A large number of policing hours are spent dealing with mental health crises, according to a new report by Kingston Police Chief Scott Fraser. Still, the number of hours between the apprehension of individuals who are a danger to themselves or others and the time first responders pass that person into hospital care creates the most significant burden on police, the chief explained.
Fraser presented his report, entitled “Mental Health Calls January 1 to November 30, 2024,” to the Kingston Police Services Board (KPSB) on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. Going forward, he intends to make such reports quarterly to help the board understand better and guide decision-making and advocacy.
The statistics not only track the number of calls but also delineate the number of individuals those calls were about, labelling them by contact frequency as “chronic presentations,” “repeat presentations,” or “new presentations.” Notably, the Patrol Division takes care of the vast majority of the calls, sometimes up to eight a day, with waits ranging from under 60 minutes to over six hours at the hospital.
Chief Fraser explained that the technology used by first responders during emergency mental health crisis calls is called HealthIM. Designed to promote safety for both the responder and the person in crisis, this software system is intended to improve outcomes for individuals suffering from unmanaged mental health challenges and to promote effective oversight.
A quick look at the HealthIM website provides an overview of the system.
Kingston Police cruisers each have a mobile data terminal (MDT), which officers use to access and enter information while in their vehicles. HealthIM is set up on the MDT to provide a pre-response safety briefing to the officers before establishing contact with a person in crisis. Responders review a brief synopsis of critical safety factors, including de-escalation techniques, known triggers, and contextual information compiled from any previous contact.
Once on scene, officers can complete a brief mental health screening (BMHS) using a phone application. The BMHS provides a rapid on-scene risk evaluation and uses clinically validated algorithms to evaluate the risk of harm and determine appropriate outcomes, according to HealthIM.
The main purpose of the chief’s report was to provide the Board with the Monthly HealthIM Analytics Report, which compiles key metrics and insights on the number and types of calls received.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.