Waterloo Regional Police Service calls to people suffering from a mental health crisis, addiction or social disorders jumped 21 per cent in the first quarter of this year when compared to the same period last year.
In the first quarter of 2022, IMPACT personnel were dispatched 310 times between January 1, and March 31, 2022.
It represents a four per cent decrease from the previous quarter in 2021 (323 counts) but 21 per cent higher in the same period, last year (257 counts).
The five most frequent calls IMPACT responded to were for mental illness, suicide attempts, compassion to locate wellness checks, domestic dispute and domestic (other).
They accounted for 86 per cent of all the calls police attended.
In May of 2018, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Waterloo Wellington adapted its Specialized Crisis Team (SCT) program to collaborate with the Waterloo Regional Police Service and their Integrated Mobile Police and Crisis Team (IMPACT).
The IMPACT teams consist of a variety of addictions and mental health clinicians who can respond to live calls with police officers. IMPACT currently has 11 members who provide coverage from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m., seven days a week.
IMPACT has attended 13 per cent of all WRPS attempt suicide calls, and 15 per cent of all WRPS mentally ill calls.
Significantly, between January 1, and March 31, 2022, IMPACT was unavailable only twice during scheduled hours. This is the best availability rate since the implementation of the WRPS and IMPACT partnership.
In 2022, WRPS continues to work closely with IMPACT on strategies to improve services and respond to needs in Waterloo Region.
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