The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) expands its Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Teams (MCRRT) through the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s (the Ministry) Mobile Crisis Response Teams Enhancement Grant.
The HRPS is among 28 Police Services that received grant funding to increase their existing capacity to respond to mental health crisis calls.
"The Halton Regional Police Service is so very proud to partner with St Joseph’s Healthcare on our MCRRT model. This additional grant funding allows us to further invest in the program and enhance needed coverage, responsiveness and impact," says Deputy Chief of District Operations Roger Wilkie.
"Community safety and well-being is a shared responsibility. Our ability and willingness to collaborate and coordinate service delivery in the area of mental health is not only a game-changer but a necessity."
Through this funding, the HRPS is able to expand its Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT) complement from two teams, composed of a police officer and a non-police mental health crisis worker from St. Joseph Healthcare Hamilton, to three teams through to the end of March 2023.
The HRPS has had two MCRRT teams working daily, seven days a week, in partnership with St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton since 2016. MCRRT members are trained to defuse or de-escalate crisis situations, advocate for those in crisis while ensuring mental health assessments are completed where they are needed most.
Our MCRRT teams respond to over a thousand complex, mental health crisis-related calls a year. The additional capacity created through this funding means that more members of the community will get the care they need.
"We are excited to receive this funding from the Ministry of the Solicitor General for expansion of Mobile Crisis Services in partnership with Halton Regional Police Service," says St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton COAST Program Manager Satar Wahidi.
"The expansion can help improve service provision, response time and quality of emergency mental health to residents of the Halton region. With now three teams on the road, our ability to respond in all portions of a very large Halton region is improved."
To learn more about the Halton Regional Police Service’s commitment to supporting the mental health of Halton residents, please visit haltonpolice.ca/mentalhealthsupport/.
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, supports are available.
Crisis Mental Health Supports
If you are having a mental health emergency, please call 9-1-1, go to your local hospital or contact any one of the helplines below:
- COAST (Crisis Outbreak and Support Team): 1-877-825-9011
- ROCK (Reach Out Centre for Kids): 905-878-9785
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
- LGBT Youthline supporting 2SLGBTQ+ youth : 1-800-268-9688 text 647-694-4275
- Trans Lifeline: 1-877-330-6366
- Canada Suicide Prevention Service: Call 1-833-456-4566 or Text (4:00pm – 12:00pm): 45645