Integrated Mobile Police And Crisis Team (IMPACT)

What is IMPACT and how does this Team support our Community?

Since 2015, the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington (CMHA WW) and the Guelph Police Service have been working together to provide supportive mental health crisis care to those in need. The Integrated Mobile Police And Crisis Team (IMPACT) is an example of what is possible when community partners work together to support our community. This initiative has transformed the way mental health related calls for service are handled at the Guelph Police Service by providing a collaborative, immediate and comprehensive crisis response for individuals and their families.

IMPACT is comprised of six full-time and one part-time specially trained Mental Health Clinicians who operate directly out of the Guelph Police Service headquarters located at 15 Wyndham Street South in the City of Guelph, and attend calls for service alongside police officers when requested and available. As of January 10th, 2021, IMPACT will be available seven days a week from 8am until midnight.

This team was formed with the aim of creating a system in which CMHA WW members and police officers could jointly respond to mental health, addiction and crisis related calls for service. The goal of IMPACT is to ensure individuals have better health outcomes by receiving the most appropriate community-based crisis response at the time of need. This has resulted in a more comprehensive level of care through less-intrusive service interventions and reducing the need for emergency room and hospital involvement.Two impact team members comforting a young woman
IMPACT assists our community in a number of ways:

  • Connecting with individuals to assess needs and coordinate services
  • Providing mobile crisis support
  • Consulting with police about calls
  • Sharing resources for supporting officers after a traumatic call
  • Preparing training sessions and providing resources for police service members
  • Making presentations in the community

During the 2023-2024 fiscal year to date, IMPACT workers have attended 150 live calls with police and completed 591 after-the-fact referrals, serving 525 unique individuals. Of these live calls, 122 (81.3%) did not result in a hospital visit. Of the 28 calls resulting in hospital visits, six individuals were voluntarily transported and 22 were apprehended under the Mental Health Act.

Since its launch, IMPACT has been incredibly successful and both CMHA WW and the Guelph Police Service look forward to continuing and expanding this important joint venture as it evolves and grows to best fit the needs of our citizens.

 

** Monthly update - During July, 2023, IMPACT workers attended 42 live calls with police and responded to 141 requests for after-the-fact referrals, serving 167 unique individuals. Of the 42 live calls with police, 28 individuals (66.7%) were diverted from attending hospital. Of the 14 calls resulting in hospital visits, five were transported voluntarily and nine were apprehended under the Mental Health Act.