Whereas the RCMP are required under the Mental Health Act MHA to remain at the hospital with a person that has been apprehended under the MHA until they can be presented to a physician; And whereas wait times can range from two and one-half 2.5 hours to six 6 hours during which time a person suffering from a mental health condition is in the custody of the police, contributing to further stigmatization, and preventing the police officer from taking any other emergency calls for the provision of their services: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province implement a provision permitting local governments to invoice their local health authority for police officers that are required, under the Mental Health Act, to wait with hospital patients for more than 30 minutes, similar to the framework used for BC Ambulance Services.
Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General Consistent with Section 28 of the BC Mental Health Act, a police officer or constable may apprehend a person who is acting in a manner likely to endanger that persons own safety or the safety of others and apparently has a mental disorder. Following apprehension, the police officer is required to take the person immediately to a physician for examination to determine whether the person meets the criteria under the BC Mental Health Act for involuntary admission and treatment in designated mental health facilities. Consistent with the Legislation, the physician assessment and decision to involuntarily admit the person must be completed before police can leave. Provincially, the average hospital emergency department wait times for Section 28 clients range from 60 120 minutes based on municipal police data. Hospital Emergency Department patients are assessed based on their level of acuity and triaged using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale CTAS which places clients detained under Section 28 of the Mental Health Act in the high priority emergent category. Emergency departments try to expedite the patients as quickly as possible, for example, if there are long delays psychiatric registered nurses may complete an initial assessment then phone the physician to assess the patient in order to transfer responsibility from police to the health care facility. In 2018, the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General and in consultation with stakeholders in health and police services, developed a provincial toolkit to guide health authorities and police agencies in the development of joint local protocols and agreements, including Section 28 apprehensions, see: https:www2.gov.bc.caassetsgovhealthmanaging-your- healthmental-health-substance-usepolice-interface-report.pdf. The provincial toolkit has resulted in the development of local protocols between health authorities and police departments and led to increased collaboration to minimize hospital emergency wait times, including productive reviews of the numerous variables that may impact wait times at the Hospital Emergency Departments. Hospitals and police departments are encouraged to continue to collaborate and explore potential efficiencies and improvements to the overall emergency department admission process for mental health clients. The Ministry of Health and health authorities overseeing the management of hospital emergency departments are committed to continuous quality improvement and finding ways to minimize emergency department wait times for police officers, as appropriate. The Ministry of Health does not support the the request from UBCM to implement a provision permitting local governments to invoice their local health authority for police officers that are required, under the Mental Health Act, to wait with hospital patients for more than 30 minutes. On April 13, 2021, the Legislative Assembly appointed a Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act Special Committee to examine, inquire into, and make recommendations to the Legislative Assembly related to the modernization and sustainability of policing. The Special Committee is mandated to examine the role of police with respect to complex social issues, including mental health and wellness, addictions, and harm reduction, and reforms related to police funding and service delivery, and may recommend changes to the Mental Health Act. Presenters to the Special Committee have commented and made recommendations on the role of police in mental health crisis response. These presentations will inform the Special Committees final report that is anticipated to be tabled by April 28, 2022. The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General will work in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions in developing policy and legislative change in response to the Special Committees recommendations. Further information on the Special Committee can be found here: https:www.leg.bc.caparliamentary-businesscommittees42ndParliament-2ndSe…