The RCMP and the Yukon government have launched a new Mobile Crisis Response Team in Whitehorse.

The new unit, named Car 867, will respond to calls for service related to mental health issues and suicide risks, it was announced Tuesday.

Car 867’s team will be staffed with a police officer and a mental health nurse from the government’s Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services unit.

They will provide a specialized joint response, including on-site mental health assessments and referrals to community agencies.

The new partnership’s objective is to provide trauma-informed, client-centered responses to mental health emergencies.

The joint initiative will help early intervention with underlying mental health issues and may also help divert people away from the criminal justice and hospital systems.

The new unit is a key action to respond to the Substance Use Health Emergency declared last January.

“While Yukon RCMP will continue to respond to calls of any nature 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Mobile Crisis Response Team will have specific hours of operation during the initial launch,” the police and government said in a joint statement.

Requests for police assistance will continue to go through police dispatch (non-urgent line 667-5555 or 911 in the case of an emergency) and dispatch will determine if Car 867 is appropriate to respond.

“When dispatched, Car 867 will travel to the individual’s location to provide on-scene support, providing the unit is available and the call relates to a mental health issue or suicide risk,” the statement said.

People experiencing mental health or substance use challenges can receive support by calling Mental Health and Substance Use Services at 456-3838. In case of an emergency, members of the public can call 911.

“Car 867 is another tool that Yukon government and the RCMP will be able to use in responding to people experiencing emergency mental health challenges,” said Tracy-Anne McPhee, the minister of Justice and minister of Health and Social Services.

“We know that integrating police response and trained mental health nurses can lead to better outcomes for everyone involved.

“Car 867 will reinforce the relationship between the RCMP and the health care system to better serve Yukoners.”

Police regularly respond to people undergoing a mental health crisis.

In 2021 and up to June 30, 2022, eight per cent of Whitehorse RCMP calls for service were related to mental health, including well-being checks and calls related to the Mental Health Act.

“In many regions, including Yukon, police have increasingly become the first point of contact for those experiencing a mental health event, and often become the conduit to accessing follow-up specialized care,” noted Chief Supt. Scott Sheppard, the commanding officer of the Yukon RCMP.

“While the RCMP has made significant strides in better equipping our members to handle these interactions, there is no substitute for the skills a professional mental health worker brings.

“I am confident this new partnership will provide better care for those in need as well as enhance Yukon RCMP’s ability in responding to these calls for service.”

Mobile Crisis Response Teams in other Canadian jurisdictions have successfully reduced the number of people who end up in hospital for mental health assessments, freeing up hospital and policing resources.

In Ontario, for example, the City of Hamilton’s mental health crisis team has reduced the number of apprehensions during mental health calls by up to 70 per cent.

Meanwhile, the City of Guelph has diverted 75 per cent of mental health calls from hospitals.