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Mobile supports now available in more central Â鶹ӳ»­ communities

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE ¨C Local and area residents experiencing a mental health crisis in central Â鶹ӳ»­ now have more supports through the expansion of a community-based mobile crisis team.

The Regional Police and Crisis Team (RPACT) ¡ª a partnership between Â鶹ӳ»­ (AHS) and the Â鶹ӳ»­ RCMP ¡ª is comprised of AHS mental health professionals and Â鶹ӳ»­ RCMP officers, who will intervene, assess, de-escalate, refer and follow up with individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. A team is now based in Rocky Mountain House that will also serve residents of Blackfalds, Innisfail, Drayton Valley, Rimbey, Sundre and Sylvan Lake.

¡°As a former police officer, I know firsthand that it is essential to ensure that police have access to the resources they need to support Â鶹ӳ»­ns who are struggling. This partnership will improve both community safety, and access to mental health and addiction care for Â鶹ӳ»­ns,¡± says Mike Ellis, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Staff Sgt. Colette Zazulak, who oversees Â鶹ӳ»­ RCMP Community Policing RPACT, says police are frequently the primary front-line response to mental health crises.

¡°The collaborative approach of police working with mental health professionals provides a level of clinical expertise that benefits the individual in crisis,¡± says Zazulak. ¡°The work of RPACT has already been underway for several years within the Â鶹ӳ»­ RCMP and we look forward to continuing our efforts and partnerships for effective mental health response within our communities.¡±

Carla Prediger, Director of Addiction & Mental Health in AHS Central Zone, says RPACT offers a comprehensive approach to helping individuals in crisis. ¡°The collaborative support provided by RPACT results in increased safety for all involved, and connects individuals to the appropriate resources for follow-up mental health treatment,¡± she says.

Mobilization of the RPACT team is determined through contacts to local RCMP detachments and/or through calls to 911.

Â鶹ӳ»­ is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Â鶹ӳ»­. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Â鶹ӳ»­ns.