A digital tool to help police and healthcare professionals plan in advance on how to care for someone experiencing a mental health or addition crisis will launch tomorrow, March 7, in Port Moody.
The HealthIM communication software is currently being used in Delta, Prince George and Surrey and will officially roll out across the province this and next year, Port Coquitlam MLA, B.C.'s solicitor general and public safety minister Mike Farnworth said at a news conference in Port Moody this morning, March 6.
Speaking with New Westminster MLA Jennifer Whiteside, the minister for mental health and addictions, Farnworth said the HealthIM technology will allow emergency personnel to "speak the same language" when a patient is in distress, and provide a smoother transition when they arrive at the hospital — thus cutting wait times.
The pre-screen for risk and de-escalation has been beneficial for Delta Police, Insp. James Sandberg told media gathered at the Rocky Point Park boat launch.
For example, he said, before police arrive on scene, information about the patient may already be in the system to alert front-line officers about certain triggers the person may have, and flag police about prior behaviours and histories with violence.
That data, including the officers’ observations about the patient, is then forwarded to the hospital triage, in a standardized form, to prepare for a “more appropriate and compassionate response” from doctors and nurses, Whiteside said.
“We are making better decisions,” Sandberg said of Delta Police since starting using HealthIM in October 2019, noting arrests are down 20 per cent for people experiencing mental health, and paperwork is reduced.
HealthIM will cost the province $1 million a year; it will be distributed to policing agencies and health authorities through the BC Association of Chiefs of Police, which is supporting the program.
Still, the app doesn’t replace the Mobile Integrated Crisis Response (MICR) teams that are now operating around the province, Whiteside said.
Last November, the Coquitlam RCMP detachment started its dedicated vehicle that sees psychiatric nurses paired with police officers to assist people with mental health.
Port Moody Police Chief Const. David Fleugel said responding to mental health calls presents unique challenges for officers, requiring them to navigate public safety “and addressing the complex, sensitive needs of individuals in distress with empathy and understanding.”
“With the implementation of HealthIM in Port Moody,” he continued, “we will anticipate a reduction in the escalation of crisis situations, more appropriate and timely referrals to mental health services and overall better outcomes for people experiencing mental health crisis.”
“This tool represents a critical bridge between law enforcement and mental health support.”
Whiteside said mental health has taken a toll on communities, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in early 2020; there’s also been a worsening of the toxic drugs crisis.
“Sometimes,” she said, “those mounting pressures can be difficult for people to deal with … One in five interactions with police in British Columbia involve an individual who is experiencing a mental health concern. These situations we know are becoming increasingly complex — both for the responders and for the individual experiencing the crisis.”
