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Diversifying Your Funding

An interview with Gary Glacken, executive director of BC Schizophrenia Society

By: Peter Slack
pslack@shaw.ca

The BC Schizophrenia Society (BCSS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support and education to families and their ill relatives suffering from schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses.

In twenty-five years they’ve become a province wide volunteer support organization with over 5,000 members and supporters on an annual budget of $2M.

Fifty-percent comes from contracts negotiated with the Regional Health Authority.  Funds are also raised through direct mail, donations to the society and from the Mind Foundation created three years ago.

Gary Glacken, Executive Director of BCSS says, “The foundation is really the fund raising body of the society.  It has its own Board of Directors, committed to raising funds for their programs and services and for scientific research into schizophrenia.”

Government funding underwent a dramatic change 4 years ago.  Gary saw a decrease in funding. “Previous to the change we were funded directly from the Ministry of Health on a grant basis.  They then created BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information and Government allocated all the money going to the Provincial Mental Health Organizations, into one pot.  Those funds were redistributed, with the BCSS receiving two thirds less money.  Under the grant system we could allocate funds to specific projects and services that we thought were necessary.  We had greater flexibility. Under our association with BC Partners, funds are specifically allocated to particular programs. That restriction prevents us from funding other areas we feel may have a greater priority.”

Gary has some recommendations for other non-profits. “Diversify your funding base.  Get out and find as many different avenues to secure funding.  Whether it’s Government funding, various fund raising initiatives, funds from Foundations and corporate sponsors.  Diversify and don’t put all your financial eggs in one basket. Remember everyone is out their pursuing those limited dollars and it’s very competitive.  In our case, raising money for serious mental illness is a struggle compared to say, cancer or heart and stroke.  There’s a lot of fear around mental illness and people find it difficult to support an organization like ours.”

Telling the unique story of schizophrenia helps cut through the clutter.  Gary says, “we are the only mental health organization that primarily focuses on the needs of families in dealing with this illness.  More and more of our attention is going towards schizophrenia and psychosis in children in their teens and early twenties. It’s a chronic illness that interferes with finishing school, and getting out into the job market.”

One in 100 people are afflicted with schizophrenia around the world and this has remained fairly constant over the years. “We are constantly looking for different ways to raise awareness,” states Gary.  “One of our programs called Reach Out is an educational program available to schools.  Our contemporary approach uses a band called Ten Ways From Sunday.  The music is the hook that gets the kids involved.  We then include information on psychosis; what treatments are available and the need for intervention if they see people with symptoms.”

Recent medicines introduced over the last few years have been helpful in treatment and provide fewer side effects. Gary says, “these new treatments are helpful in keeping people on their medications.  World wide research has gone into what causes schizophrenia.  It’s a complex lifelong illness with a genetic component.  People with this illness are no more likely to be violent than the general population, unless they’re not taking their medication and are abusing alcohol or street drugs.”

Recently the Ministry of Health announced its intention to develop a new mental health plan for the Province.  This announcement surprised BCSS and other mental health organizations since a plan had been developed ten years ago and had been shelved.  Gary is hopeful the new initiative will see his organization actively involved.

Gary is also supportive of the Federal Government’s recent creation of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.  They are launching a major initiative on decreasing  the stigma and discrimination towards people with mental illness.  “In having the Federal Government establish and fund the commission is a huge step forward” states Gary.

People wishing to get involved with BCSS can contact one of the 27 branches throughout the Province.  Call 604-270-7841, checkout their website www.bcss.org or Email bcss.prov@telus.net