The recent expansion of involuntary care in the province to cover severe addiction comes too late for a 13-year-old girl who passed away last month from a suspected overdose, as per her grieving parents. Despite their efforts, Brianna MacDonald’s parents expressed how they struggled to secure treatment for her before her tragic demise in Abbotsford, B.C.
Premier David Eby revealed plans to broaden the scope of involuntary care for mental health and addictions treatment, allowing individuals with brain injuries, mental illnesses, and severe addiction to be held in a psychiatric facility. However, MacDonald lamented that this change was not implemented in time to provide the necessary care for Brianna.
MacDonald recounted taking Brianna to the hospital following an overdose incident in February. Despite being hospitalized in Surrey and a children’s hospital for a few days, Brianna was discharged after about a week and a half, which left her mother pleading and emotionally distressed, feeling that her daughter was not ready to leave.
Currently, under B.C.’s Mental Health Act, individuals can be detained in a psychiatric facility if a doctor deems it necessary for their own well-being or the safety of others. Fraser Health spokesperson Nick Eagland highlighted that treatment decisions for young individuals are governed by B.C.’s mature minor consent regulations in the Infants Act, where youth have the authority to consent to treatment independently if it is deemed in their best interests after a thorough explanation by healthcare providers.
Brianna’s untimely passing in August, suspected to be drug-related, was confirmed by the Abbotsford Police Department, who responded to the incident. The B.C. Coroners Service is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.
During a recent news conference, Eby expressed deep sorrow over Brianna’s tragic death, acknowledging the immense pain her parents must be enduring. MacDonald expressed hope that the expanded involuntary care measures could assist others grappling with severe addiction and provide support to their families, despite being too late for her daughter.
