Police-Encounters-With-People-In-Crisis

Term Care has a significant role to play in addressing this issue. In June 2011, MHLTC
released “Open Minds, Healthy Minds: Ontario’s Comprehensive Mental Health and
Addictions Strategy.” 32 The first three years of the Strategy focused on child and youth
mental health. To achieve the Strategy’s goals, 18 service collaboratives that are
designed to improve transitions between health services and to better coordinate
services for children and youth have been established across the province. The one
service collaborative centred on Toronto is focused on linkages between community
services, healthcare, and the justice system. It aims to coordinate services that address a
wide array of issues, including crisis support, pre-charge diversion and arrests, remand
or bail orders and post-charge diversion, and discharge planning and release from
correctional services. 33 These coordination projects are still in their early stages.
42. The next phase of the MHLTC’s Strategy is planned to expand on the initiatives
for children and youth mental health to include transitional age youth, adults and
people with addictions. It is planned to address issues related to housing, employment,
and contact with the justice system, as well as to build on prior works related to mental
health and addictions. 34
43. However, a variety of stakeholders within and outside mental health treatment
organizations highlighted that MHLTC has demonstrated a concerning inattentiveness
to the issue of police interactions with people in crisis. Many stakeholders have
expressed concern that MHLTC habitually does not send a representative to attend
Coroner’s Inquests regarding shootings of people who may have suffered from mental
illness. A general theme that emerged from our consultations is that MHLTC is much
less involved in this issue than MCSCS. This theme is often expressed in conjunction
with remarks on the lack of coordination within the mental health system.
(c) Other arms of government
44. The involvement of other arms of government to address this complex issue is
necessary as well. For example, in recent years it has become increasingly accepted that
access to adequate affordable housing is an important and effective component of
treating mental illness, as homelessness can exacerbate existing mental health
problems. 35 Without a home to provide a degree of stability and control, managing
32
Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Open Minds, Healthy Minds (Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2011),
online: Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care .
33
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, “Systems Improvement through Service Collaboratives” (2014), online: Centre for
Addiction and Mental Health .
34
Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions, Final Report – Navigating the Journey to Wellness: The Comprehensive
Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan for Ontarians (Toronto, ON: Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 2010), online:
Legislative Assembly of Ontario ; Minister’s Advisory Group on the 10-Year Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, “Respect, Recovery, Resilience:
Recommendations for Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy” (December 2010), online: Minister of Health and Long-
Term Care .
35
Mental Health Commission of Canada, “Beyond Housing: At Home/Chez Soi Early Findings Report – Volume 3” (Fall 2012),
online: Mental Health Commission of Canada .
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