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Older Adult Mental Health and Substance Use Services - Vancouver

Need help immediately?

If there is an urgent safety concern, please call 9-1-1 or go to emergency at your nearest hospital.

Suicide prevention hotline: 1-800-784-2433

Call BC Crisis Line: 604-310-6789

Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868

BC Wide Indigenous Toll-Free Crisis and Support Line - KUU-US Crisis Support Line: 1-800-588-8717

Older Adult Mental Health and Substance Use Services provides specialized community-based mental health and substance use services for older adults.

How to access

  • Check eligibility

    The Vancouver Community Older Adult Mental Health and Substance use program provides specialist support and treatment to older adults (generally aged 65 and older), with mental health (MH), substance use (SU), and concurrent MHSU disorders or conditions that co-exist with a combination of age-related psychological, cognitive, functional, physical and social needs.

    Program criteria:

    Individuals, generally aged 65 and older, who require specialized care for:

    • Recently developed mood-related symptoms, anxiety, psychosis and/or problematic substance use.
    • Enduring mental illness and/or substance use disorder and the coexistence of impairments in multiple domains related to the aging process: physical, cognitive, social and functional, which complicate their psychiatric care and are complicated by poor primary treatment response, risk of relapse, or poor treatment adherence.

    Individuals of any age with:

    • *Complex behavioural and/or psychological symptoms associated with progressive dementia.

    *Complex = symptoms are often severe, there are significant challenges with treatment then and several other complicating factors, including psychological, social, environmental and biological factors.

    Please note:

    • We do not serve individuals with cognitive impairment and behavioural and/or psychological symptoms specifically related to a non-progressive neurocognitive disorder, such as that associated with acquired brain injuries. These individuals require a different type of care and support expertise than can be provided by the VC OA MHSU Program.
    • We do not offer stand-alone capacity assessments.
    • We do not offer crisis services.

  • Get a referral

Hours of operation

Currently closed
  • Monday:   8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday:   8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday:   8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Thursday:   8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Friday:   8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Saturday:   Closed
  • Sunday:   Closed

Parking & transportation

Public transportation is available via buses at Cambie Street and King Edward Avenue as well as the Canada Line. If driving, a loading bay is available at the back of the building for a 15-minute drop off/pick up. There is 2 hour free street parking within the surrounding area.

Nancy Chan Ambulatory Palliative Care Clinic

The Nancy Chan Palliative Care Ambulatory Clinic is an outpatient clinic that provides specialist consultation to patients and families who are living with a severe illness and may be experiencing symptoms and distress which may be affecting their quality of life.

Older Adult Mental Health Programs

Older adult mental health programs provide mental health services to senior clients with cognitive decline due to aging-related conditions.