InnerChange Foundation: Welcome

InnerChange Foundation provides leadership, funding and advocacy to drive innovation and change to improve the health outcomes for people who are suffering from mental health challenges and addiction.

Clinical research conducted in Europe and elsewhere strongly indicates that there is a more effective approach to the problem of drug addiction in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

The Board of Directors of InnerChange Foundation believes that new and innovative treatment modalities must be developed utilizing science-based evidence and pragmatic approaches, benefiting from well-documented, positive experiences in other cities.

Role of InnerChange Foundation

  1. Supporting research in evidence based, innovative and integrated therapies for drug addiction and concurrent disorders. The goal of the research which InnerChange supports is to provide effective, integrated 'exit strategies' for chronically addicted individuals to end their drug dependency, while recognizing and respecting the differing situations of addicted individuals.
  2. Supporting public outreach and school based education programs surrounding drug addiction and concurrent disorders
  3. Advocacy for increased funding for substitution research, and the establishment of a BC Centre for Excellence in Addiction and Concurrent Disorders.

A more integrated, client centered delivery of services and programs in the areas of housing, mental health and addiction is needed. InnerChange Foundation believes that we can no longer separate these into isolated silos. New and more creative approaches must be developed for homeless addicts that will require a better understanding of the issues this population faces.

  • Mental Illness and Addiction are the major causes of homelessness and consequent cycle of social disintegration and chronic health problems resulting in increased hospital emergencies and deaths.
  • There are approximately 18,000 residents of Vancouver's downtown eastside (DTES) and approx 10,000 are suffering from severe addiction and Mental Illness. Of these individuals, approximately 3700 are suffering from severe psychosis.
  • An estimated $1 million per day is being spent in the DTES
  • 49% of police calls in the DTES are for those suffering from mental illness. 30% of police calls city wide are for those suffering from mental illness and addiction. Ambulance admittance to St Paul’s Emergency costs between $2500 and $3,000 per trip. 
  • Mental Illness and Addiction accounts for 25% of our Disease Burden but only 5% of our health care budget.
  • Special treatment efforts are needed. There has been virtually no new innovation in the drug treatment in the last 35 years. The traditional approaches that have separated mental illness and addiction are proving neither effective nor successful. We need new and integrated approaches over and above existing treatment philosophies.

Read more about The Solution.

If you believe that Change needs to happen, then please consider providing financial support.

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