Connect with us

Health

Police and Crisis Teams (PACT) see RCMP and mental health nurses providing critical mental health services

Published

2 minute read

News release from Red Deer RCMP

Red Deer RCMP bring attention to suicide and mental health

As Sept. 10th approaches, Red Deer RCMP would like to take time to recognize the importance of World Suicide Prevention Day.

Suicide and mental health are difficult topics to discuss and often carry stigma and shame. Far too often these 2 things act as barriers and prevent people from getting the help they need and deserve.

Many individuals struggle with mental health on a daily basis. Asking for help or listening to a friend or family member can be difficult when we don’t know what to say or where to turn.

Red Deer RCMP would like to reach out to our community and fellow citizens to let them know they are not alone. As police officers we acknowledge suicide exists. Members receive training which prepares officers responding to calls for service when dealing with suicide ideations and suicidality.

In Red Deer we are fortunate to have two Police and Crisis Teams (PACT) that are specially trained in suicide and mental health. PACT is a collaborative partnership between Red Deer Primary Care Network (PCN) and Red Deer RCMP. Our PACT teams consist of a police officer paired with a registered psychiatric nurse (RPN).

For the last 12 years, PACT has been responding to mental health crisis calls providing initial intervention in Red Deer. Our PACT teams are well versed in dealing with suicide and mental health, and are often called upon for their experience alongside other police officers.

Our PACT team is an integral part of an innovative police response in our community.

We are proud to have RPN Michelle, Constable Floroiu, Constable Kokkola, and RPN John providing mental health response in our community.

If you, or someone you know is struggling with mental health or suicide, contact the Alberta Mental Health Help line, 24-hour service, 1-877-303-2642.

Todayville is a digital media and technology company. We profile unique stories and events in our community. Register and promote your community event for free.

Follow Author

More from this author

Addictions

Addiction Recovery: City hosting full day information session on “Recovery Oriented Systems of Care”

Published on

Embracing Recovery Together

Come together in Red Deer for a one-day conference focused on building an understanding of what a Recovery Oriented System of Care is, and what implementation can look like for Red Deer specifically.

Join industry, not-for-profits, government, and interested members of our public to learn, grow, build and start a journey towards recovery.

The word “recovery” can have various meanings in various contexts. For the purposes of an ideal coordinated response, it means helping individuals maintain forward momentum toward better wellness and fulfillment, across all dimensions of their life – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and culturally.

When:

Wednesday, October 4 – 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Where:

Westerner Park (4847A 19th Street)

Event Details:

  • 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. – Breakfast & Registration
  • 8:30 – 9:15 a.m. – Welcome & Opening Prayer with Mayor Ken Johnston and Elder Lynn Jonasson
  • 9:15 – 10:15 a.m. – Opening Plenary: Let’s Get to Work with Alison Jones Webb
  • 10:15 – 10:30 a.m. – Coffee break
  • 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. –  Breakout Option #1: What is Recovery, Recovery Capital and Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC) with Paul W. Sobey, MD
  • 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. – Breakout Option #2: Understanding Trauma and Behaviour with Elicia Miller
  • 11:15 – 11:30 a.m. – Break
  • 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. –  Breakout Option #3: Conversation with Elder Lynn Jonasson
  • 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Breakout Option #4: Panel discussion with Kath Hoffman, Reed Charbonneau, Ben Borger, Samantha Shortneck and Sarah Fleck
  • 12:15 – 1 p.m. – Lunch break
  • 1 – 3:30 p.m. – Afternoon Keynote: “Whole of Society Approach” to Recovery with Dr. Alina Turner
  • 3:30 – 4 p.m. – Closing remarks with the Honourable Dan Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction

More information about the facility, including directions, can be found here: https://westernerpark.ca/

More information about Red Deer, hotels, what to do, and restaurants, please visit Tourism Red Deer

Thank you to the Government of Alberta for providing financial support for this event. For more information about the Provincial Government’s approach, please read the report here: Toward an Alberta Model of Wellness

*Note: If the cost of the conference is a barrier to attending, please reach out to [email protected] and we would be happy to work with you to ensure everyone has the opportunity to attend.

