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By CHAT News Today

help during mental health crisis calls

Mental health workers being added to police team with government grant

May 4, 2021 | 4:40 PM

A new grant from the province will fund more mental health therapist resources to work with the Medicine Hat Police Service and community partners.

With the $100,000 grant, city police will have two trained mental health professionals to help them respond to mental health crisis calls and, where possible, create a pathway to community services, says the government.

The project is slated to begin this month.

Community partners include the RCMP, Canadian Mental Health Association, McMan Youth Services, and other community agencies.

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“Our officers are often first on the scene during a mental health or addiction crisis,” says police chief Mike Worden in a release. “Once they have established a safe environment, this project will expedite the individual being connected to the care and resources they need. We look forward to working with Alberta Health Services to ensure the safety and well-being of the community.”

Chief Worden says police will be implementing mental health staff into day-to-day police service delivery and getting experts to crisis calls who are specifically trained for these situations.

Worden says this project happened quickly with the government. Adding that the pilot project’s sustainability, effectiveness, and further funding will be determined over the next year.

The government says this is one more step they are making to help combat the unfortunate suicide spike in Medicine Hat over the last year.

“Every loss of life by suicide is a sad story. It’s a preventable thing that we can all do something to change. To all the families, my heart is with you,” Jason Luan, Associate Minister of Mental Health & Addictions said.

“The additional funds and on the ground resources that are coming to Medicine Hat from the province are a direct response from grassroots initiatives that were started shortly after these tragedies took place in our community,” Michaela Glasgo, Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA told Chat News.

Tracie Mutschler, executive director, McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association, says Medicine Hat has many people and service providers who can help in mental health or addiction crisis situations.

“Having access to an additional mental health therapist will have an enormous impact on our collective ability to support those in need and result in additional systems level efficiencies. It’s really a made-in-Medicine Hat approach,” she states.

To reach someone at the CMHA in Medicine Hat call 403-504-1811.

If you or someone you know is in crisis resources are available. In the case of an emergency dial 911. The Alberta Mental Health Help Line can be reached at 1-877-303-2642. The Kids Help Phone can be reached at 1-800-668-6868.

Quick facts

• Between June and December 2020, there were 11 suicides in Medicine Hat.
• In addition to this $100,000 grant, recent provincial investments to strengthen mental health and addiction supports in Medicine Hat include:
  • $220,000 to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Alberta Southeast Division to support timely access to bereavement counselling and quality suicide prevention information, awareness and training programs.
  • $100,000 to CMHA through the COVID-19 community grant program to expand an addiction crisis program in Medicine Hat that offers outreach supports to adults and youth.
• Alberta’s government is investing $140 million over four years to implement a recovery-oriented continuum of addiction and mental health care.
• In response to COVID-19, the government committed more than $53 million in additional funding to enhance online, phone and in-person mental health and addiction supports during and after the pandemic.