Ontario Expanding Mobile Crisis Response Teams in Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes

Over $286,000 investment for additional mental health and addictions crisis workers

March 18, 2022

BROCKVILLE – The Ontario government is improving public safety and supports for people in crisis by investing more than $286,000 over two years to expand Mobile Crisis Response Teams. The Grenville OPP Detachment will receive $148,782.50 and the Leeds County OPP Detachment will receive $137,675.00 in grant funding to increase their capacity to respond to calls from individuals experiencing a mental health or addictions crisis. The investment will enable police services to add mental health and addictions crisis workers to existing Mobile Crisis Response Teams and help ensure these specialized resources are available where and when needed.

“Our government continues to support police services as they deliver critical services on the ground,” said Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. “This new grant program will expand the OPP’s ability to deliver appropriate services and underlines our government’s commitment to public safety.”

Mobile Crisis Response Teams consist of police officers and crisis workers working together to respond to complex situations where mental health or addictions may be a factor. Supported by the police, crisis workers determine whether an individual in crisis should be sent to an emergency department for treatment and are equipped to provide connections to community programming and supports to address an individual’s physical and mental well-being over the longer term.

The Mobile Crisis Response Teams Enhancement Grant is part of Ontario’s Roadmap to Wellness to build Ontario’s mental health and addictions system and complements the government’s earlier commitments to protect people’s health and enhance mobile crisis intervention teams across the province to help build a province where all people feel safe and protected.

“It is evident that mental health and crisis-related calls to police continue to be on the rise. The implementation of the Mobile Crisis Response Team has assisted the Grenville County OPP to build stronger relationships with community agencies and assist individuals in crisis and their families. The enhanced funding for the MCRT will help to better streamline access to mental health crisis services and provide a more cohesive response to better assess the immediate safety risks at the scene, and provide more follow-up contact with individuals and their families.” – Inspector Josh Kingsley – Detachment Commander, Grenville County OPP

“The grant funds provided to the Leeds County MCRT program will enhance and expand our ability to provide resources to community members. The partnership we have with the Brockville General Hospital is a joint response effort with police and a crisis worker to deescalate and connect services to an individual in crisis or the family members.” – Inspector Cory Villeneuve – Detachment Commander, Leeds County OPP.

QUICK FACTS

• All municipal and First Nations police services, as well as the OPP were eligible to apply for funding.
• Maximum funding for each project is $120,000 per fiscal year for a total of $240,000 over two years. However, additional funding may be granted pending considerations such as geography and local service system features that impact service delivery costs.
• Police services are required to track and collect provincially identified outcomes as well as identify their own local performance measures based on their projects.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Mobile Crisis Response Team Enhancement Grants Recipients
• Ontario Expanding Mental Health Supports for the OPP
• Ontario Increasing Mental Health Supports for Indigenous Peoples, Families and Communities
• Ontario Expanding OPP Crisis Call Diversion Program
  
  

MEDIA CONTACT
Erin Merkley

Constituency Assistant

erin.merkley@pc.ola.org

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Grenville Photo, L to R – Shawn Souder, Manager of Community Mental Health Programs at Brockville General Hospital – Shawna Marshall, Registered Nurse – Staff Sergeant, Nancy Graves, Grenville OPP – MPP Steve Clark

Leeds Photo, L to R – Shawna Marshall, Registered Nurse – Shawn Souder, Manager of Community Mental Health Programs at Brockville General Hospital – MPP Steve Clark – Inspector Corey Villeneuve, Leeds County OPP – Constable Erin Cranton, Leeds County OPP