authority for comment.
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