The Orillia OPP received the green light from the Orillia Police Services Board (OPSB) this week to apply for provincial funding to expand its innovative mental health initiative.
The local detachment is seeking funding from the Community and Safety and Policing grant program for more resources for its Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST).
COAST, a partnership between the Orillia OPP and the Simcoe County branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), sees a crisis worker partner with an OPP officer when dealing with people experiencing mental health issues as part of a grass-roots community policing approach.
Currently, there is one full-time constable assigned to COAST in addition to one crisis worker from the CMHA.
If funding is secured, another full-time constable and a second crisis worker would be added; that would allow the program to expand to seven days a week.
The goal is to “expand to two constables out on the streets with mental health workers to do more pre- and post-supports,” Orillia OPP Sgt. Matt Stoner told the OPSB.
He said the extra resources would allow the OPP to be more engaged and provide more education to the public, while supporting family members of those “going through mental health and addiction issues.”
He said COAST looks to “destigmatize mental health issues and (to help people) actually navigate through the system.” He said, with more funding, the OPP would put resources into creating pamphlets that could be used by family members to help them find the support they need.
Stoner said COAST has already proven successful by reducing the number of people in crisis requiring hospitalization and freeing up officers for other duties.
Stoner explained that apprehensions by police under the Mental Health Act “have the potential to tie front-line officers up for extended periods of time.”
In 2020, the Orillia OPP was involved in 324 voluntary escorts and 241 involuntary escorts of individuals in crisis to the hospital.
Thanks to COAST, the number of voluntary escorts was reduced to 208 while the number of involuntary escorts was reduced to 215 in 2021.
“Any escort (apprehension) under the Mental Health Act requires officers to maintain custody of the individual and take them for assessment to the local hospital,” noted a report presented at the OPSB meeting.
“Officers are not relieved of this duty until the hospital has made an assessment and determined if the individual will be examined or released. Officers waiting at hospitals are unable to undertake other duties.”
The report noted COAST has seen a “marked decrease in the number of individuals taken to hospital.”
In 2021, 459 individuals were taken to the hospital by police, which is down substantially from 614 individuals in 2020.
But the COAST program is about more than statistics, Stoner stressed.
“COAST conducts ongoing engagement and education to de-stigmatize mental health issues and ensure interactions with police are professional, compassionate and caring by engaging individuals with dedicated police officers and mental health workers,” noted the report presented to the OPSB.
“COAST works with community partners to increase awareness and access of mental health related services within the community,” the report noted.
COAST also implements public safety and community safety initiatives that address provincial and local priorities related to mental health.
“COAST ensures that community members are receiving appropriate community supports and mental health services through collaboration with mental health resources,” the report explained.
“This proactive, reactive and post collaboration with mental health partners diverts individuals into proper supports which limits strain upon the hospital medical system, emergency wait times and police intervention and action,” the report noted.
Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke, who also serves as chair of the OPSB, applauded COAST, calling the "successful program" a “shining example” of community policing.
The mayor said working to combat mental health issues is “one of the most critical needs in our community,” adding the need has been exacerbated by the pandemic.
Clarke also lauded the multi-agency approach, noting COAST works with a myriad of community agencies ranging from the Lighthouse and the Sharing Place to Information Orillia and organizations such as Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, Rama First Nation and Rama Police.
“Issues related to mental health are not centered within the City of Orillia,” noted the report presented at the OPSB meeting.
“Individuals can be transient and come from multiple ethnic backgrounds. COAST continues to engage/collaborate with provincial, regional and municipal agencies to ensure that individuals have access to supports that are culturally-rooted and diverse,” the report noted.
“COAST collaborates with Rama First Nation and Rama First Nation Police to ensure indigenous community members can receive supports delivered in a safe and culturally sensitive environment.”
The Orillia OPP is applying for grants through two funding streams within the provincial program. They will not know if the funding is approved, likely, for several weeks.
