Fraser Valley – To help people in crisis and to free police to focus on crime, a new crisis response team is now in Chilliwack. This was girst announced back in July.
In B.C., one in five interactions with police involve someone with a mental-health disorder.
Original July 2023 FVN story is here.
Four communities in the Lower Mainland – Abbotsford, Burnaby, Chilliwack and Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam – have launched Mobile Integrated Crisis Response teams, formerly known as Car Teams. These teams are staffed with mental-health professionals and police officers to help people in crisis who call police and need appropriate health-care services.
Dan Coulter, MLA for Chilliwack – “Mobile Integrated Crisis Response teams are important services to have when it comes to crisis intervention and community safety, supporting a more compassionate response for people in mental-health emergencies.”
Kelli Paddon, MLA for Chilliwack-Kent – “The implementation of new the Mobile Integrated Crisis Response team in our community will ensure that people experiencing a mental-health or substance-use crisis are cared for safely by bringing together health-care professionals and police. We have heard from folks in Chilliwack how important supports are in a crisis, and these teams are a critical part of our work to build safer communities and ensure people in crisis get connected to the supports they need.”
