The fate of the Coast's only drop-in centre for people with mental illness lies in the hands of the community this week.
The Arrowhead Centre Society has been struggling to stay operational for many months with dwindling donations to their organization that currently has no steady source of funding.
Volunteer board members are trying to change that and are currently working on a proposal to obtain core funding from Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH). If they succeed that core funding will enable them to move from their current location at 5782 Cowrie Street to the old RCMP building in Sechelt where they can offer more services to clients and housing for their homeless patrons. But they need to survive until that funding can be established.
"We need $30,000 to get us through the next six months," said director Cort Lynch.
That's how long they think it will take for the proposal to be finished and VCH to make their decision.
Arrowhead provides a place for adults with serious and persistent mental illness to gather and it often signals the first step to recovery.
Many of their clients are homeless or transient. The facility provides a place for them to do laundry, have a shower, eat a hot meal, use the computer, watch TV, listen to music, sleep in the quiet room or just sit with a coffee, interact and get out of the weather.
There are approximately 70 people currently enrolled at the centre and they say Arrowhead is a family, a safe place, or a home away from home free of drugs and alcohol.
"We are trying to create a continuum of care. We are complementary to Mental Health. We are not trying to compete with them, we are trying to provide something that doesn't exist elsewhere," Lynch said noting the centre is not staffed by mental health workers, rather volunteers who understand the struggles clients are facing and can help connect them to services in the community when they are needed.
There is one paid staff member at the facility, co-ordinator Denise Herbert, but dwindling donations have cut her hours to just three days a week.
The centre used to be open seven days a week, but now it is manned by Herbert Monday to Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by highly functional members Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"If we had the funding we'd be open seven days a week and evenings for people who need the drop-in service. The demand is definitely there," said volunteer counsellor Jan Michael Sherman.
Herbert explains the drop in centre is the model that often works as an initial step into the mental health system."Quite often they will come here first to find support and we will help build a bridge for them to get the services they need," Herbert said.
Member Lloyd Baker says Arrowhead saved his life.
"They are great. They've saved my life twice. They are my support system. Twice they have come through for me. They've been there when I needed them. This place has replaced my other social circle that's not too good for me. At times it felt like I had two feet in different worlds pulling me two different ways. But this place was available for me to come to every day and that made the difference," he said, noting he didn't know what he'd do if the centre closed.
Member Nikki Hansen said Arrowhead has been her safety net.
"The people here actually care and that makes them nice to be around. When I stopped drinking I started coming here. I feel like this place is my life preserver. Without it I'd be sunk," she said.
Sechelt Mayor Cam Reid has said the centre provides an "invaluable service to our community," and the District is currently working with the society to help them put together a business plan and proposal for VCH.
The District also holds the deed to the old RCMP building, which was gifted to them by the federal government through the National Homeless Initiative program.
Through the program the District must use the building to provide services and housing to the homeless. Municipal clerk Joni Heinrich said it just made sense to offer it to Arrowhead.
"They are the only organization offering services of that kind here and they were obviously the best choice," she said.The plan was that the district would then lease the building to Arrowhead for $1, which would eliminate the $1,700 a month they are now paying in rent at their current site.
Construction Aggregates also stepped up to the plate pledging $128,000 to build three new suites at the site fulfilling the requirement to provide housing for the homeless.
But Heinrich said a lack of core funding could cause the entire deal to fold.
"If they couldn't receive core funding then they would probably fold and we couldn't lease them the building. The district would have to look at perhaps having someone else provide the service or doing it ourselves or we could sell the building. We hope that doesn't happen," she said.
Arrowhead was once funded through a local mental health advisory committee, Sunshine Coast Home Support Society and Coast Garibaldi Health but through cutbacks and amalgamations the funding was pulled in 2002.
VCH media spokesperson Viviana Zanocco said she didn't think the authority would be willing to accept any new requests for funding this year.
"Essentially we didn't have a business case from Arrowhead when we set our budget and we don't have money in the budget for things that haven't been approved and evaluated through our normal channels," she said.
But Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons says he would help push for the funding if needed.
"I think VCH needs to pay more attention to mental health services on the Coast in general. The money they saved while the mental health unit has been closed could be used to operate Arrowhead for at least a year. It's definitely on my agenda and I'm meeting with officials of VCH this weekI see how important this issue is to the community. We need to keep this organization operating and plan for its long term viability," he said.
Lynch is hopeful the help from Simons and the District of Sechelt will put more weight on their application for core funding and that they will be able to move into the old RCMP building later this year.
"But in the meantime we're quite desperate for funding," he said.
He asks the community to come to their aid and give whatever they can to Arrowhead.
If you would like to help you can send a cheque payable to Arrowhead to Box 676 Sechelt, B.C. V0N3A0, or drop by with your donation to their centre at 5782 Cowrie St. in Sechelt. Tax receipts are available for donations of any size.
Lynch also encourages those who can't give money but still want to help to volunteer at the centre.
"Volunteers tend to shy away from us because they are blocked by their own stigma or they think they have nothing to offer. But everyone has something to give if they are willing to just give us a chance," he added.
For more information about Arrowhead contact the centre at 604-885-0989.
