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The province is highlighting an $8.4-million investment over the next four years to bring mental health workers to OPP call centres.
Solicitor General Sylvia Jones says one worker will be assigned to each centre to help de-escalate situations or connect callers to the right services.
“A traditional enforcement response is not always the most appropriate approach,” says Jones. “Responding to persons-in-crisis related calls requires a special combination of skills and expertise.”
Jones says this will keep officers from spending time and resources on non-emergency calls they aren’t well suited.
“Our officers respond to thousands of mental health calls a year,” says OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique. “The Crisis Call Diversion Program not only reduces the use of police personnel for non-emergent responses when appropriate but also helps individuals experiencing mental health crises by offering better pathways to meet their needs and supporting the de-stigmatization of mental health.”
The OPP has also created a Crisis Call Diversion Development and Implementation Guide to share with other police services and health partners considering similar programs or initiatives.
The Canadian Mental Health Association in Fort Frances and OPP created a mental health crisis prevention team in 2020.
A mental health worker joins officers on local calls related to mental health.
It has since expanded to Atikokan.
