Lethbridge’s Diversion Outreach Team expands, allowing first responders to focus more on emergencies

Aug 2, 2019 | 12:12 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – You can expect to see members of the Diversion Outreach Team (DOT) on the streets of Lethbridge more often.

They have added a second team of six people to their ranks.

Before now, they operated six days a week from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. Now, they will be out and about from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm Monday to Friday and 6:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekends.

“The DOT offers a mobile division response to vulnerable individuals who might be facing homelessness, mental health concerns, or addictions on our street,” says Communication Lead and Project Coordinator David Gabert.

“We actively liase with the police and EMS as well as businesses and concerned citizens to address any sort of concerns people are having regarding individuals who are intoxicated.”

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The goal, says Gabert, is to ensure that emergency responders are able to focus their efforts on critical emergencies while they handle calls that might not require the response of police, firefighters, or paramedics.

DOT first launched in 2016, and as of 2016, the group has been operating at capacity. They are operated by the Canadian Mental Health Association.

“They’ve been very succesful in diverting calls from fire and EMS and building raport with the individuals who might be suffering from mental health concerns, living on the street, sleeping rough, those sorts of things.”

While DOT primarily focuses on Lethbridge’s downtown core, their services cover the entire city.

by David Opinko