Canadian police agencies and their interactions with persons with a mental illness: a systems approach

In the 1980s, Canadian police began to experience different demands on their resources with respect to their interactions with persons with a mental illness (PMI) who were in crisis. Deinstitutionalization of PMI and an increasing emphasis on individual rights required a different business model. Change initially was slow but progressive police leaders soon realized that a systems approach was necessary to work cooperatively and collaboratively with other elements of the social service system, such as mental health and the wider criminal justice systems. Subsequently, across Canada various models were designed and programs delivered to better serve those with a mental illness, in particular when they are in crisis; these models now enable police and mental health service providers to better deploy their respective resources.