FAQs

On July 29, 2020, Durham Regional Council voted to explore a 24/7 mobile crisis response program that empowers mental health professionals to lead a crisis intervention response. This work involves collaboration between Durham Region Health Department, Paramedic Services, Social Services, DEI Division and Durham Regional Police Service.

A Community Mental Health Crisis Response team is a community-based program that provides 24/7 mobile crisis response led by mental health experts, such as social workers, mental health nurses and/or peer support workers. The goal of the initiative is to de-escalate the crisis and connect the individual and/or family to support services, where appropriate. A community-based response to mental health crises helps improve perceived stigmatization for service users, reduces emergency room visits and increases referral rates for follow-up supports[1].

Cities in Canada and around the world have developed Community Mental Health Crisis Response services. The City of Toronto launched a Community Mental Health Crisis Response service in 2022, as did the Region of Peel. In the United States, the CAHOOTS team in Eugene, Oregon has been providing a Community Mental Health Crisis Response service since 1989 and more than sixty other American cities—including New York City, Denver, San Francisco and Albuquerque—have developed their own Community Mental Health Crisis Response teams. You can find a map of many Community Mental Health Crisis Response services worldwide here, and learn more about these services here and here.

Data from existing Community Mental Health Crisis Response services across Canada and the United States demonstrate that the risk of injury to crisis team workers and the general public is extremely low. Data collected from these teams shows that Community Mental Health Crisis Response services, in Canada and the United States, have never had a serious injury or death of a service user, staff member or third party. Calls for police backup from the Community Mental Health Crisis Response services happen on about one to two per cent of calls, depending on the jurisdiction[1].

The Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) 1-Year Outcome Evaluation Report states that 93 per cent of calls in the first 13 months were successfully completed. Only 1 per cent of the Community Crisis Team’s total dispatches (61 out of 5,868) were medical emergencies resulting in the need for an Emergency Department visit. Survey data found that 86% of service provider respondents agree that the TCCS promotes physical safety while users are receiving support; 100% of service user respondents agreed that they felt physically safe while receiving support through the TCCS. In November 2023, Toronto City Council unanimously approved the city-wide expansion of TCCS before the end of 2024.

The Community Mental Health Crisis Response service is intended to address unmet needs identified through the community engagement phase of this initiative. It will build on the strengths of existing mental health community services and aim to deliver a co-ordinated responsive approach to mental health care.

The Community Mental Health Crisis Response initiative is being explored by the Region of Durham’s Social Services Department, Health Department, Paramedic Services, DEI Division, and the Durham Regional Police Service, with consultation from the International Crisis Response Association and community organizations. 

The following organizations have provided focus group support: Abilities Centre; Canadian Mental Health Association Durham; Carea Community Health Centre; Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services; Durham’s Children and Youth Planning Network; Durham Family & Cultural Centre; Ifarada Centre for Excellence; Kujenga Wellness Project; Community Development Council Durham; Lakeridge Health; McLean Community Centre; Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences; Pinewood Centre; The Nourish and Develop Foundation.

We engaged community members through focus groups and a survey. 

The survey was available on this web page from November 2022 to March 2023. More than 1,400 community members complete the survey; sharing their thoughts about the Community Mental Health Crisis Response service. 

Sixteen (16) focus groups (virtual and in-person) were held between November 2022 and April 2023 to hear from community members about what they would like to see in the new service. We heard a range of perspectives, including from people who have lived experience with mental health challenges; family members and friends of people experiencing mental health challenges; local service providers; members of Black, Indigenous, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities; people living with disabilities; north Durham residents; staff specializing in children and youth services; and other community members.

Visit the Community Mental Health Crisis Response web page to subscribe to future project updates. Select the grey “register” button on the top right-hand side of your screen.

• Completion of an environmental scan to better understand Durham community resources and service gaps, as well as the needs of Durham residents, including the unique needs of newcomers, north Durham residents, Black, Indigenous and racialized communities.
• Conducted a scan of international best practices in Non-Police Led Crisis Response Services.
• Outreach to key collaborators, including community agencies, Lakeridge Health, the Region of Durham Paramedic Services and the Durham Regional Police Service.
• Completion of sixteen (16) focus groups with community members, including from people who have lived experience with mental health challenges; family members and friends of people who have experienced mental health challenges; local service providers; members of Black, Indigenous, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities; people living with disabilities; north Durham residents; staff specializing in children and youth services; and other community members living in Durham Region.
• Completion of a survey requesting feedback from Durham community members on what they would like to see as part of this service.
• Ongoing consultation with an advisory body comprised of key stakeholders.

• Feedback collected from the survey and focus groups was compiled into a final evaluation report. A presentation with the final evaluation report and a staff information report (Report #2024-COW-5) were presented to the Durham Region Committee of the Whole on January 17, 2024. To access these reports, visit: https://pub-durhamregion.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=3028.

You can also connect with Project Leads Rachel Bromberg or Tracey Tyner Cavanagh if you have any questions or concerns.

The Region is not currently recruiting volunteers or staff to support the Non-Police Led Mental Health Crisis Response Project but we encourage anyone interested to register on the Non-Police Led Mental Health Crisis Response Community Engagement web page for updates.