This App helps officers help the mentally ill

It looks like mobile technology, adopted by Belleville police recently, has been successful in helping police deal with people who are mentally ill.

It also has led the police to exploring the idea of obtaining a Mobile Health Unit for the service.

At a media information session in Belleville Police headquarters on Thursday officials outlined how the app called Health IM has provided information to officers dealing with mentally ill people, and that it has cut down on the amount of time officers have to spend at the hospital emergency room when bringing in a person for medical care.

Police began using the Health IM app last October and it has helped them in dealing with 14 cases since then.

The app on the officers’ phones allows them to let the hospital know ahead of time the issues involved in the case of the person being brought in. Constable Ryan Laycoe tells Quinte News that if the person already has a history the app has that information as well.

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Inspector Sheri Meeks says the app has helped reduce the officers’ wait times at hospital from two hours and 30 minutes a couple of years ago to one hour and 20 minutes.

The technology is funded from the provincial government, through addictions and Mental Health Hastings and Prince Edward.

Meeks says that a 2018 agreement with Quinte Health Care has “helped get the officers back on the road.”

She pointed out there had been no referrals before, and since October there had been fourteen.

Patient Care Lead at Quinte Heath Care Chris Wilson tells Quinte News the officers’ notification is received on three computers in emergency and on his cell phone.

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Derek McGeachy, of Addictions and Mental Health Hastings and Prince Edward commended the program.

McGeachy say the agency operated a central intake for more than a year.

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Meanwhile, both Meeks and Chief Ron Gignac indicated there would be a push to obtain a Mobile Health Unit for the police service in the future.