Six months after Ksyen Regional Hospital opened its doors, the expansion of a service offered at the now-demolished Mills Memorial Hospital remains unfulfilled.
Just half of the scheduled 20 beds at Ksyen's psychiatric ward are open and when the remaining 10 beds are to go into service is unknown.
The Mills psychiatric ward had 10 beds and the prospect of doubling that number was one of the regional health care service improvements anticipated when Ksyen's construction was approved four years ago.
But finding the people with the specialized skills needed to work in a psychiatric unit is the main reason it remains at half capacity.
Currently, the Northern Health Authority is looking for a patient care coordinator and a registered nurse, both with specialized skills, to work on the ward, said Eryn Collins who speaks for Northern Health.
"The implementation plan for reaching full capacity on this psychiatry unit has been the phased-in approach. That's in progress," she said.
"The next five beds will open as soon as possible, which will take us to 15 of the 20 beds," Collins added.
More psychiatrists will also be needed for the unit when fully operational, but how many is unknown, she said.
The search for the people needed to increase the number of psychiatric beds at Ksyen comes amid increased public awareness and demand for more mental health services, specifically facilities in which people are treated either voluntarily or involuntarily.
Just days before the start of last fall's provincial election, Premier David Eby announced a province-wide increase in psychiatric treatment beds, including the ones at Ksyen, as well as, in Prince George and Dawson Creek.
Information provided by the provincial health ministry indicates all 20 of the Ksyen's beds are scheduled for either voluntary or involuntary mental health care.
"However, we know that voluntary services are often the more effective approach whenever possible," the ministry said.
"A person can only be admitted involuntarily if they meet the criteria as outlined in the Mental Health Act."
The provincial government refined the use of the Mental Health Act regarding involuntary treatment by issuing an 11-page document for health care professionals written by Dr. Daniel Vigo, its chief scientific advisor on overlapping mental health and substance abuse issues.
In the paper, Vigo affirmed involuntary admission to a designated facility when a person meets various criteria, including when a "disorder seriously impairs the person's ability to react appropriately to their environment or associate with others."
