Mental Health Crisis Co-Response Models in British Columbia

Police calls for service involving persons with mental illness (PWMI) are common in British
Columbia, often involving repeat contacts with the criminal justice system. While Crisis Intervention Training is widely used, co-responder models that pair police officers with mental health professionals, have also been implemented. These models aim to reduce harm, stabilize individuals, and preventing future crises. This project reviewed mental health crisis co-response models with the goal to identify best practices for establishing and implementing these models to maximize service delivery and minimize harm. The project analyzed trends in mental health crisis co-response units in British Columbia using quantitative data from a sample of RCMP detachments and conducted qualitative interviews with co-response team members. The quantitative data focused on calls for service involving individuals with mental illness in 2024, while the qualitative interviews explored the teams’ mandates, resources, operations, and challenges. A literature review of co-response approaches from Canada, the US, and other jurisdictions provided context and identified best practices.

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