HealthIM. (Photo: Lethbridge Police Service)

By Regan Tate

New tool to improve police response to mental health calls coming to Alberta

Jun 1, 2022 | 1:35 PM

EDMONTON, AB – The Government of Alberta is implementing a new system that will help police services across the province treat mental health and addiction as health care issues.

HealthIM is a new system that equips police officers with information to better assess the needs of a person experiencing a mental health emergency when responding to calls for service.

The tool is designed to assist in getting people the recovery-oriented help they need while increasing community safety.

Mike Ellis, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, says the tool will improve outcomes for those in crisis. Ellis believes police must be an integral part of the recovery-oriented system of care.

According to a press release from the provincial government, HealthIM gives police services access to the following:

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• A pre-response safety briefing that includes de-escalation techniques and access to any previously known police information about the person in crisis
• A mental health risk screening tool that helps officers determine whether transportation under the Mental Health Act to a designated health facility is warranted or if community-based services are more appropriate
• Inter-agency communication that supports information sharing with health facilities and community-based services, which expedites the transfer of care
• Reporting and analytics to help with evidence-based decision-making and outcomes evaluation

The province says data from other jurisdictions shows that HealthIM contributes to significant reductions in involuntary arrests while ensuring people in crisis get appropriate help to support their recovery.

Starting in July, the Edmonton Police Service will be the first service in Alberta to start using HealthIM. The tool will then be expanded to other areas of the province over the next year in a phased approach.

In January 2022, the Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) said it hoped to join HealthIM in April. Officials with LPS now say that they do not have a confirmed date for when the platform will be implemented in Lethbridge.

READ MORE: LPS to join new provincial mental health response platform this spring