Sarah Fabro, RN, MN in progress, BScN PC Richard Akunyili

1. The Mobile Crisis Intervention TeamA Partnership Program Between St. Michael's Hospital and Toronto Police Divisions 51 & 52 Sarah Fabro, RN, MN in progress, BScN PC Richard Akunyili St. Michael’s Hospital, MCIT 52 Division, TPS

2. Background St. Michael’s MCIT was implemented in 2000 First program of its kind in Toronto Launched following several high profile coroners’ inquests including Edmund Yu (1997) Mobile Crisis Intervention Team

3. MCIT Model The program partners a police officer from Division 51 or 52 and a SMH mental health nurse who respond to 911 and police emergency dispatch calls involving emotionally disturbed persons (EDP) Mental health nurse funded by MOHLTC Mobile Crisis Intervention Team

4. Mobile Crisis Intervention Team MCIT Goals • Provide on site mobile crisis intervention services to mentally or emotionally disturbed individuals • Provide field police with access to mental health expertise • Divert mentally ill individuals from the criminal justice system to mental health treatment services as appropriate • Reduce inappropriate and lengthy emergency room use for both clients and police, where possible

5. Hours of Operation The program uses an unmarked police car It operates 10 hours per day from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, 365 days a year Mobile Crisis Intervention Team

6. Mobile Crisis Intervention Team When is MCIT Called? • Crisis situations that require police • High potential for violence • Threats of suicide • When unable to gain access to a person with mental illness who is unwell • When it is critical to get an mentally ill individual to the hospital as soon as possible

7. Mobile Crisis Intervention Team Client Population • Serious mental illness • Homeless • Substance abuse • HIV, Aids • Other organic medical problems • Low socioeconomic and education status • Uncertain legal and citizenship status

8. Mobile Crisis Intervention Team Geographic Area Bloor to Lakeshore, and from Spadina to the Don Valley Parkway High immigrant, refugee population Smallest divisions within the TPS (1.6 km w X 8 km) Substantial transient population • Densely populated • over 200,000 • people Large ethnic and cultural mix Extreme economic polarization

9. Toronto MCITs St. Michael’s Hospital – Division 51, 52 (2000) St. Joseph’s Health Centre – Divisions 11, 14 (2006) The Scarborough Hospital – Divisions 41, 42, 43 (2007) Humber River Regional Hospital – Divisions 12, 13, 31 (2009) NEW this year Toronto East General Hospital – Divisions 54,55 Mobile Crisis Intervention Team

10. Mobile Crisis Intervention Team How To Access EMERGENCY: call 911 NON EMERGENCY: call 416-808-2222 **The MCIT is a 2nd response therefore the Team always responds to calls with regular police officers

11. MCIT Services Team arrives at the scene, makes an immediate assessment of the situation, intervenes, does what it can to divert the individual from serious problem or harm, and then arranges for mental health treatment (if appropriate) Mobile Crisis Intervention Team • Referrals to community resources such as safe beds, shelters, case management etc. • Short term follow up (telephone or in person)

12. Mobile Crisis Intervention Team Benefits • Combined mental health and police expertise leads to better care • Clients seen in their own settings • Non threatening approach to clients / families • Ability of the officer to apprehend persons at risk on scene (Section 17 of the MHA) • Short term follow up or referrals to community resources

13. Mobile Crisis Intervention Team Benefits • Decreased need for hospital ED visits • Decreased police time at scene/spent in ED • Decreased criminalization of the mentally ill

14. Thank You! Questions? Mobile Crisis Intervention Team