Donation helps MHPS implement use of mental health app
By KELLEN TANIGUCHI on May 8, 2021.
ktaniguchi@medicinehatnews.com@@kellentaniguchi The Brandon Niwa Legacy Fund – the Beej Project, has donated $23,000 toward a partnership with the Medicine Hat Police Service to cover the cost of technology needed to launch a new mental health app for officers to use in the field, while also creating opportunities for research at Medicine Hat College. MHPS will be among the first police services in Alberta to use the HealthIM app, a digital, subscription-based system connecting emergency responders with information on people suffering from unmanaged mental health challenges and substance abuse issues. “The information that is within the app itself will be used by officers to respond to people who are in crisis and of course, that information can help them in their tactics or their approach to how to deal with those situations,” said MHPS police chief Mike Worden. “… It’s a way to put all the information – whether it’s health data, or information collected by police services – all into one database or platform, so that it can be shared and used to make decisions regarding people in crisis.” Worden says officers will be able to type a name into the app and if there’s data and information there, they will see tips and cues on some of their past history and de-escalation techniques that could work to calm down the individual or help make the decision on what to do next. The app has been used in other provinces and Worden says it seems to be effective. Worden says mental health is a concern in the city and police sometimes receive repetitive calls on the same individual. He adds he’s grateful for the Beej Project’s donation and community support. “The community effort toward this is quite incredible and we recognize and know that crisis has occurred,” he said. “Probably a year and a half ago with some of the suicides in Medicine Hat and what we see occurring in our downtown core and it’s become an issue that the community has stepped up and are starting to find solutions toward.” Worden says information from the app can also be shared with the hospital and be used to look for longer-term treatments and to get people the resources they need to address mental health concerns. The information the app generates will also be used toward research at MHC. “Our dean and faculty of our school of community health are in the very beginning stages of exploring what the research project will be based on the data we receive. So, very soon we look forward to sharing with our community what that looks like,” said Jen Kerslake, MHC’s director of community engagement. Kerslake says partnering with the MHPS was an easy decision and aligns with what the Beej Project is trying to do. “The intent of the Beej Project is to provide community mental health education and research to our region, so this was a perfect fit,” she said. “ 14-13
