WHEREAS the Mental Health Commission of Canada developed a framework for a national Mental Health Strategy in response to the growing mental health problem in Canada; AND WHEREAS police departments across Canada have become the front line response for many mental health related crises as a costly alternative to proactive, harm-reduction approaches; AND WHEREAS there are many instances where mental health patients that have been attended to by the police and emergency services are released back onto the streets without adequate support: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of British Columbia be requested to work with the federal government and local governments to establish early intervention centres where a person suffering mental health issues or substance and drug abuse can be housed or assigned, when a doctor feels that a person may do harm to himselfherself or others.
Ministry of Health The Province of British Columbia the Province is committed to providing the best supports for people facing challenges associated with mental health and substance use problems. Health authorities have developed a continuum of mental health and substance use services including crisis response and emergency mental health and substance use services such as Crisis Lines, Mobile Crisis response teams, Community Crisis Stabilization beds and partnerships between health and police services. As well, the Province has 872 inpatient psychiatric beds located in acute care hospitals providing treatment for people with severe forms of mental illness and substance problems and annually over 22,400 people are treated in these facilities and supported in the community following discharge. The provincial Healthy Minds, Healthy People: A Ten-Year Plan to Address Mental Health and Substance Use in British Columbia takes a whole systems approach to mental health promotion, prevention of mental illness and problematic substance use, early intervention, harm reduction and care, treatment and supported recovery. Priority has been given in the Plan for improved and coordinated responses for people experiencing mental health and substance use problems who are in contact with the criminal justice system. In response, the Province is actively working with common stakeholders including health authorities, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation, BC Housing, Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission and police agencies to explore priority issues in response to provincial priority. Targeted work is underway to determine the demographics of this identified population, analysis of key issues and identification of best practice approaches with the intention of improving services, outreach and supports to clients with severe mental health and substance use issues, including those who may pose a risk to the public andor themselves. Specific provincial initiatives are presently underway to better support people with mental health and substance use problems in contact with the criminal justice system, including police. These inter-ministerial initiatives aim to improve continuity between the health and the justice systems of care through the provision of appropriate services, integrated planning, improved service linkages and enhanced information sharing. This work includes the development of a provincial framework, information sharing and transition protocols for individuals experiencing mental health and substance use problems and in contact with provincial corrections. In addition, an overarching provincial police-health framework will provide guidance in the development of local regional protocols for people experiencing a mental health and substance use crisis that come into contact with police. This framework will build on existing best practices and evidence-based models of care. A number of local initiatives involve partnerships with Mental Health and Substance Use MHSU services and local police agencies with the aim to improve service delivery and response for individuals experiencing mental illness andor substance use problems both in the community and the emergency department. The development of protocols between local hospital emergency and police departments in Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and Fraser Health Authority FHA include changes to the sharing of information between police and the hospital emergency department and intake process of mental health patients detained under section 28 of the Mental Health Act. This results in more streamlined patient intake processes, reduced wait times for police and facilitation of more timely and comprehensive patient care. In addition there are collaborative initiatives improving the support, urgent response and follow up to individuals in mental health and substance use crisis situations such as the New Westminster Community Health Intervention Partnership between the FHA and the New Westminster Police Department through a dedicated police officer and designated mental health professionals. This work will result in strengthened MHSU services and supports through an integrated and coordinated approach that responds to the individual care needs of the patient. This will assist in the reduction of MHSU crises and involvement with the criminal justice system.