A new app that offers better inter-agency communication, mental health risk screening, and a pre-response safety briefing to police officers has rolled out to South Island police departments and RCMP detachments. The new tool, HealthIM, has been met with success according to policing leaders in B.C., and in December it was adopted by Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay and Central Saanich police departments. Sidney/North Saanich, Sooke, West Shore and outer Gulf Islands RCMP detachments will be adopting it themselves in the coming months. “When somebody is in crisis, being met with compassion and understanding can make an enormous difference. And when police officers have the right information, they’re better able to take appropriate, supportive steps for people experiencing mental health challenges,” said Health Minister Josie Osborne at an announcement on Monday (Jan. 26). HealthIM allows a responding officer to be guided through a series of questions to help facilitate a better assessment of a person in crisis. It also improves communication with health-care partners by using consistent clinical language and provides critical information to doctors and nurses immediately. It offers an assessment of risk of harm to self or others, and provides safety and de-escalation information about the person to facilitate a better trauma-informed response. According to Osborne, other jurisdictions that use the tool have seen a 46 per cent decrease in apprehensions under the Mental Health Act, a 39 per cent reduction in hospital wait times for officers and a 37 per cent increase in hospital admission rates. “When we are responding to people in crisis, collaboration is essential. Initiatives like HealthIM not only happen because of strong partnerships between the province, police agencies, and the health-care system, but support from our community,” said Saanich Chief Const. Dean Duthie. He said in 2025, Saanich police responded to 462 Mental Health Act-related calls, and apprehended 386 people under the act. For each mental health call, police stayed at the hospital for 2 hours and 49 minutes on average. Over time, the app will be able to give better risk-of-harm analysis history to better provide insight into how police can assist those with prior police interactions. “This tool helps our members focus on de-escalation, reduces delays in connecting people to care and supports more efficient use of police resources across our diverse Island communities. As HealthIM continues to be implemented, it further strengthens service delivery and improves outcomes for both the public and our officers,” noted Chief Supt. Bruce Singer, commander of the Island District RCMP, in a news release. HealthIM has already been used by police in Port Moody, Nelson, Delta, Prince George and Surrey. It’s also being used among police departments in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.
More
Less
