Fraser Health and the Abbotsford Police Department have formally announced a partnership to respond better to crisis mental health and addiction situations.
The partnership involves mental health liaison officer Const. Linda Buchanan and designated mental health professionals working closely together.
The project is called Abbotsford Community Health Intervention Partnership (ACHIP).
It provides professional phone consultation when police officers are concerned about individuals in a mental-health or addictions crisis, outreach (with or without police) to clients, and referrals to mental health teams and/ or agencies.
ACHIP will also provide opportunities for officers to learn more about mental health and addiction, and to improve crisis-intervention skills.
Mayor George Peary said the City of Abbotsford strongly supports the project.
"By combining our resources, we will be able to provide even greater support to people in our community that are facing mental health crisis situations," he said.
Services will be available Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Outside of those hours, people in crisis will continue to have access to other services: 911, the after-hours Mental Health Service at 1-877-384-8062 (Monday to Friday, 4:30 to 11 p.m.; weekends and holidays, 1 to 11 p.m.), the centralized crisis line at 1-877-820-7444 every day at all hours, and the Psychiatric Liaison Services in the Abbotsford Regional Hospital emergency department.
The partnership involves mental health liaison officer Const. Linda Buchanan and designated mental health professionals working closely together.
The project is called Abbotsford Community Health Intervention Partnership (ACHIP).
It provides professional phone consultation when police officers are concerned about individuals in a mental-health or addictions crisis, outreach (with or without police) to clients, and referrals to mental health teams and/ or agencies.
ACHIP will also provide opportunities for officers to learn more about mental health and addiction, and to improve crisis-intervention skills.
Mayor George Peary said the City of Abbotsford strongly supports the project.
"By combining our resources, we will be able to provide even greater support to people in our community that are facing mental health crisis situations," he said.
Services will be available Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Outside of those hours, people in crisis will continue to have access to other services: 911, the after-hours Mental Health Service at 1-877-384-8062 (Monday to Friday, 4:30 to 11 p.m.; weekends and holidays, 1 to 11 p.m.), the centralized crisis line at 1-877-820-7444 every day at all hours, and the Psychiatric Liaison Services in the Abbotsford Regional Hospital emergency department.