dealing with the victims, but that’s only a third of the puzzle. So I think in the future moving forward we need to deal with the children more often, more consistently, to prevent future violence. And deal with the offender to get them the treatment they need to hopefully stop the cycle.”
As well, there’s looking at what can be done more to assist male victims.
“Those are on the rise, so that’s something else we need to look at,” he said, noting that the only shelter in Alberta that takes male victims is in Strathmore.
REDI PARTNERSHIP
But family violence is only one spoke on the wheel of calls which the MHPS are responding to within the community — there’s also mental health.
“This in my mind is a huge area,” said Secondiak. “Our calls for service in 2014 for mental health were substantial, they were some of the highest they‘ve ever been. And we’ve seen that even in 2013 that they were on the rise.”
Following the model established with SFIT, police worked with REDI Enterprises to come up with a similar program launched at the end of 2015, having a REDI worker trained in mental health calls embedded at the police station.
“She reviews all mental health calls for service, and basically touches base with the clients or the community supports and gets those people that we have gone to recently access to supports quicker,” said Secondiak, adding that it’s still a work in progress.
Another key aspect to this is support from Alberta Health Services, he said, and they’re currently working with AHS to
Medicine Hat Police and REDI enterprises, represented here by Insp. Brent Secondiak and Karen Gingras, respectively have launched a pilot program where a REDI outreach worker can assist police after mental health crisis calls, and provide training to police for dealing with people with complex needs.
expand on this.
The connection has also allowed for educating police, said Karen Gingras, executive director with REDI — such as a recent workshop held on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
“It’s an opportunity for them to gain education so we are exploring some other topics that we think would be helpful,” she said.
This sort of project isn’t unique, she said, but is following what’s underway at many other Canadian police agencies.
Because the program is in its preliminary stages, Gingras said, they’ll be gathering data and information as it goes along.
Secondiak says they don’t see in the near future the number of mental health calls going down within the community — but in the longterm hope to see rates dropping because people are getting the services they need. ■
63
#41249806•03/29/2016
Join free interactive support programs for those affected by schizophrenia, from anywhere in Alberta on your smart phone, tablet or computer!
To fi nd out more about Schizophrenia Society of Alberta e-Programming visit
www.schizophrenia.ab.ca
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100