First Nations boy’s suicide hasn’t changed B.C. policies: Turpel-Lafond

VICTORIA – British Columbia’s representative for children and youth says lack of timely access to mental health services contributed to the suicide death of a 16-year-old First Nations boy.

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond says the teen, described by teachers as sweet and easy to like, left school one morning in May 2013, walked into a forest and took his own life.

Turpel-Lafond has released a report saying that on average, aboriginal youth continue to wait nearly nine months to receive treatment despite the tragic incident involving the teen, dubbed Chester to protect his identity.

She says a lack of proper assessment and treatment for Chester was partly a result of miscommunication and little follow-up between service providers who falsely believed he was already getting the support he needed.

Turpel-Lafond says the Children’s Ministry failed to provide enough staff to an aboriginal agency serving Chester’s undisclosed community and that employees were unable to properly help him because they were getting records in order for a ministry audit.

The representative makes five recommendations, including getting the federal government’s involvement in creating a lead agency to ensure mentally ill aboriginal youth can be assessed and treated within two months.