CRISIS LINE

The Crisis Teams have been set up with a responsibility to serve individuals with mental health problems who come into conflict with the law. Each Team has a close working relationship with the Police to ensure that individuals, as much as possible, are diverted from the legal system when mental health treatment seems the more appropriate means of addressing concerns. The Crisis Teams are available to the Police to do joint interventions, to do follow up with Police contacts and to assist the Police in accessing the overall mental health system. The Police in turn ensure that any contact by the Crisis Teams in the community is done in a safe manner.

It is always preferred to gain the cooperation of the person in crisis to agree to seek help. However, if all avenues of persuasion have been exhausted, a family member or concerned friend can make an application under the Mental Health Act for a psychiatric evaluation. This application is called a Form 2. (www.forms.ssb.gov.on.ca and search for "Order for Examination under Section 16"). The family member or friend must present to a local Justice of the Peace (Court House Locations in our Area) and swear out an affidavit detailing concerns regarding the person's behaviour. The Justice of the Peace can then order the Police to apprehend the identified individual and bring him/her to the nearest hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

This would not be the usual practise but in situations where it was judged the Team's presence would assist in obtaining the individual's co-operation, it may be done.

No. This is something that a Judge orders following an arrest and appearance in court. A court ordered assessment is carried out by designated forensic services, such as the Royal Ottawa Hospital.