Source: Radio New Zealand
Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson. Nathan Mckinnon
Police attended 7370 fewer mental health-related requests in the year to June, a result of the deliberate plan to wind back on responding to calls for help.
The department expects to respond to even fewer calls this year as it enters phase three of that plan.
Under phase three, which kicked off on Monday:
- Non-emergency mental health-related requests will be assessed against updated guidance to determine if police assistance is required. This includes requests for assistance under legislation, requests for assistance from in-patient mental health units and other requests from mental health services to police;
- Reports of missing persons with mental health concerns (including those who have left mental health facilities and services or EDs) will be assessed against updated guidance to determine the appropriate police involvement.
The phased approach began a year ago and has so far involved police limiting the time spent with someone in an emergency department, raising the threshold for transport of someone with a mental illness, and tightening rules around where mental health assessments can take place.
Police maintain they will attend calls if there has been an offence committed or if there is a risk to life or safety.
Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson told Nine to Noon they were comfortable with the roll-out of phases one and two and were now ready to move to the next level.
Health NZ director of specialist mental health and addiction Karla Bergquist said mental health practitioners in particular were being given much clearer guidance about when it is appropriate to seek police assistance.
“The other thing that has been happening in the background as we prepare for this phase is making that much more consistent across the country and helping our staff to communicate what’s needed very clearly to police so that they can make good decisions about their involvement.”
But while police were rolling back their attendance, they would still respond when situations met their updated guidelines.
Johnson said on the first day of the phase three roll-out they had an example of a non-urgent request for transport which was granted.
“We had a request in Gore down south on Monday where mental health services reached out for a transport. We did an assessment and sent some police staff to assist.”
Johnson said the process for responding when people were missing with mental health concerns had been streamlined and training for both police and health staff updated.
“We want to make sure that where it’s required we will absolutely get our police staff there, but that’s not in all cases.”
The fourth and final phase, which Johnson said was scheduled for early next year, would see 15-minute ED handovers, and police lifting the threshold for welfare checks where there is not believed to be a risk of criminality or safety.
In emergency situations both the public and health practitioners were still advised to call 111.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
