A New Partnership to Support Mental Health in Our Community
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Every day in Halton, first responders are called to help people facing a mental health crisis. Now, thanks to a new partnership between Halton Healthcare and the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS), those calls will come with even more compassionate, specialized care.
The Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT) pairs a specially trained police officer with a healthcare professional. Together, they respond directly to urgent calls, ensuring safety while providing the right kind of support in the moment.
Sometimes that means a calm conversation to help de-escalate a situation and offer comfort. Other times, it means connecting someone to community resources that can guide them toward recovery. Hospital visits only happen if no other safe option is available.
This new Halton Healthcare–HRPS team will build on a successful model already in place with St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. Between January 2024 and March 2025, HRPS received 5,476 calls related to mental health and addictions concerns — 1,739 of them were handled by the St. Joseph’s MCRRT. The Halton Healthcare team is expected to take on an additional 10% of these calls each year, easing pressure on both hospitals and police services.
The impact is three-fold:
- People in crisis meet a mental health expert right away.
- More individuals are guided to the right community supports instead of hospital or judicial systems.
- Frontline police officers have more capacity to respond to other emergencies.
Deputy Chief Kevin Maher of HRPS explains:”
“Every day, our officers see the tremendous amount of distress experienced by people who are in crisis. Though we are always ready to respond, we know that healthcare professionals and other community services are better equipped to provide individuals with the more robust support they may need… This fantastic new partnership with Halton Healthcare is a win for everyone.”
Claudia Barning, Program Director, Mental Health & Addictions at Halton Healthcare, agrees:
“By integrating healthcare professionals into these situations, we can offer immediate support and ensure that individuals receive appropriate care in a timely manner… Together, we are creating a safer and more compassionate community for all.”
Why it matters for donors like you:
Your generosity helps ensure that our hospital has the expertise, resources, and partnerships to meet people where they are in their moment of need. With your continued support, we can build a community where no one faces a mental health crisis alone.
