Access & Assessment Centre (AAC)

This place fulfills a much-needed purpose (it fast-tracks you to seeing a psychiatrist) but it is bare-bones. I got meds but I didn't get actual therapy, so I had to go someplace else for that. I would suggest anyone reading here to check out UBC Psychology and see if they're running any low-cost programs.

Get the help you need. You deserve it!

The access central detox referral staff are continuously creating barriers to detox and treatment. The wait to speak to someone is lengthy and when you finally speak to them the process is long and they force you to speak with a nurse and disclose confidential information that isn’t necessary. Perhaps for research purposes? Lots of violations of privacy here. When appointments are missed, instead of making more they reprimand you by creating more obstacles and barriers to treatment like going to a healthcare centre for assistance first… and of course they have limited hours and very difficult to make appointments. If you want to get off drugs or alcohol this detox referral line is useless. Don’t bother contacting them. They don’t understand the first thing about addiction and the barriers to recovery. In fact they just create more. Do better!

I have been talking to these people for years about my anxiety. Some of the clinicians are excellent, but others seem to lack compassion. They also limit my calls to one a day on weeknights and twice a day on weekends. They keep bringing up how many times I have called, and I have politely asked them to stop doing that.

The detox referral line is poorly run. They made my partner wait on hold for half and hour while on a public phone with people waiting. Why? Because they want to access whether clients need a medical detox or not. Asking people about what drugs they use is useless. Benzos are mixed into everything. Instead of wasting time trying to differentiate types of drugs based on uncertain information, assume everyone needs medical detox, make the appointment and provide care. The data will come when a urine test is supplied at their appointment. And on top of this they are treating me with so much disrespect. I’m here for my loved one through his illness and you think I don’t have a right to be there through his recovery? Every time they ask my loved one if he truly wants me advocating for him. I’ve been there for him all of the way, unlike these “resources” so the answers is always going to be yes. Start respecting clients and their loved ones.

I wish I had read the reviews before going here TWICE! Received the WORST rude, unempathetic, robotic service from intake nurse and physiatrist. They seem to just want to tick boxes and force trauma out of you with no respect for the vulnerable state that you are in. I wish I had never reached out.they only made everything worse. Try reaching out to mental health community services where you can see a social worker. Anything but this place. It’s like they want you to try to kill yourself so that can commit you? They even offered me a way to file a complaint which I would do if I thought it would go anywhere and if i could face being retraumatized again. Going there with a POC and seeing a doctor of colour was the most disgusting and dismissive experience. Horrified that these are our services but honestly not surprised when we see how mental health it treated in this city.

Staff is not empathetic or accommodating. If you’re actually struggling mentally don’t come here it’ll probably make it worse. They don’t care to actually help you.

Absolutely terrible - they truly don't care if people kill themselves or not. I brought my suicidal partner here after days of trying to talk him into getting help. Despite living in the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, he was told there is nothing they could do for him and to "download an app" for CBT. We kept being pushed to the HOpe centre in North Vancouver but we were explicitly saying they can't help us because they require a doctor referral and my partner did not have a GP. If my partner had visited this centre alone or didn't have a support system in place, we both have no doubt he would have committed suicide after how helpless this centre made him feel in an already vulnerable situation. If this is the best mental health centre we have, it's no wonder our suicide and addiction rates are through the roof. Could not recommend this place LESS. It might as well be closed down.

Admitted myself after years of trying to elsewhere with no luck. I was lucky to meet someone who was able to prescribe me with proper medication here for my family doctor to help me with my mental health journey.

I was hesitant to go here because of all the negative reviews, but I’m so glad I did. It quite literally saved my life. I think a lot of the negative experiences might be due to not understanding what the A&A Centre is. What it is: a last resort, bandaid solution for mental health crises. What it is NOT: a long term solution, a doctor’s clinic, a counselling service. You cannot get meds prescribed here. You will initially be seen by a nurse or social worker who does a basic assessment (the ones I saw were actually very caring, kind and non-judgemental). If warranted they may sched a follow up appointment. They can provide info about various mental health & addiction services; but they do not provide those services in-house.

If you are feeling like you are close to attempting, I would urge you to either call the suicide hotline, visit an ER or even call 911 before going here. The A&A Centre can’t provide any immediate or direct help, but they can be useful if you need someone to talk to / organize your thoughts / plan next steps.

Only reason I gave 4/5 stars is because most of the front desk staff are mean, rude, impatient people who should not be working in healthcare. However the nurse, social worker and psychiatrist I saw were the complete opposite.

I first attended AAC at the beginning of the summer 2022 as a walk in and later in the summer returned as a walk in. I understand the reviews where people have felt slighted or angry afterwards, I won't say that every single interaction I've had there has been amazing BUT I genuinely feel lucky to have been able to access the services and help I have.

I had asked my family doctor to refer me to a psychiatrist and she told me in Canada it can take up to 18 months to be seen. I didn't have 18 months to wait and going to AAC really was my last ditch effort to ask for help. I had a friend who told me it was terrible and not to go there. I couldn't be happier that I didn't heed her. I've had repeat appointments with physiatrists, had safety calls from clinicians which were invaluable and was referred to outpatient therapy. Public health (especially mental health) is so under funded and under-resourced and so I couldn't feel more grateful to have been able to access what I know, for me, were life saving services.

Update: I wish people leaving reviews telling people not to go here would consider how helpful that is. I feel so sorry for anyone who had a negative experience but a review containing all the negative things you experienced may be far more helpful without including "don't go here". That simple statement could very well steer someone away from a service that may save their life. At least provide an alternative that you have found helpful.

I walked myself to the AAC late at night in the middle of an episode just to be told I'm not sick enough, my BMI is not low enough to get help for my ED, and I'd have to wait up to a year to see a psychiatrist. I attempted the second I got home.

Was left on hold indefinitely. Abhorrent services from sheer narcissists who do not respect your time nor care one bit about helping you