(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

A new mental health crisis support program is up and running in Penticton.

Interior Health announced today, Jan. 22, it's launching a Mobile Integrated Crisis Response team in Penticton.

The team pairs mental health professionals from Interior Health with RCMP officers to respond to calls about people going through a mental health crisis and connect them with the right services, according to a press release from Interior Health.

“When people are in distress because of a mental-health emergency and they call police, we need to take the right steps to provide them with the care they need to stay safe and meet them where they are at,” Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, said in the release.

The health-care professionals will provide immediate mental health assessments and be able to connect people in crisis with the resources they need.

“With the new Mobile, Integrated Crisis Response team in Penticton, people in crisis will be met with appropriate, compassionate and comprehensive care, and a clear path to the help they need, supporting them on their road to wellness,” Whiteside said.

In BC, one in five police interactions involve someone with a mental disorder and these new teams aim to handle those calls better.

“This is an important milestone for Penticton, as we continue to work towards a safer and more resilient community. Having this program up and running will provide support for those in crisis and also allow RCMP to focus on serious crimes.  We know there is more we can all do and this program can act as a prototype for future shared efforts,” Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield said in the release.

BC has spend $3 million implementing these response teams in nine communities around the province including Vernon. 

This announcement is part of the province’s Safer Communities Action Plan which includes the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions’ $1 billion dollar investment into expanding and improving mental health care in BC.

“This dedicated response will ensure those experiencing a mental health crisis receive appropriate care in a timely manner and will allow frontline police officers to concentrate on investigating and proactively preventing crimes in our community,” RCMP Supt. Beth McAndie, Officer in Charge for Penticton Detachment, said in the release.

Find out more about the response team program here.

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