Enhanced companies can be found for folks in Nanaimo experiencing psychological well being and/or substance use crises, due to Automobile 54 – a full-time psychological well being cellular program that launched in October 2022.
Automobile 54 is a joint initiative between Island Well being and the Nanaimo RCMP. It groups up Lianne Rear, a registered nurse from Island Well being’s Psychological Well being and Substance Use (MHSU) program, with Const. Josh Waltman, a psychological well being liaison RCMP officer. Collectively, they attend pressing calls in an unmarked police automobile to help folks in disaster. This effort marks the most recent “disaster automobile” collaboration between Island Well being and the RCMP on Vancouver Island; partnerships between police and health-care suppliers are additionally in place in Duncan/North Cowichan and on the South Island.
“When individuals are in disaster due to psychological well being or substance use challenges, we would like them met with care and compassion,” says Jennifer Whiteside, minister of Psychological Well being and Addictions. “Automobile 54 is a further useful resource that may help folks in misery and join them to the assistance and well being care that they want.”
Nanaimo Detachment Supt. Lisa Fletcher believes the Automobile 54 program will tremendously improve the Nanaimo RCMP’s general response to psychological well being calls. “We’ve heard from the households of these in disaster, the cops responding and our neighborhood companions that extra is anticipated from the police,” she says.
“This initiative exhibits our dedication to enhancing our response and dealing with our companions to deal with psychological well being challenges in our neighborhood.”
The objective of the Automobile 54 program is to resolve psychological well being disaster conditions collaboratively and within the least intrusive approach – which might embrace verbal de-escalation, the involvement of family and friends to assist help the consumer, and figuring out if hospital care or different choices are wanted, akin to referrals to neighborhood assets and helps.
“We don’t overdo it if we don’t need to. We attempt to protect some privateness and dignity,” says Rear. “It’s about looking for probably the most client-centred strategy – that’s my lens.”
“Lianne can do an in-depth, thorough psychological well being evaluation, whereas I take care of the protection issues and the chance issues and ensure everyone seems to be secure,” provides Const. Waltman. Since Automobile 54 launched completely on October 4, he estimates that the duo has reviewed and acted on tons of of consumer information.
“Since launching, the Automobile 54 partnership has been an enormous success,” says Sheila Leadbetter, Island Well being’s government director of MHSU. “It assists a few of our most susceptible purchasers in misery, helps de-escalate disaster conditions, and connects folks to assets and companies with neighborhood organizations or inside Island Well being.”
Provides Mayor Leonard Krog: “The Automobile 54 mission is part of the total suite of companies Nanaimo requires to assist meet the wants of individuals experiencing psychological well being or substance use points.”
