Local officials are applauding the province’s efforts to improve access to care for patients in crisis.
However, many of the suggestions being provided in the “police-hospital transition framework and toolkit” are already in play in Orillia.
The goal, according to a news release from the Ministry of Health, is to “support developing better transitions for people experiencing a mental health crisis across Ontario” and to cut down on the amount of time police officers have to stay at a hospital after dropping off someone who is experiencing a crisis.
“It’s kind of an official buy-in (from the province),” said Kerry Dault, program manager, crisis services, with the Canadian Mental Association's (CMHA) Simcoe County branch. “It’s something we’ve been trying to implement for a while.”
The CMHA has a program called COAST (Crisis Outreach and Support Team) that sees crisis workers attend mental health calls with police
Speaking with OrilliaMatters early last year, Dault noted the effectiveness of that program. When police apprehend someone on a mental health call without a crisis worker present, the rate of admission to hospital is 60 to 70 per cent, she said at the time. With a crisis worker along for the ride, the admission rate is 100 per cent.
The CMHA received funding earlier this year to hire two full-time staff members, allowing the agency to implement COAST on a permanent basis in the area.
“Now that it’s been raised as an issue at a higher level, it might create a little more accountability and focus on the issues,” Dault said of the province’s recent announcement.
The toolkit includes recommendations for improving the transfer-of-care process. The OPP and Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH) already have a transfer-of-care agreement in place.
“We look forward to ensuring that these partnership agreements reflect the best practices laid out in the toolkit and documents released (last week),” said Philip Hough, the hospital’s program director for regional women and children, mental health and critical care.
“It would be hoped that this new framework will enhance and improve the already great partnerships we have and help us provide safe, effective and efficient care to people who require our Schedule 1 mental health services,” he added.
Const. Michael Kitchen is the mental health officer with Orillia OPP. He said the force “supports any initiatives that help members of our community access effective respectful care.”
“Any framework that will support us in improving our care for individuals in crisis is valuable,” he said, but noted the transfer-of-care agreement with OSMH “already ensures the five pillars of this new framework are effectively carried out.”
