A new partnership between CMHA Elgin-Middlesex Branch, Middlesex County, the OPP and Strathroy-Caradoc Police will provide more effective and appropriate responses to mental health and addictions-related crisis calls in rural areas. This new initiative, known as the Middlesex Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT), has been developed to address a need for mental health, addictions and crisis support in the rural communities of Middlesex County. Mental health and/or addictions-related calls to Middlesex County OPP and Strathroy-Caradoc Police combined have increased by 63% in the past three years.
Launched last month and supported by provincial government funding, the MCRRT will see two mental health response workers embedded within the Middlesex County OPP and SCPS who accompanies an officer on mental health and addictions-related police calls. Since November 6th, the MCRRT has supported 132 contacts experiencing a crisis.
The mental health response workers will work with uniformed officers from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. These hours will complement existing community crisis services, including CMHA afterhours support at the Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital, to provide coverage seven days a week combined.
The MCRRT mental health response workers, in collaboration with police, will:
Assess, triage, de-escalate and provide resources to individuals in a mental health or addictions-related crisis.
Decrease unnecessary emergency department visits or justice involvement
Determine appropriate links to community services and supports
Provide a wellness check 24-48 hours after a crisis occurs
Improve the experience of individuals and their families
Ensure every individual living in the rural community has access to high-quality service, whether in Middlesex County or within First Nations communities.
Decrease stigma of individuals living with mental health and/or addictions concerns.
Build and maintain effective partnerships between police services and health care partners.
Additionally, the mental health response workers will provide support for front-line police officers and volunteer emergency personnel with coping strategies, along with mental health and addictions education and training.
Individuals who may be experiencing a mental health or addictions crisis can access crisis services in Middlesex County by calling Reach Out 24/7 at 1-866-933-2023, contacting the nonemergent line 1-888-310-1122, or dialing 911.