Non-911 mental health response pilot project to launch in Centretown Aug. 15

A person uses a cell phone in Ottawa on Monday, July 18, 2022. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)

A pilot project testing a new 24/7 non-police crisis response team in Ottawa’s Centretown neighbourhood will launch in mid-August, organizers say.

The Centretown Community Health Centre says on a webpage for the program that the Alternate Neighbourhood Crisis Response (ANCHOR) program will launch Aug. 15. People in Centretown can call 2-1-1 to request a mobile crisis team for themselves or someone else in a mental health or substance use crisis and a team of crisis response workers will respond any time day or night.

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"The ANCHOR team will respond to non-emergency situations in the area between the Ottawa River (north), Rideau Canal (east), Trans-Canada Highway 417 (south) and Preston Street (west)," the Centretown CHC says.

Ottawa City Council approved the pilot project last year to create a mobile team led by civilian professionals with expertise in mental health and substance use crises to respond to such issues in place of Ottawa police. Centretown was chosen as the first location to test the project. The neighbourhood was chosen because of its high community need, central location, and urban accessibility. The Centretown and Somerset West community health centres will deliver the program. The 2-1-1 service will be provided by Community Navigation of Eastern Ontario.

Somerset Ward Coun. Ariel Troster tells CTV News Ottawa she's "over the moon" about this program being ready to launch.

"I can't wait," she said in an interview on Friday.

"The number one thing I've heard is that people just want someone else to call when they see someone in crisis. They're not behaving in a criminal way, but perhaps they're yelling or having an overdose and they want someone to call that isn't police. This will give them someone to call any time of day."

 

 

 

 

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The Centretown CHC says the goal of the pilot project is to evaluate the benefits of a non-police, community-based response to mental health and substance use crises.

"Post-crisis support workers will refer clients to other community services to address the immediate issue(s) an individual is facing," the organization said.

"The ANCHOR program is a non-police, community-led, culturally sensitive and equity-centered service. On each response there will be team members who have lived or living experience with mental health or substance use, and/or are racialized."

Troster says she hopes this program can also lead to better use of police resources, where they are focused on matters of public safety while the ANCHOR team deals with mental health and substance use issues.

"I am very confident in the team that will be staffing this program," Troster said. "They have de-escalation and crisis management skills, they speak multiple languages, and have lived experience. I hope that this can help build trust with the community. One of the key elements of de-escalation is trust."

ANCHOR teams will have some manner of visibility in the form of a shirt or vest, Troster said, and two vans will be available to drive to calls. The goal is to ensure that no one waits more than 10 minutes after requesting help.

Troster also said that calling either 2-1-1 or 9-1-1 after the project launches at 7 a.m. Aug. 15 will work, as dispatchers will be trained to assess the call and request the appropriate resources; however, 2-1-1 will be the number that is heavily advertised as the number to call for a wellness check, a mental health issue, or substance use crisis.

"In my office, we have a 'who-to-call' list and it has 25 numbers on it, and they're all available at different times. This 2-1-1 number will be a one-stop shop," she said.

Cases that involve direct threats to safety or that involve weapons will still be handled by police. The responding team can ask for police backup when necessary, but Troster said similar programs in other cities have rarely needed a police response.

The City of Toronto said in October 2023 that its Community Crisis Service received 6,827 calls in its first year, with 78 per cent of calls transferred from 911 successfully resolved without police involvement.

The pilot project is scheduled for three years, but Troster says it could be upscaled to other neighbourhoods if it proves successful. The City of Ottawa said last year the pilot project would cost $2.5 million in the first year, which includes funding for an agency to operate the non-911 number and for the community-lead agency to respond to calls. Troster said provincial funding would also be available. The $543-million funding deal announced in March includes $48 million for community and public safety initiatives.