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1 Non-Police Mental Health Crisis Reponse Report

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1 Non-Police Mental Health Crisis Reponse Report NON - POLICE MENTAL HEALTH C RISIS REPONSE REPORT PREPARED BY VIVIC RESEARCH SPONSORED BY 613 - 819 BLACK HUB 1 Acknowledgements The following document is a consolidation of community voices surveyed by Vivic Research, and sponsored by the 613-819 Black Hub. We would like to thank all those who participated in the consultation process for their invaluable advice and insights. Your participation was key in developing the strategy. We recognize and appreciate the time and emotional labour required to engage in this work, and are grateful for the patience, compassion, and enthusiasm we were shown. We would also like to take an opportunity to acknowledge those whose commitment to compassionate, community-centred mental health care pre-dates this project. Your work and advocacy was foundational to the success of this project, and we thank you for your relentless work and fierce advocacy. Special thanks to… African Canadian Association of Ottawa Alliance to End Homelessness Barrett Centre for Crisis Support Black Ottawa Connect Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS, White Bird Clinic) Fabiola’s Addiction and Mental Health Awareness & Support Foundation Gerstein Crisis Centre Horizon Ottawa Mandi Pekan, The Street Resilience Project Mat Adams, MAX Ottawa North-South Development Roots and Culture Canada Odawa Native Friendship Centre Ottawa Black Diaspora Coalition Overdose Prevention Ottawa Street Team Outreach Mobile (STORM) Wiindo Debwe Mosewin Patrol Thunder Bay 24/7 Crisis Diversion, REACH Edmonton 2 Contents ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 5 1. Social Determinants of Mental Health .................................................................................................. 6 1.1 WHO Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................................. 7 1.2 Federal and Provincial Level Social Determinants .............................................................................. 8 1.2.1 Health care ................................................................................................................................. 10 1.2.2 Drug policy ................................................................................................................................. 10 1.2.3 Social assistance ......................................................................................................................... 12 1.2.4 Child protection policies ............................................................................................................ 13 1.2.5 Environmental policy ................................................................................................................. 14 1.3 Community and Local Level Context ................................................................................................. 15 1.3.1 Housing ...................................................................................................................................... 15 1.3.2 Mental health care ..................................................................................................................... 16 1.3.3 Public transit .............................................................................................................................. 16 1.4 Household and Family Level Context ................................................................................................ 17 1.4.1 Pre-natal ..................................................................................................................................... 17 1.4.2 Life course .................................................................................................................................. 17 1.5 Stigmatization ................................................................................................................................... 18 1.6 Key Takeaway .................................................................................................................................... 19 2. Criminalization as a Crisis Response ................................................................................................... 19 2.1 Police as First Responders ................................................................................................................. 20 2.1.1 Police killings and community trauma ....................................................................................... 21 2.1.2 Police in schools ......................................................................................................................... 22 2.1.3 Incarceration .............................................................................................................................. 22 2.2 Traditional Healthcare Settings ......................................................................................................... 23 2.2.1 Hospitals ..................................................................................................................................... 23 2.2.2 Psychiatry ................................................................................................................................... 24 2.4 Key Takeaway .................................................................................................................................... 26 3. Policing in Canada ............................................................................................................................... 26 3.1 History of Policing in Canada ............................................................................................................ 27 3.2 Pervasive Discrimination of Marginalized Communities .................................................................. 29 3.3 Shortcomings of Police Reform ......................................................................................................... 30 3.3.1 Training ...................................................................................................................................... 31 3.3.2 Accountability ............................................................................................................................ 31 3 3.3.3 Surveillance technology ............................................................................................................. 32 3.3.4 Diversity ..................................................................................................................................... 33 3.4 De-tasking and Defunding ................................................................................................................. 33 3.5 Key Takeaway .................................................................................................................................... 35 4. Mobile Crisis Response Teams ............................................................................................................ 35 4.1 Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS) ................................................................ 36 4.2 24/7 Diversion ................................................................................................................................... 37 4.3 Gerstein Crisis Centre........................................................................................................................ 37 4.4 Indigenous-led Models ..................................................................................................................... 37 4.5 Co-responder Models ....................................................................................................................... 38 4.6 Key Takeaway .................................................................................................................................... 39 5. Mental Health Responses in Ottawa .................................................................................................. 40 5.1. Volume of Mental Health Calls for Service ...................................................................................... 40 5.2 OPS Expenditure on Mental Health .................................................................................................. 42 5.3 Mental Health Response Strategy Consultation ............................................................................... 43 5.4 Alternatives Outreach Programs ....................................................................................................... 43 5.5 Key Takeaway .................................................................................................................................... 44 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 44 Works Cited ................................................................................................................................................. 46 Appendix I: Mental Health Act .................................................................................................................... 61 4 1 The topic of mental health has become much more broadly discussed in recent years. 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