Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare has a new partnership with the Ontario Provincial Police, which it hopes will help more people in the community experiencing a mental health crisis.
Under the partnership, the hospital's mental health response units will transition into the Essex County Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team.
The teams will include specially-trained social workers paired with OPP officers. They'll respond to live calls for community members in crisis, ensuring they get the support they need.
The partnership is similar to one the hospital has with Windsor Police.
Current clients of the mental health response units will see no change in care, and they'll continue to receive follow-up care as necessary.
Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare will have seven adult Crisis Response Units working with the OPP and Windsor Police, along with an additional Youth Crisis Response Team responding to crisis calls for youth under the age of 16.