The Windsor Police Service has partnered with Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare to respond to mental health crisis calls in real-time.
The Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team pairs a trained mental health social worker with a frontline police officer to respond to calls as they happen. The teams will be responding to calls starting Monday in an effort to divert people in crisis from hospitals and the justice system.
"The Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team will bring a compassionate response through an important partnership within two systems - healthcare and the justice system. When responding to a call, the focus will be on de-escalation, stabilization, providing counselling and then hopefully an ongoing connection to further community supports should the individual be willing," said Dr. Sonja Grbevski, HDGH Vice President of Mental Health and Addictions.
The two MCRRT teams will work from Monday to Friday from 9:00 am - 10:00 pm. The teams will consist of the same two officers and mental health social workers, all specially trained in crisis intervention.
"This is a transformative change for our community. Providing service delivery that prioritizes mental health and addiction supports can only be done within a framework of collaboration. Responding together means we can connect individuals with the care they need from the subject matter experts who provide such care. We are thankful for this opportunity and thankful to have this continued partnership," said Chief Pamela Mizuno.
The two organizations are also partnered through the Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST). This team also consists of a plain-clothed officer and mental health social worker. However, the COAST team does not respond in real-time. The COAST teams conduct mental health and risk assessments in the community in an effort to assist individuals before they reach the point of crisis.
The funding for the new teams comes from the provincial government’s Roadmap to Wellness program.
