PORT MOODY, B.C. - Police officers in Port Moody, B.C., are about to start using a digital public safety system to de-escalate and navigate situations that involve mental health and addiction, Mike Farnworth, solicitor general and public safety minister, said Wednesday.

The digital risk screening tool called HealthIM aims to assist officers attending crisis calls by giving advice and guidance from health officials to better understand the behaviour of the person who prompted the call, while offering evidence-based information about mental health and addiction situations, he said at a news conference.

Farnworth said the digital tool, already in use by municipal police in Delta and the RCMP in Surrey and Prince George, will officially launch Thursday in Port Moody.

It is also currently being used by police in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, he said.

"It gives the police a better understanding in terms of what they are dealing with," said Farnworth. "The history of the individual. They're able to communicate ahead with the hospital they may have to attend to. This has been used in Ontario with great success, and other provinces are now using it."

A report from a special committee on reforming the Police Act, released in 2022, concluded that standards were needed when police respond to mental health crises or conduct wellness checks.

He said departments already using the tool in B.C. are "finding it very effective, and I think that's the appropriate way to go. When people in distress reach out for help, we need to take the right steps."

The province will provide $2 million to the B.C. Association of the Chiefs of Police to help implement the digital tool program, which is expected to be in use by police departments across the province by the end of next year, Farnworth said.

Public Safety Ministry data say the HealthIM system has contributed to a decrease in apprehensions by 46 per cent, hospital wait times are down by 39 per cent, and there has been an increase in hospital admission rates of 37 per cent where it's being used.

Port Moody Chief Const. David Fleugel said the digital tool will help his officers provide better outcomes for people who come into contact with police.

"This tool represents a critical bridge between law enforcement and mental health support," he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 6, 2024.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2024