DRYDEN — The province is putting up dollars to start a mobile crisis response team in the Dryden area.
This funding of $113,000 was announced Tuesday and comes one year and a half after the amalgamation of Dryden police services and the OPP which service a wide area including the municipalities of Ignace and Machin.
The mobile crisis response program, which has already been established in a number of other communities in Northwestern Ontario, partners frontline officers with mental health professionals when responding to calls for service relating to mental health and addictions issues.
This year alone, the province has provided more than $4.5 million to 39 municipal and First Nations police services that have been operating the program within their communities.
Provincial Const. Brittney Bembeneck said that Dryden’s service is still in the “early stages of planning,” but once the program is ready, the partnership between the OPP and Dryden Regional Health Centre will help streamline emergencies that will result in limiting emergency department visits and criminal charges.
The partnership allows police officers to rely on a trained mental health professional to de-escalate crisis situations reducing the need for police intervention.
By having a mental health professional on the scene, people in crisis can be referred to community resources quickly.
Bembeneck said the funding will aid members in cross-training opportunities that expand their knowledge in crisis situations.
“We're hoping that our MCRT civilian member will be embedded in our detachment and we'll be supporting not just the MCRT officer, but the crisis worker also supports all the officers at the detachment bringing their skill set towards the team,” said Bembeneck.
The Ontario government implemented the mobile crisis response teams enhancement grant as part of their Roadmap to Wellness.
“We’re supporting our police services by providing them with the resources they need to assist vulnerable people in crisis situations,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner in a statement. “Mobile Crisis Response Teams are best positioned to respond to people experiencing a mental health or addictions crisis and are an important part of how police in collaboration with this government are working hard to keep Ontarians safe.”
