Dad of B.C. man who died after leaving psychiatric hospital asks why care team didn't involve family

WARNING: This story contains distressing details. 

Aaron Sanio's friends and family say he was always open and honest about his struggles with mental illness — and about his commitment to getting better.

"He was fully aware of how ill he was, and he shared that with me. He used to say, 'Dad, I would rather you know everything,'" the 30-year-old B.C. man's father, Michael Sanio, told CBC News.

But, he continued, "Aaron did not want to die, I can tell you that."

Despite that expressed desire to stay alive, Aaron died by suicide on June 15, 2021, just days after being released from involuntary care in the HOpe Centre at Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver. His father says he was not informed Aaron was being discharged.

Family and friends of the Squamish entrepreneur are now speaking out about what they see as a failure of a policy meant to ensure relatives are included whenever possible if their loved ones are hospitalized during a mental health crisis.

Under Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)'s family involvement policy, care providers are expected to consider all relevant information offered by family members and, when appropriate, include family in the recovery plan.

Dad Michael Sanio called the hospital eight times during Aaron's five-day stay, trying to speak with someone on the care team about his son's history with mental illness and alcohol abuse.

"I said … I want to talk to a professional so I can share what we know because I think it's material, and frankly, we think that he needs to stay there for a much longer period of time," Sanio said.

But he says no one directly involved in Aaron's care returned his call — an allegation supported by phone records shared with CBC.

Meanwhile, Aaron's business partner and best friend of 10 years, John Warnock, said he also tried calling the HOpe Centre for information, but was told only immediate family could speak with the care team.

Similar concerns about family involvement were raised during a 2016 coroner's inquest into the suicide deaths of three patients shortly after their release from the psychiatric ward at Abbotsford Hospital.

In fact, the coroner's jury in that case recommended the VCH policy as a potential model for other health authorities.

That information is cold comfort to Aaron's family.