In a groundbreaking initiative to transform mental health crisis response, Halton Regional Police Service and Halton Healthcare have joined forces to create a specialized Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT). Unveiled this week, the program pairs mental health professionals with frontline officers to provide immediate, specialized care during mental health emergencies across Burlington, Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hills.
The initiative comes at a critical time when Canadian emergency services are reporting record numbers of mental health-related calls. According to recent statistics, Halton police responded to over 5,000 mental health calls in 2023 alone, representing a 27% increase from pre-pandemic levels.
“This partnership represents a fundamental shift in how we approach mental health crises,” explained Chief Stephen Tanner of Halton Regional Police. “By having trained mental health professionals on scene alongside our officers, we can de-escalate situations more effectively while connecting individuals with appropriate care instead of unnecessarily directing them to emergency departments or the justice system.”
The MCRRT model features specially trained crisis workers embedded directly with police officers, available seven days a week during peak hours. These teams can perform mental health assessments on-site, develop safety plans, and coordinate immediate connections to community resources.
Melissa Farrell, President and CEO of Halton Healthcare, emphasized the importance of this collaborative approach: “Healthcare and law enforcement must work together to create more compassionate pathways for those experiencing mental health emergencies. This program recognizes that mental health crises require healthcare solutions first, with enforcement support only when necessary for safety.”
The program has already shown promising results during its soft launch phase. In its first month of operation, the MCRRT successfully diverted 78% of mental health calls from hospital emergency departments, instead connecting individuals with appropriate community-based care.
“We responded to a situation involving a young adult experiencing severe anxiety and suicidal ideation,” recounted Jennifer Lopez, a mental health crisis worker with the team. “Instead of a traditional police response that might have ended with hospitalization, we were able to conduct a thorough assessment, develop a safety plan with family involvement, and arrange follow-up care with community services the next morning.”
The initiative aligns with similar programs being implemented across Canada, where police services and healthcare providers are increasingly recognizing that traditional law enforcement approaches to mental health crises often fall short.
Mental health advocates have praised the development, noting that such collaborative models respect the dignity of those experiencing mental health emergencies while providing more effective care. “This approach recognizes that mental health crises are health emergencies first and foremost, not criminal matters,” said Dr. Michael Thompson, a psychiatrist specializing in crisis intervention.
Funding for the program comes from a combination of provincial healthcare dollars and municipal police budgets, reflecting the shared responsibility between systems. Officials note that the investment is expected to reduce costs in the long term by decreasing unnecessary emergency department visits and reducing repeated crisis calls.
As communities across the country grapple with growing mental health needs amid stretched healthcare resources, could Halton’s collaborative approach serve as a model for a more compassionate and effective national standard in crisis response?
