WESTLOCK – As the tide of mental health issues continues to rise post-pandemic, Westlock RCMP will soon be on the front lines helping people in the region experiencing mental health crises thanks to a new, two-person team.
Alberta RCMP first introduced the Regional Police and Crisis Teams (RPACT) — a mobile crisis response team comprised of an RCMP officer and a mental health worker from Alberta Health Services, in the Edmonton area in 2011. The team responds to mental health calls in the community together and are able to intervene, assess and support individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. They also provide appropriate referrals to community agencies, short term follow-up, assessment advice and mental health education to members, service-providers, and the community.
The program has grown to include teams in Red Deer, Grande Prairie, and Airdrie. It currently covers 14 RCMP detachments in Alberta and is expanding into rural areas.
“There’s been a spot created in Westlock,” said Westlock RCMP Staff Sgt. Al Baird. “Maybe they’re not quite on the verge of being in an emergency but (RCMP) can bring them in for an assessment and help them so that they don’t end up hurting themselves or anybody else or become part of the criminal justice system.”
Canadian Mental Health Association statistics say that in any year, one in five people in Canada will experience a mental health problem or illness. Police are often the primary frontline response to mental health crises and the need for help is growing — in 2020 there were over 20,000 files in Alberta RCMP jurisdiction related to the Mental Health Act. By September 2021, the Alberta RCMP already had 16,908 files.
“To have a person dedicated for this will help take the strain off the other members that are dealing with all the other stuff they have to deal with,” said Baird.
The phased implementation plan will see these teams available to all RCMP detachments over the next three years, which started in 2021. There are several new RPACT locations expected in the coming months. They will be fully funded by the province and include Edson, Coaldale, High Level, St. Paul, Gleichen, Wainwright and Westlock.
“The (RPACT) person here might go to Barrhead or Athabasca as well as Westlock,” said Baird.
The program receives either provincial or municipal funding, depending on regional needs and resources. There are currently five provincially funded RPACT teams for Cochrane, Edmonton Zone, Peace River, Rocky Mountain House, and Wetaskiwin, and three municipally funded RPACT teams for Red Deer, Grande Prairie, and Airdrie.
K-Division reviews resumes to fill the position for the Westlock RPACT team, noted Baird, adding they will play an important role in the region.
“(The RPACT is) for those that maybe are not causing an issue right now because when it’s an emergency, any one of us can deal with it and help bring in a person if they need medical help that way,” said Baird. “But they’ll be following up with people that may have been known to be in crisis and are able to go and assess them and just make sure they’re OK.”
