Perhaps a Squamish girl’s tragic death will bring change to the way youth with addictions and their parents are treated in B.C.
The provincial government has reached out to Steffanie Lawrence’s family and the coroners service is investigating after the young Squamish girl’s death made headlines last week.
Steffanie’s mother Brenda Doherty, as well as Steffanie’s father and stepfather went public with the struggles they faced trying to get their daughter involuntarily admitted for addiction and mental health treatment.
She was admitted and released from hospital just a day and a half before her death.
Under current legislation in B.C., parents cannot force children to attend counselling or addiction treatment.
B.C. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Judy Darcy reached out to Steffanie’s family, through The Chief, asking to meet with them to hear more about what led to the girl’s death on Jan. 22.
Darcy told The Chief she has since connected with Doherty and will meet with her this week. “We know that there are other families like Steffanie’s struggling throughout B.C. Some of these families have called for government to find ways to compel their child into stabilization and care, and we are taking their concerns very seriously,” Darcy said in an email. “We are working actively with our partner ministries to review the Mental Health Act... In the meantime, we are working to increase the spectrum of voluntary services and supports for young people.
Meanwhile, Steffanie’s father Shaun Lawrence has launched an online petition directed at Darcy.
The campaign titled, “Protect our children: Demand the BC government pass Bill M240, The “Safe Care Act” aims to have the province’s legislation changed.
“Life and death decisions would not be left up to our children, especially children who are battling addiction,” Lawrence said.
As of early this week, the petition had more than 3,300 signatures.
The Coroners Service of British Columbia is in the early states of an investigation into the 15-year-old’s death, according to its spokesman Andy Watson, who added it would be premature to speculate on the probability of an inquest into the death.
Inquests are formal court proceedings, with a five-person jury, held to publicly to review the circumstances of a death.
