The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Elgin-Middlesex, St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s), Middlesex London Paramedic Service (MLPS), and London Police Service (LPS) have announced a joint initiative called the Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST); a newly established outreach and support service for individuals experiencing serious/acute mental health and addictions issues.
In the course of caring for some of the most vulnerable citizens in the community who suffer from serious, persistent mental illness and addictions, there are times when the police are mandated by law to assist individuals in accessing mental health care. The COAST model facilitates specialized mental health care support for LPS, assisting them to carry out mandated activities while improving the experience of those in need.
The main goals of COAST are to reduce the need for police-led responses to situations in which an individual is experiencing a mental health/addictions related concern, reducing interactions with front line LPS officers in these scenarios and hence, improving outcomes for these individuals by ensuring they receive the appropriate care.
Read more about COAST on the CMHA Elgin-Middlesex website.