NSNDP renews call for mental health crisis teams to respond to growing need

HALIFAX – Police in Bridgewater plan to begin billing the province for long hours spent in hospitals on mental health calls, highlighting the urgent need for dedicated mental health crisis teams.

“Police will often be the first to say responding to mental health crises is not what they are trained to do,” said NSNDP Leader Claudia Chender. “Often, the people calling for help are in acute distress, and there’s a specific set of skills required to respond.”

The Nova Scotia NDP has been calling for the creation of a new form of first responders to assist with mental health crises for years. In 2021, the NSNDP tabled a bill to create mental health crisis teams across the province.

“This is an issue that is becoming more and more prevalent, particularly given the squeeze of our health care resources,” said Chender. “We need to ensure that people get appropriate and timely care.”

The NSNDP is renewing its call for this service, which would respond to police calls for support and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.

A similar approach is already in place in Alberta, where teams of mental health workers are available through the 911 system.

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