Mental health crisis team expands in Kelowna

Interior Health (IH) and the RCMP have announced an expansion of a program in Kelowna that responds to people in mental health crisis.

More mental health workers have been hired to allow the program to operate between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., seven days a week.

Until now the program, known previously as Police And Crisis Team (PACT), operated on certain days only. It is now known as the Integrated Crisis Response Team.

Officials said the program will support more people in distress and connect them to help and healthcare they need. The improvements are expected to increased consistency in training, roles, reporting, and evaluation.

“Working together, RCMP and Interior Health are committed to addressing the needs of vulnerable people in our region,” IH president and CEO Susan Brown said. “We recognize that cooperation and collaboration are critical to ensure quality care for people experiencing mental health and substance use related crises. This is a first step as we work together to enhance crisis response across the region.”

Brad Haugli, the Chief Superintendent of the South East District RCMP, said its crime analysis showed having the program running 8 a.m. thru 8 p.m. was the best option, as calls continue to increase.

“We had 17,484 calls for service in 2021, a 16 per cent increase over the summer of 2019,” Haugli explained.

The Integrated Crisis Response Team provides a specialized response to individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, when intervention by a mental health clinician is needed and there is no risk of violence.

Together a specially trained officer and clinician provide short-term crisis management with assessment and intervention, help with admission to hospital, connection to other medical and social services, and other supports.

Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas welcomed the move as he said officers face a growing rise in mental health-related calls.

“Having professionals with the necessary training to deal with mental illness will help people in our community who are experiencing a mental health crisis,” he said in a media release.

An expansion of the program is also happening in Kamloops.