'Vacuum of services': B.C. sexual health clinics at risk of closure

One of Canada’s largest non-profit sexual health organizations is at risk of closing dozens of its clinics due to funding constraints.

Options for Sexual Health operates 52 clinics across B.C. Thirty are managed by the nonprofit, while the rest operate in partnership with other organizations.

On top of its educational offerings, the clinics provide non-judgmental care to around 14,000 people annually in the form of sexual and reproductive health services such as birth control, cervical screenings, STI testing and treatment.

Tiffany Melius, the executive director of Options for Sexual Health says after more than a decade of insufficient funding, there’s an imminent possibility it will have to shutter the majority of its clinics.

“If we don’t receive any funding, we’re going to have to close 25 of our directly managed clinics,” she said. Melius added the nonprofit will also have to cut services in the five clinics it can keep open.

“It’s a really significant closure plan,” she said.

Funding request

Earlier this month, the non-profit's board of directors sent a letter to Premier David Eby, asking for $800,000 in bridge funding and a commitment to increase its core funding.

To keep all of its clinics open with the current service model, Mellius said it would cost $1.5 million.

“If they want all of the clinics to stay open, we need $1.5 million,” she said. “We can't do it with $800,000, but we hope that we may be able to reopen some of the clinics if we are able to get some of that increase in core funding after this next year.”

Melius said the funding would help recruit nurses, which has been a challenge for the organization. She said some nurses are still working for the non-profit at 35 per cent less than what they could be earning working for a health authority.

Concern for remote, rural communities

She said the organization, which has been operating since 1963, is incredibly important in rural and remote communities, as it’s often the only service provider.

“If we cease to exist in those communities, we’re possibly at risk of an STI epidemic, but also we’re going to start seeing people go to emergency rooms for pap testing.”

She added this will only further strain the province’s health-care system.

“Either it means we’re overburdening the already overburdened health-care system, or it means that people just won’t access services at all, or they have to travel really great distances which is a massive barrier for a lot of folks.”

Joyce Arthur, executive director of Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, said it’s concerning to hear this access to health care may be at risk.

“We’re talking about a loss of basically essential reproductive healthcare for a large segment of the population,” she said. “Minorities who actually need this health care the most. More than anyone else, and yet they’re the ones that will be most affected by these cuts if they happen.”

Deadline looming

Melius said it’s given the province a deadline of Jan. 31. If the clinics close, it won’t happen until April 1.

“We don’t want this to be a knee jerk, ‘OK we’re not getting the money so were closing,’” she said. “We want to do this intentionally and really look after people and let the communities also prepare for what may be a vacuum of services.”

The non-profit is appealing to the public, urging people to contact their local MLAs, and asking people to share personal stories of how the clinic’s services have provided them with support.

In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said the minstry and the Provincial Health Services Authority will continue to work with Options for Sexual Health and other partners to find a pathway forward to support the delivery of care.