Province Expands Mental Health Screening Tool to Mounties in B.C. Interior
The app has been used 272 times in one district and is backed by $2 million a year in provincial funding, officials said.
- Vernon-Lumby MLA Harwinder Sandhu announced the expansion of HealthIM, a mental health screening app, to more B.C. Interior RCMP detachments. The digital tool guides officers through risk assessments during mental health crisis calls.
- The B.C. government provides $2 million annually to the BC Association of Chiefs of Police to support the rollout. HealthIM allows officers to access client triggers and de-escalation methods, helping determine who requires emergency transport versus community-based services.
- Data shows a 46 per cent decrease in apprehensions and a 39 per cent reduction in hospital wait times since adoption. As of May 19, RCMP in the Southeast District used the app 272 times, including 133 Mental Health Act apprehensions.
- Starting Wednesday, May 27, the tool launches in Thompson and Shuswap RCMP detachments, including Ashcroft and Kamloops. Supt. Michelle Tansey of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police noted this final phase covers 40 detachments and nine BC Highway Patrol locations.
- Improving coordination between police and health-care professionals remains the goal, as HealthIM streamlines information sharing to ensure individuals in crisis receive compassionate support. This fosters trauma-informed interactions while reducing hospital duplication.
23 Articles
23 Articles
More B.C. Mounties getting access to tool for assessing mental health calls
Harwinder Sandhu, the MLA for Vernon-Lumby, says the digital public safety tool will help police make decisions about who should be transported to the emergency room and "who should be redirected to more appropriate community-based services."
Mental health screening tool launches in B.C. Interior to aid RCMP response - Creston Valley Advance
A screening tool that’s been used by RCMP officers in the East Kootenay region is being expanded throughout the Interior to help police respond to mental health calls, while easing the pressure that healthcare teams face. The HealthIM app is a digital public safety tool that supports police officers’ response to people in crisis. It takes the form of an app that officers use when responding to mental health calls, allowing them access to informa…
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A screening tool that’s been used by RCMP officers in the East Kootenay region is being expanded throughout the Interior to help police respond to mental health calls, while easing the pressure that healthcare teams face. The HealthIM app is a digital public safety tool that supports police officers’ response to people in crisis. It takes the form of an app that officers use when responding to mental health calls, allowing them access to informa…
Mental health screening tool launches in B.C. Interior to aid RCMP response - Vanderhoof Omineca Express
A screening tool that’s been used by RCMP officers in the East Kootenay region is being expanded throughout the Interior to help police respond to mental health calls, while easing the pressure that healthcare teams face. The HealthIM app is a digital public safety tool that supports police officers’ response to people in crisis. It takes the form of an app that officers use when responding to mental health calls, allowing them access to informa…
Mental health screening tool launches in B.C. Interior to aid RCMP response - Northern Sentinel
A screening tool that’s been used by RCMP officers in the East Kootenay region is being expanded throughout the Interior to help police respond to mental health calls, while easing the pressure that healthcare teams face. The HealthIM app is a digital public safety tool that supports police officers’ response to people in crisis. It takes the form of an app that officers use when responding to mental health calls, allowing them access to informa…
Mental health screening tool launches in B.C. Interior to aid RCMP response - Grand Forks Gazette
A screening tool that’s been used by RCMP officers in the East Kootenay region is being expanded throughout the Interior to help police respond to mental health calls, while easing the pressure that healthcare teams face. The HealthIM app is a digital public safety tool that supports police officers’ response to people in crisis. It takes the form of an app that officers use when responding to mental health calls, allowing them access to informa…
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