West Shore RCMP Mental Health Unit seeing positive results with Mobile Integrated Crisis Response Teams

West Shore

2024-04-29 08:12 PDT

West Shore - People experiencing a mental health crisis requiring a police response are receiving more appropriate supports following the establishment of West Shore RCMP Mental Health Unit’s Mobile Integrated Crisis Response Team (MICR), which pairs a frontline police officer with a registered nurse from Island Health.

In July 2023, the Province of BC and Island Health approved West Shore RCMP’s request to provide clinicians to the MICR. Since this time, West Shore RCMP and Island Health have been working together to plan, train and select frontline officers and registered nurses to be part of the response team.

The MICR consists of one Corporal and two Constables who are paired with a Registered Nurse experienced in mental health and substance use care, who together respond to mental health-related calls in the West Shore.

The team was partially launched in February and achieved full staffing in early April. Since this time, the co-responding teams are working together to meet community members where they are at. RCMP and health-care teams are responding with a timely, supportive and empathetic approach to not only the person who is experiencing a crisis, but also to their families and caregivers. In partnership, RCMP and Island Health teams provide the right supports, at the right time, via the best possible response.

There have already been so many positive outcomes with a co-responding team, said Cpl. Lauren Ferguson who is in charge of the MICR teams at West Shore RCMP. Reflecting on her experience thus far, I can recall several calls in the past few months where a youth in crisis was assessed in their own living room. We were able to follow up with them and their family by providing referrals to appropriate resources. Without the medical knowledge of the nurse, these calls may have resulted in an apprehension, thus creating further distress for the youth.

Photo: Co-response team Nurse Dan Nguyen and Cst. Benjamin Bartley

West Shore RCMP is pleased to provide an update on the positive outcomes in the early stages of the team’s existence. Thus far, the co-responding teams have attended 270 calls with a mental health component. Of these, only 39 calls (or 14%) have resulted in apprehensions under the Mental Health Act. For context, West Shore RCMP as a whole responded to 1,788 calls for service involving a mental health component in 2023. Of those, 337 calls (or 19%) resulted in an involuntary apprehension.

The MCIR provide an essential health-focused opportunity for people experiencing mental health and/or substance use issues that have come to police attention, said Rob Schuckel, Manager, Mental Health and Substance Use, Island Health. This team delivers clinical mental health and substance use assessments, immediate emotional support and system navigation while also providing education and awareness to families, police and other community services regarding trauma-informed crisis intervention.

I am grateful that MICR has launched in the Westshore, said Ravi Parmar, MLA for Langford-Juan de Fuca. This ground-breaking collaboration between front-line police officers and nurses promises to be a game-changer, elevating both individual well-being and community safety to new heights. It's a bold stride towards a more comprehensive and effective approach to public safety."

Working together, the RCMP officers and nurses on the MCIR teams are able to assess individuals experiencing a mental health crisis’ in the comfort of their own home with apprehensions only being made in the most critical circumstances. The MICR offers assessment, connection to services and redirection to the most appropriate level of care, which can include hospital.

Released by

Cpl. Nancy Saggar

Email: westshore_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: westshore.rcmp-grc.gc.ca (English only)

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