B.C. family's search for answers in teenage daughter's suicide met with challenges

Family's struggle for answers in teen's death B.C. parents whose daughter died by suicide are finally getting answers and say they hope their push for accountability will provoke change.

Editor’s note: If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health there are a number of ways to get help, including by calling or texting Suicide Crisis Helpline at 988. A list of local crisis centres is also available here. 

A B.C. family has finally received answers in the tragic death of a teenage daughter, but the process of getting them has been fraught with challenges, including inaccurate information from the local health authority.

The Donovan family has spent nine months trying to piece together what led to the death of their 16-year-old daughter Felicity, who died by suicide in December.

“It’s been a long road,” said Felicity’s mother Laura. “It’s kind of impacted our grieving process as well.”

Appointment cancelled

According to her father David, Felicity struggled with depression.

He said the family had done everything to support her, including connecting her to a program through Fraser Health called START, which stands for Short Term Assessment Response Treatment.

It provides in-community mental health and/or substance use assessments and intervention services for children and teenagers aged six to 18 who are experiencing a crisis.

In December, Felicity’s weekly appointment was cancelled due to her counsellor being ill.

The Donovans say no one called the family or Felicity to reschedule the appointment. Two days after the cancelled appointment, the teenager, who was an Abenaki member of the Odanak First Nation, died.

“Indigenous children are dying at a higher rate than that of the general population,” Laura said.

'I don't know how they made those mistakes'

Their daughter’s death sent the couple on a journey looking for answers. Since January, Laura and David have met with the Surrey School District, the Ministry of Education and Fraser Health, and have filed numerous freedom of information requests.

Two letters from Fraser Health contained inaccurate information about Felicity’s experience in the START program.

“I don’t know how they made those mistakes,” Laura said. “I felt like it wasn’t our daughter they were talking about.”

Since then, Fraser Health has apologized and made corrections.

When CTV News first reported on this story, Fraser Health stated: “In the event a scheduled appointment is missed or cancelled by the clinician or client for any reason, the team will connect with the client and their family.”

The statement adds that during that conversation, the team will emphasize that if the client requires immediate medical attention or if there is a significant threat of serious physical harm to themselves or others, they should call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department.

In a letter to Laura and David, dated Aug. 29, the health authority shared conflicting information.

Fraser Health said: “We did not have a specific policy regarding continuity of care when clinicians are unavailable/sick. We recognize the program should have asked more questions and inquired if a quicker booking was needed before Felicity’s next scheduled appointment on Dec. 20.”

David said he wasn’t shocked by this information, adding that at times, the family’s lived experience was not being acknowledged.

He said it wasn’t until the family began working with Fraser Health's Indigenous support team that progress started to be made.

“It was like the sun came out,” he said.

Health authority commits to changes

In August, Fraser Health implemented a new standard protocol in the START program related to its employee absence reporting process.

As per Fraser Health’s letter to the Donovans: “The change ensures that when a provider reports an unexpected absence from work, any clients impacted by that absence are contacted and the START Program will assess their mental health status to determine the best clinical support to meet their needs.”

The letter adds that the client’s options, based on the risk assessed and in consultation with the client, would include having an appointment on the same day with a different provider, rescheduling the appointment as early as possible with their usual provider, being directed to an emergency department or to call 911 if there was an imminent risk.

Mike Kenyon, Fraser Health's director for regional mental health and substance use services, said the health authority has done an extensive review process following Felicity’s death.

“We do want to learn from this,” he said. “And we have connected with the family.”

'Our way of honouring her'

The Donovans said they welcomed this change, and how the health authority has approached this complex issue.

“I think Fraser Health can be a role model when it comes to these things,” Laura said.

She said she and David vow to continue this advocacy work, no matter how difficult it is.

“I wouldn't have it any other way because there are a lot of kids out there that need help,” she said.

David said it’s what Felicity would have wanted.

“This is just our way of honouring her,” he said. “She was a very kind and caring person.”