Foundry Kelowna - Kelowna, British Columbia

Raylee L.

To be honest, I've only been a patient at the Foundry in Vancouver and it was terrible, but when I came to Kelowna I didn't know where else to go, so against my better judgement, I tried calling this one. Maybe I dodged a bullet because on the phone they just told me to look for other resources first () and didn't even give me the choice to make an appointment. So I ended up paying out of pocket for an assessment ($3500) and luckily I was able to use the CSG-D to get reimbursed, but if you're not a post-secondary student with a verifiable disability, then that won't be of any use to you. And I'm also very fortunate that I had access to that kind of money. I'm sure that is not an option for most of the youth who try to access Foundry, so I hope they are actually getting helped and not turned away!

A. I. (.

Foundry saved my life, I was going to be homeless and helpless health care wise but they sincerely did everything they could to help me get organized and off the street I just had to show mutual respect and patience as they only have so many people for how much they have to do. Not enough funding on the foundry’s end but what they do with wha they have is amazing. God Bless the foundry and all of its employees thank you so much for caring about me when no one else did.

Ash H.

My experience is from 3 years ago, but I highly doubt things have changed from reading other experiences.

I had told my counsellor that I did not consent to having certain pieces of information shared with my gardians, and she reaffirmed that it would not be. This information was then immediately told to my gardians by the receptionist. This information had nothing to do with my well-being and was simply a thing I would rather have kept private. I then saw the in-house doctor and made her aware that I was recommended by a counsellor in the foundry to start a medication and that I also wanted to start. After a whole 45-minute meeting, she then informed me that at the end of this meeting, she did not prescribe this medication (no reason was given). She could have started the meeting by saying this instead of wasting both of our time. I later learned that almost every doctor in BC has the ability to prescribe this medication, and also that an acquaintance of my mine was prescribed this medication by the exact same doctor for the same reason I was seeking it. She then gave me no further resources, forcing me to go on an 8 month waitlist to see a different doctor not affiliated with the Foundry, and be almost immediately prescribed this medication to alleviate my distress.

Amber R.

Really lovely to have such a great free accessible place in Kelowna for youth. The drop in is really helpful, because people don't plan when they have crisises/when they need support. All the drop in counsellors have been super helpful, calming, reassuring, and kind. It feels like the counsellors for drop in here truly care. I also like how you fill in an electronic form before each session to share how you are doing, because sometimes it's hard to open up about tricky topics! The psychiatrist nurse I saw here a few years ago really helped connect me to sufficient resources for my mental health!

Livia R.

So many people recommended foundry to me without any knowledge of how bad it actually is !! Stop recommending the foundry to a teenager going through it please know they do not offer continuous therapy with the same person, you get a new person every time ! It was definitely not for me, I couldn’t build any trust let alone feel heard at all 🙁 they also use counsellors in training / psych students, so they basically ask the same generic questions every time, and sometimes they use two way mirror/window rooms so students can study your session Which I understand I guess, and I agreed to it I just found it made me really uncomfortable ! Doctors there also prescribe medication without much knowledge or background information then do not follow up adequately, I get that they are not psychiatrists, but they couldn’t even refer me to one when I asked. I appreciate that the foundry was created with the intention of bringing free mental health care to youth but it needs a lot of work to be able to effectively offer the resources it advertises, if you are looking for somewhere to start try CYMH !

The P.

Foundry Kelowna has extremely limited access to resources, especially in comparison to what it claims to, or by what is thought to be offered generally as an extension of the foundry network, or by other healthcare workers in Kelowna. They offer a variety of 'workshops' and 'online zoom community meetings' that claim to help, and have started a bus to provide better outreach to Westbank....

But these services are never mentioned to those who call or enter the clinic. Getting any information, or doing something as simple as booking an appointment is extremely stressful for new users as unnecessary barriers are consistent. Eg) Having to call to book an appt, rather than booking online, or, leaving a message only to be ignored, or, the complicated online messaging system rather than simply using text or email. Or, the pervasive feeling of discrimination users feel for being mentally ill or disabled...in a place people are being treated for such things.

Right now, according to many users it seems that service is provided at discretion of how 'liked' you are by those at the clinic, rather than based on need/risk level. At best, they offer limited drop-in counselling, and their doctor/NP access is worse than a walk-in clinic (usually a month wait at least for an appointment, upto 2-4 months for a doctor). Also, they are situated right up the road to McGuire Psychological services...but seemingly never work with them or refer individuals to them even when they ask for help in that realm. Another note is that they offer group counselling services, but good luck getting in even after repeated attempts and even it being a suggested method of treatment by their own healthcare workers. Despite, their efforts it's extremely hard for their users--vulnerable teenagers and young adults-- to access any meaningful treatment.

To the Foundry itself, it's great you guys want to work on outreach! But please remember, there's no point in reaching out if you can't even provide timely and adequate support to clients directly trying to get help through the clinic. We need more consistent therapy, access to doctors/NPs, and adequate communication and outreach of staff within the clinic itself.

As a thought experiment for those at Foundry:
What good is a workshop on disordered eating when it takes 2 months just to get that client to see a doctor for a bloodwork referal? What happens when they fail to connect them with a nutritionist and a therapist who can actually help them treat it properly? What happens when that person attends 1 workshop, and has no other follow up care? What happens when they face ableism in your clinic? What happens when their phone call is lost in the voice-mail system, or they are told they don't actually need the resources they think they need? That they just need to fix it themselves with a "better attitude".

What happens is that person continues suffering with their mental/physical issues, and has less trust to access you as a viable resource. This person receives inadequate care and you have failed your mission.

"We believe young people should have a voice in their care and that finding the right support shouldn’t be difficult."

"We are committed to working with our partners to change lives, communities and our systems, because young people are our future."

Do better, the kids working with you often don't have a choice. You guys should be aiding kids rather than adding to the stigma of getting help.

Chloe M.

In my own experience and those of my loved ones, the people working front desk perhaps need a refresher in how to interact with individuals who may be in crisis or a similar sensitive situation. My significant other was turned away and dismissed when he tried to obtain information to get help for his own mental health, and I witnessed the same thing happen to others on more than one occasion when I sought help for my own struggles.

For a facility claiming to be geared towards helping youth who fall into the cracks in the system, they don't seem to be living up to their claims. Very disappointing.

Jayme B.

I strongly believe I got the wrong diagnosis, you also can’t request a specific gender of psychiatrist to see which I think is weird. I had past issues with men and they put me with a man psychiatrist so I didn’t get to open up about my issues. I’d recommend to see someone else .