Police-Encounters-With-People-In-Crisis

approach frees up the valuable MCIT unit that is in short supply, this practice is not an
overall solution to emergency department wait-times. 77
3. Mobile Crisis Intervention Teams and their oversight
89. A key resource at the intersection of the mental health system and policing are
the Mobile Crisis Intervention Teams, discussed in greater depth in Chapter 11 (MCIT
and other Models of Crisis Intervention). To manage MCIT and expand its services
across Toronto, the TPS must engage with at least 10 healthcare-based organizational
partners. Funding for MCIT police officers is provided by the TPS, while funding for
MCIT nurses is provided by one or more of four Toronto-area Local Health Integration
Networks that oversee the relevant partner hospital. The MCIT partnerships with St.
Michael’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, and Toronto East General Hospital are
funded by the Toronto Central LHIN; the partnership with North York General Hospital
is funded by the Central LHIN; the partnership with Humber River Regional Hospital is
funded by both the Central and the Central West LHINs; and the partnership with the
Scarborough Hospital is funded by the Central East LHIN. 78
90. In October, 2012, the Toronto Central LHIN established an MCIT Coordination
Steering Committee to institutionalize the management and coordination of the MCIT
partnerships. The purpose of the committee is to lead the development of a standardized
model for MCITs in Toronto that includes integration with the continuum of crisis care
and other local mental health services. It examines the current state of MCIT and
studies ways in which the program can be expanded in a manner that meets the needs of
the population using crisis services. 79 The Steering Committee is co-chaired by TPS
Deputy Chief Michael Federico and Rob Devitt, CEO of Toronto East General Hospital,
and includes representatives from the following stakeholders: Toronto Police Service,
current MCIT officers and nurses, the three relevant LHINs, Mental Health and
Addictions Services Access, Emergency Medical Services, the Acute Care Alliance, the
City of Toronto Mental Health Promotion Program, and mental health and addictions
crisis services. 80
4. Officers in charge of mental health coordination
91. Divisional Mental Health Liaison Officers are senior constables within the TPS
who coordinate with external mental health organizations and groups on issues at the
intersection of mental health and policing at the local level, such as apprehensions
under the Mental Health Act, and emergency department wait times. They attend all
local Human Services and Justice Coordinating Committee meetings.
77
In Ottawa, psychiatrists and constables that are part of the city’s Mental Health Crisis Intervention Units conduct field visits and
consults at the homes of individuals in need. While not a solution to wait times at hospitals, these at -home examinations avoid
the need to see a psychiatrist in hospital at all, preserving those resources for emergency situations. See Ottawa Police Service,
“Policies, Training, Procedures & Equipment – Use of deadly force/response to emotionally disturbed persons” (Ottawa, ON:
Ottawa Police Service, 2013) at 2-4.
78
Toronto Police Service, “Mobile Crisis Intervention Teams (MCIT)” (2014), online: Toronto Police Service
.
79
Toronto Police Service, “Toronto Police Response to Emotionally Disturbed Persons” (2013) at 5, online: Toronto Police Service
.
80
Ibid.
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