it is crucial that police alternatives to crisis response calls be driven by peer support workers and regulated health professionals.
the community-led nature of this initiative is of utmost importance. as health providers, we recognize that the health-care sector is not far removed from the justice system, particularly when it comes to mental health care. many people, including our peers and patients, are nervous around both police and mental health workers due to the imbalance in the power dynamics. this is not to take away from the expertise many mental health care providers hold; instead, we need to recognize that our collective ability to help those in crisis is strengthened by authentic collaboration with those who have first-hand experience.
for these reasons, we believe it is crucial that police alternatives to crisis response calls be driven by peer support workers and regulated health professionals such as mental health nurses, social workers and physicians, and we urge fellow health-care providers to advocate for the involvement of service-user experts in these responses.
with our collective expertise in the mental health-care system, we know there are gaps in mental health care. it is rare that individuals in crisis call 911 as their first method for seeking help. more commonly, it is the culmination of a slow and gradual process of being continually let down by the insufficient help that is available. we need to prioritize funding and accessibility of supports such as psychotherapy. we need to focus on preventing crises through other supports the community has been asking for, such as secure housing and fair wages, as well as easily accessible and adequately funded mental health care interventions, such as psychotherapy.
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