Coroner’s service releases jury recommendations after inquest into teen’s overdose death
Posted June 27, 2019 7:45 pm.
Last Updated June 30, 2019 7:08 am.
VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) — The jury recommendations stemming from a coroner’s inquest into the overdose death of a Vancouver Island teenager have been released.
The inquest into the death of Elliot Cleveland Eurchuk, who was 16 when he was found unresponsive in his bed in 2018, lasted eight days and heard from over 40 witnesses.
The jury has made seven recommendations.
Three recommendations are directed at the Ministry of Education: that schools establish processes for detecting students who are struggling with mental health and substance use; that education for students, parents and staff on mental health and substance use disorders be increased; and that plans for how to help students who have left treatment for one of these disorders transition back into school be developed.
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Three are directed at the Ministry of Health: that access to treatment be streamlined, that more residential treatment facilities be be provided; and that students leaving long-term treatment facilities be connected to services in the community.
The final recommendation is that the Vancouver Island Health Authority: “Provide youth with long term residential substance use disorder treatment facilities to be located on Vancouver Island.”
According to the BC Coroner’s Service, at the conclusion of an inquest the jury is given the opportunity to “make recommendations that may prevent deaths in similar circumstances.”
