Wellington County OPP and the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington are marking a year since implementing a new Integrated Mobile Police and Crisis Team, called IMPACT
The collaborative response model is the first of its kind in the province and is being hailed as an enormous success.
The Waterloo Wellington LHIN funded specially trained mental health clinicians to attend mental health related calls with OPP officers.
That means residents and families receive immediate and comprehensive crisis response, less intrusive interventions, and fewer hospital visits.
“The results of this partnership have far exceeded our expectations in the first year of operation,” says OPP Detachment Commander Inspector Scott Lawson. “The results truly speak to the benefits that our community have realized through this strategic partnership including our own local police officers, who by working alongside these specially trained clinicians, have a better sense of the complexities and supports necessary to assist those in-need.”
The IMPACT Team support over 289 people including live calls for service, and after the fact referrals.
IMPACT workers received 462 referrals, or more than one a day from Wellington OPP
They also provided over 70 hours of community based education and training to stakeholders and care providers.
And the team was able to provide timely compassion fatigue support services to frontline emergency responders.
“We are very, very proud of what has been accomplished. IMPACT have become an integral and vital part of our daily work," says Lawson.