Meet Dr Matthew Burkey: Child Psychiatrist in the Cariboo

Dr Matthew Burkey’s decision to move to and practice in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region was a big leap of faith. He grew up in Nebraska and studied at the highly respected John Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. How did he decide on the Cariboo Chilton region?  He has a practical answer: His wife’s family lives in Williams Lake. But, there’s more to it than that.

Dr Burkey, the first ever full-time child psychiatrist based in the Cariboo, believes that partnership and a team-approach to treating children and adolescents is the key to success. “With a population of about 55,000 over a huge area in this region, it is impossible for one child and adolescent psychiatrist like me to meet all the needs," said Dr Burkey, who arrived in Williams Lake in February 2016. 

The work of the Local Action Team, one of 64 of a provincial Child and Youth Mental Health and Substance Use (CYMHSU) Collaborative, clinched the decision to relocate to Williams Lake. He describes their work as “cutting edge”.  There are 18 members in the team from RCMP, schools, the medical community, and community organizations, all collaborating to provide a seamless approach to mental health care.

 

“We’re looking forward to moving ahead with the team on local priorities, such as our crisis response services and support for front-line primary care providers,” said Dr Burkey. “We’ll also be concentrating our efforts to increase access to mental health services for children and youth in surrounding remote communities".

Dr Burkey also works in partnership with local family doctors. For an hour every workday, from noon to 1 pm, Dr. Matthew Burkey blocks off his schedule so he can take calls from family doctors about their young patients with mental health concerns. He feels one of the best ways to improve access to good mental health for children and youth is to support local family doctors in providing effective care.

With these quick daily case consults with GPs "together we can do a form of triage, avoid escalation to a crisis, and I can help them provide evidence-based care while the youth may be waiting for other services."

 

Dr Burkey will continue to be busy in this new challenge. When he’s not working, he and his family will be enjoying the great outdoors – snowshoeing and cross country skiing.  

Doctors interested in moving to BC to set up practice can get more information here.

  

The Child and Youth Mental Health and Substance Use (CYMHSU) Collaborative is funded by the Shared Care Committee in partnership with General Practice Services and Specialist Services

Committees; all Joint Collaborative Committees of Doctors of BC and the BC government.  For more on the program, click here.