When the Vancouver Island Health Authority board came to the Valley last week, it brought with it the announcement of additional funding for mental health services in this region.

Howard Waldner, president and CEO of the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA), pledged an additional $285,000 in funding for mental health and addictions services in the Comox Valley in the coming year during VIHA鈥檚 board meeting in Courtenay.

鈥淎s with all communities on Vancouver Island, there are many challenges facing both the population and the health-care service in relation to mental health and addictions,鈥� said Waldner.

Earlier this year, VIHA announced an additional $100,000 in base funding for additional women鈥檚 detox beds, as well as some mental health seniors support in the Comox Valley.

鈥淲e know, however, that funding has not solved all our problems, and, in fact, any amount of funding would not solve all the problems of mental health and addictions issues,鈥� said Waldner. 鈥淏ut we know there continue to be very significant mental health and addictions needs on the North Island and in the Comox Valley.鈥�

VIHA will also provide additional mental health and addictions funding in Campbell River this year.

鈥淲e know that communities outside of of Nanaimo and Victoria have, at times, felt under-served in the areas of mental health services, and, to a large extent, that鈥檚 actually true,鈥� said Waldner. 鈥淰IHA has, in making these announcements, taken steps to provide new and better mental health services up and down the Island.鈥�

writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com