Exeter, ON, Canada / 90.5 Exeter Today
Dec 18, 2020 6:35 AM
A new partnership between CMHA Elgin-Middlesex Branch, Middlesex County, the OPP and Strathroy-Caradoc Police will provide more effective and appropriate responses to mental health and addictions-related crisis calls in rural areas.
This new initiative, known as the Middlesex Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT), has been developed to address a need for mental health, addictions and crisis support in the rural communities of Middlesex County.
Mental health and/or addictions-related calls to Middlesex County OPP and Strathroy-Caradoc Police combined have increased by 63% in the past three years.
Launched last month and supported by provincial government funding, the MCRRT will see two mental health response workers embedded within the Middlesex County OPP and SCPS who accompanies an officer on mental health and addictions-related police calls. Since November 6th, the MCRRT has supported 132 contacts experiencing a crisis.