Family of Reid Bricker holds vigil, calls for changes to health privacy act

Supporters packed the front steps of the Manitoba Legislature Sunday night as family of Reid Bricker — a man who has been missing for more than a week — called on the province to revise the rules surrounding the Personal Health Information Act (PHIA).

"How many people will have to die or go missing before something changes?" Bonnie Bricker, Reid's mother, said to the roughly 250 people in attendance at the vigil just after 5 p.m.

"Realistically this is day 10 so the chances of him being alive are pretty slim."

Reid Bricker, 33, was discharged from the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg at 3:20 a.m. on Oct. 24 after he was admitted following a suicide attempt. He hasn't been seen since.​

Mixed in with the family and friends at the vigil were people from the community who showed up to support those affected.

"It's saddening, absolutely saddening," Darius Hunter said. "[I came] to stand in solidarity with folks who do believe that there needs to be a change when it comes to the standards of mental healthcare in Manitoba."

Bonnie said she was comforted by the turnout. But she can't help but feel hospital staff could've done more for her son when he was in their care, rather than discharging him so early in the morning.

"That's a mean thing to do to someone who's already been admitted to a hospital in that same 12 hour period, tried to commit suicide three times in 10 days and then just left to go," she said.

"No wonder he thinks it doesn't matter if he takes his life. That's the strong message that was given to him."

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Privacy laws

In the 10 days before his disappearance, Bricker had attempted suicide twice and was admitted and discharged from three different hospitals — Seven Oaks on Oct.13, St. Boniface on Oct. 23, and then again at HSC on Oct. 24.

Bricker's family said they should have been notified their son was being released when he was, but current privacy laws prevent hospital staff from releasing any information without patient consent.

The family is asking the province to reconsider its privacy laws. Specifically, they want hospital staff to be permitted to call a caregiver before discharging a vulnerable person who could hurt themselves.

"It's a broken wheel because it doesn't work, it doesn't work because people are dying, people are committing suicide," she added.

The family is also asking something of downtown business owners. A group of searchers fanned out across downtown Winnipeg Saturday looking for clues of Bricker's whereabouts, but didn't turn up any leads.

Bonnie said she wants businesses downtown to take a look at surveillance footage to see if her son had passed through the area on Oct. 24.

Regardless of what happened to Reid, Bonnie said the family just wants closure at this point.

"We need the public to help us find this kid. Any way they find him, we'll take it. If you know what I mean," she said.

"I'm going to keep agitating until change is made, and in a timely fashion. I could not live with myself if one more person was treated the way my son was, I could not live with myself."

Bricker's description

Bricker is about five-foot-eight-inches tall with a thin build, short black hair and an unshaven face.

Bonnie said he could be wearing a black hooded sweater.

Reid has lived with severe depression, borderline-personality disorder and social anxiety for years, Bonnie told CBC News Friday. His family said he had struggled with suicidal thoughts over the years, and had a history of attempting to take his life. 

On Friday, prompted by Bricker's disappearance, Health Minister Sharon Blady said the province will set out to review hospital protocols and laws around releasing patient information under the PHIA.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the missing persons unit at 204-986-6250.