Hamilton police using part of new $8.2M from Ontario to create community 'intervention' team

Hamilton Police Service (HPS) says it is using some of the $8,268,267 it is receiving from the province to create a new team to help people experiencing homelessness, mental illness and addiction. It'll also expand existing efforts for the same causes.

The funding was pledged Tuesday by the province and comes from Ontario's $267-million Community Safety and Policing Grant program, which was announced late last year. The funds will be paid out over three years.

"We have heard loud and clear that police are not the experts on many of the social issues facing our community," HPS Chief Frank Bergen said in a media release on Tuesday afternoon. "By seeking out partnerships, we're bringing in specialists to help us provide in the moment support to some of our most marginalized community members." 

Of that $8 million, Hamilton police will get roughly $1.4 million over three years — the maximum amount it's allowed for a specific program — to create a Rapid Intervention Support Team.

The rest of the money, $6.7 million, will go toward continuing to pay the 13 officers on the Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST), Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team and Social Navigator Program. It will also allow for three more Social Navigator Program officers, and two new officers and two civilian support roles who will work with at-risk youth.

Police say the new team, which has been in development since last year, will provide daily one-on-one care that considers a host of issues.

For example, if someone is experiencing homelessness, addiction issues and mental health issues, the team can refer them to supports for each of those challenges, rather than only addressing one issue, HPS said.

The team will be out to support "clients that everyone is having difficulty placing," Insp. Frank Miscione told CBC Hamilton.

The team includes numerous community partners, such as:

Miscione said he hopes the team of roughly nine people will launch in late spring. The team will consist of various roles, including:

CBC Hamilton contacted each organization involved for comment.

Lily Lumsden, the local YMCA's senior regional manager of employment and immigrant services, said some of the money is for pre-existing positions who will now be part of the team. 

Miscione said at least some members of the team will meet daily to discuss new referrals and clients and to delegate tasks to the organization best suited to help. Who meets each day will depend on the client's needs, he said. Police will be involved in those meetings, HPS said. 

Police say the team will also proactively engage "high-priority populations" through regular visits to drop in centres and shelters.