Learn more and register

Speaker Bios

Continue Reading

Mental Health

Mental Health, MAID, and Governance in Trudeau’s Canada

Published on

DAN KNIGHT

 The Opposition with Dan Knight

A Critical Examination of Governance, Ethical Implications, and the Search for Compassionate Solutions in a Nation in Crisis

The mental health crisis in Canada, deepened and exacerbated under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership, has laid bare the stark realities and the fundamental cracks in our national mental health support structures. The haunting statistics released by the Angus Reid Institute have catapulted this crisis to the forefront of national discourse, but it seems that the ramifications extend far beyond mere numbers. Approximately 80% of Canadians are grappling with the inadequate availability of mental health resources, and the governmental response, or lack thereof, has amplified this concern.

Under Trudeau’s regime, the pervasive decline in mental health has not only been met with superficial commitments but has also seen the advancement of policies that many argue are an affront to the sanctity of life and individual liberty, namely, the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) legislation.

The Trudeau administration, amidst the throes of a profound mental health crisis, had pledged a seemingly substantial $4.5 billion over five years to address mental health care during the 2021 federal election. However, the tangible execution of this commitment remains elusive, with the funds ostensibly being absorbed into broader health care allocations. A dire need, once seemingly acknowledged, now seemingly diluted in priorities.

It’s in this same disconcerting timeframe that the contentious discussions around MAID have intensified. The proposed legislative modifications seek to expand the eligibility criteria to include individuals whose sole medical condition is a mental illness. This proposition has resulted in a fierce national debate and has amplified concerns over the values and the ethical compass guiding our nation’s leadership.

While the inception of MAID in 2016 found support among 64% of Canadians, the broadening of its scope to include mental illnesses has sparked widespread hesitation and reflection on its ethical implications. A mere 28% of Canadians support allowing those with only a mental illness to seek MAID. This shift in public sentiment is indicative of a collective realization of the complex moral, ethical, and societal implications of such a policy in a nation already strained by a lack of mental health support.

There’s an unsettling correlation between the difficulties in accessing mental health care and the support for the expansion of MAID. Two in five Canadians who’ve encountered barriers in accessing mental health care express support for the inclusion of mental illnesses in MAID eligibility. This correlation rings alarm bells about the level of desperation and despair fueled by inadequate mental health resources and support.

The MAID legislation, particularly its proposed expansion, is symptomatic of a deeper, more entrenched disregard for life and liberty. The policies and legislation emanating from Trudeau’s administration seem to foster an environment where the value of life is underplayed, and individual freedoms are undervalued. Rather than addressing the root causes and formulating holistic, compassionate solutions for mental health struggles, the government seems poised to offer an expedited escape route, overlooking the sanctity of life and the intrinsic rights of the individuals.

The urgency to address mental health challenges, especially those disproportionately affecting women, young adults, and lower-income households, is paramount. It requires genuine, sustained commitments and actions, far removed from mere electoral promises and rhetoric. The dialogue surrounding MAID, although crucial, risks overshadowing the fundamental issues at hand – the acute need for enhanced, accessible mental health care resources and a governmental ethos that values and preserves life and liberty.

In light of these pivotal concerns, this beckons a grave question to us all: Is this truly the Canada we desire? A Canada where, when faced with life’s vicissitudes, the solution provided by the government is simply to opt for MAID? Or do we yearn for a Canada that embodies hope, a belief that circumstances can, and will, improve? When 2025 arrives, the bell will indeed toll for Justin Trudeau and his Liberal compatriots, and we, as staunch Canadians, will need to rise to the occasion and answer this question. It’s a query not merely about policies or governance but about the very soul and essence of our great nation.

Subscribe to The Opposition with Dan Knight

Launched 4 months ago

I’m an independent Canadian journalist exposing corruption, delivering unfiltered truths and untold stories. Join me on Substack for fearless reporting that goes beyond headlines

 

Continue Reading

Trending

X