Here's how Vancouver parties are planning to address mental health emergencies
Promises to improve the way the city responds to mental health emergencies are laid out in the platforms of several parties with candidates vying for election in Vancouver this October.
Between January and June of 2022, the Vancouver Police Department was called to 2,131 incidents authorities classify as being related to mental health, according to quarterly data. That works out to an average of 12 per day. In the vast majority of those cases, someone ended up being apprehended under the Mental Health Act.
The issue is one that has come under increased scrutiny since the last municipal election, with questions about police involvement in "wellness checks" being raised by politicians and advocates in B.C. and beyond in the wake of high-profile cases in which officers responded with force.
Calls to "defund the police" and reallocate resources from law enforcement to social services and community interventions have become louder.
For its part, the VPD has been sounding the alarm about the increased pressure on officers to respond to emergency or crisis situations instead of crimes for years.
Back in 2016, then-chief Jim Chu spoke about the limits of a criminal justice response in these cases.
“The police are becoming the first point of contact for those who are severely mentally ill, and that is wrong. These people require health care, support, and medical treatment, not the criminal justice system,” he said.
Three parties – ABC Vancouver, Forward Vancouver, and OneCity – have made this issue a plank in their platforms. Here's what they say needs to be done, in alphabetical order by the party's name.
ABC Vancouver
The party is proposing a massive expansion of the VPD's Car 87/88 program. For decades, this service has responded to mental health calls by sending a two-person team pairing a police officer in plainclothes with a mental health nurse. However, the service is not available 24 hours a day and there are only two teams. In a news release announcing the campaign pledge, the party said Car 87/88 receives 200 calls for service each month.
ABC Vancouver has pledged to hire 100 new police officers and 100 additional mental health nurses in order to make the service available 24/7 and to significantly expand its reach. The party estimates the cost at $20 million.
Forward Together
The party is proposing diverting emergency calls related to mental health away from 911 entirely. The proposal is for a new service called the "Health and Addictions Response Team" that would be dispatched through the city's 311 system. The priority, according to a news release, would be responding to these situations with de-escalation and referral to services. Calling 911 is described as something these teams would do as a last resort.
These mobile teams would not include armed police officers and would be composed of homeless outreach staff, mental health and addictions counsellors, and municipal bylaw officers. The initial cost is estimated at $5 million.
OneCity
The party is proposing sending Peer Assisted Care Teams as first responders to calls involving mental health and substance use. This approach is being piloted in municipalities on the North Shore and pairs a mental health professional with a peer worker.
The approach of these teams would prioritize de-escalation and referral to supports and services. In addition to teams that can be dispatched on demand, OneCity is proposing others will work in partnership with well-established organizations on the Downtown Eastside.
The number of people hired and the budget required was not spelled out in the media release.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.